Smithville, Tennessee

Smithville, Tennessee
City
Smithville Watertower
Location of Smithville in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
Coordinates: 35°57′26″N85°49′15″W / 35.95722°N 85.82083°W / 35.95722; -85.82083
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	DeKalb
Founded	1838 [1]
Incorporated	1843 [2]
Named for	Samuel Granville Smith, local politician [1]
Government
• Type	Mayor-Aldermanic
Area [3]
• Total	5.85 sq mi (15.16 km2)
• Land	5.85 sq mi (15.16 km2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation	1,037 ft (316 m)
Population  (2020) [4]
• Total	5,004
• Density	854.80/sq mi (330.05/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	37166
Area code	615
FIPS code	47-69320 [5]
GNIS feature ID	1313778 [6]
Website	smithvillecityhall.com

Smithville is a city in DeKalb County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 5,004 at the 2020 census, ^[7] up from 3,994 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of DeKalb County. ^[8] Smithville is home to the Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree, which it has hosted annually since 1972. ^[9]

Geography

Smithville is located in central DeKalb County at 35°57′26″N85°49′15″W / 35.95722°N 85.82083°W / 35.95722; -85.82083 (35.957191, -85.820756). ^[10] U.S. Route 70 passes through the town as Broad Street, leading east 21 miles (34 km) to Sparta and northwest 36 miles (58 km) to Lebanon. Tennessee State Route 56 (Congress Boulevard) crosses US 70 a few blocks southeast of the center of town and leads north 13 miles (21 km) to Interstate 40 at Silver Point and 19 miles (31 km) south to McMinnville. Cookeville is 28 miles (45 km) to the northeast, ^[11] Murfreesboro is 40 miles (64 km) to the west-southwest, ^[12] and Nashville is 66 miles (106 km) to the west-northwest. ^[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 5.9 square miles (15.3 km²), all land. ^[7]

Climate

Climate data for Smithville 2 SE, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °F (°C)	76 (24)	78 (26)	85 (29)	90 (32)	92 (33)	105 (41)	104 (40)	102 (39)	99 (37)	95 (35)	85 (29)	76 (24)	105 (41)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)	47.2 (8.4)	51.8 (11.0)	60.3 (15.7)	70.2 (21.2)	77.9 (25.5)	84.8 (29.3)	87.7 (30.9)	87.2 (30.7)	81.8 (27.7)	71.8 (22.1)	60.0 (15.6)	50.9 (10.5)	69.3 (20.7)
Daily mean °F (°C)	36.4 (2.4)	39.8 (4.3)	47.4 (8.6)	56.2 (13.4)	65.2 (18.4)	73.0 (22.8)	76.6 (24.8)	75.4 (24.1)	69.0 (20.6)	57.5 (14.2)	46.7 (8.2)	39.7 (4.3)	56.9 (13.8)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)	25.5 (−3.6)	27.9 (−2.3)	34.5 (1.4)	42.3 (5.7)	52.5 (11.4)	61.3 (16.3)	65.5 (18.6)	63.6 (17.6)	56.3 (13.5)	43.3 (6.3)	33.3 (0.7)	28.4 (−2.0)	44.5 (6.9)
Record low °F (°C)	−24 (−31)	−17 (−27)	0 (−18)	18 (−8)	27 (−3)	38 (3)	46 (8)	44 (7)	29 (−2)	21 (−6)	9 (−13)	−7 (−22)	−24 (−31)
Average precipitation inches (mm)	4.92 (125)	5.07 (129)	5.73 (146)	4.99 (127)	4.87 (124)	5.14 (131)	5.18 (132)	3.92 (100)	4.03 (102)	3.28 (83)	4.15 (105)	5.69 (145)	56.97 (1,447)
Average snowfall inches (cm)	1.1 (2.8)	1.1 (2.8)	0.3 (0.76)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.0 (0.0)	0.6 (1.5)	3.1 (7.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in)	13.6	12.9	13.4	11.7	12.7	11.9	12.0	9.6	8.8	9.6	10.2	13.7	140.1
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in)	0.9	0.9	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.6	2.7
Source: NOAA [14] [15]

