Robertson County, Tennessee

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Robertson County, Tennessee
Robertson County courthouse in Springfield
Seal of Robertson County, Tennessee Seal
Location in the state of Tennessee
Tennessee's location in the U.S.
Founded	April 9