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1890	572		—
1920	687		—
1930	886		29.0%
1940	919		3.7%
1950	1,558		69.5%
1960	2,348		50.7%
1970	2,997		27.6%
1980	3,839		28.1%
1990	3,791		−1.3%
2000	3,994		5.4%
2010	4,530		13.4%
2020	5,004		10.5%
Sources: [16] [17] [4]

2020 census

Smithville racial composition ^[18]

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	3,994	79.82%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	101	2.02%
Native American	11	0.22%
Asian	37	0.74%
Pacific Islander	5	0.1%
Other/Mixed	206	4.12%
Hispanic or Latino	650	12.99%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 5,004 people, 1,631 households, and 1,090 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census ^[5] of 2000, there were 3,994 people, 1,675 households, and 1,065 families residing in the city. The population density was 679.4 inhabitants per square mile (262.3/km²). There were 1,837 housing units at an average density of 312.5 per square mile (120.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.34% White, 2.73% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 1.65% from other races, and 1.03% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.06% of the population.

Market Street

There were 1,675 households, out of which 27.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.0% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 22.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $22,482, and the median income for a family was $30,179. Males had a median income of $29,231 versus $20,705 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,854. About 15.4% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 25.8% of those age 65 or over.

In popular culture

Smithville is referred to by a local-boy Marine talking to a girl and pointing to labels on a map during a dance hall scene, 17 minutes into the 1949 World War II John Wayne film, Sands of Iwo Jima , where it is mentioned, apart from everybody in his family being related to much of Tennessee, as being famous for "corn tobacco" and "more fertilizer than any other place in the world".

Fiddler's Jamboree

Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree & Crafts Festival
Genre	Bluegrass music, old-time music
Years active	1972-present
Attendance	100,000+
Website	www.smithvilletn.com

Joe L. Evins helped start the world-famous Smithville Fiddler's Jamboree & Crafts Festival. The first Jamboree was held in July 1972 on a stage built on the steps of the DeKalb County Courthouse, and has been held there annually on the weekend nearest to July 4. The first Jamboree attracted 714 musicians from 16 states, and was attended by an estimated audience of 8,000. Present day audiences are estimated to be well over 100,000 from all over the U.S., and many from abroad. ^[19]

Notable people

• Bob Allen — Major League Baseball pitcher
• John Anderson — country music singer
• James Edgar Evins — Tennessee state senator, mayor of Smithville for 16 years ^[20]
• Joe L. Evins — U.S. representative
• Alan Jackson — country music singer; former resident ^[21]
• Greg Tubbs — Major League Baseball Player, Cincinnati Reds, 1993
• Lonnie Mack — pioneering blues-rock guitar soloist lived close by for many years and died here
• Aaron Tippin — country music singer
• Dottie West —American country music singer and songwriter
• Steven Jennings - professional baseball player, Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Yankees, Texas Rangers

Gallery

• 
  Dekalb County Courthouse in Smithville, Tennessee
• 
  Smithville City Hall

See also

• List of bluegrass music festivals

References

1. Thomas Gray Webb, "City of Smithville - History, 1995. Retrieved: February 7, 2013.
2. Tennessee Blue Book , 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.
3. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
4. "Census Population API". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
6. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
7. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Smithville city, Tennessee". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
8. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
9. smithvillejamboree.com
10. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
11. "Smithville to Cookeville".
12. "Smithville to Murfreesboro".
13. "Smithville to Nashville".
14. "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
15. "Station: Smithville 2 SE, TN". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
16. "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved March 4, 2012.
17. "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 11, 2013. Retrieved December 11, 2013.
18. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 27, 2021.
19. Information paraphrased from: http://www.smithvilletn.com/jamboree/ . See also: http://www.smithvilletn.com/jamboree/congress.htm Archived May 9, 2006, at the Wayback Machine and http://www.smithvilletn.com/jamboree/2006.htm Archived May 9, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
20. "James Edgar Evins" . The Jackson Sun. March 23, 1954. p. 10. Retrieved December 23, 2017– via Newspapers.com.
21. "Singer Alan Jackson Lists a Tennessee Home for $5 Million". Wall Street Journal. February 7, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2022– via PropGOLuxury.com.

External links

• City of Smithville official website
• City charter
• Media related to Smithville, Tennessee at Wikimedia Commons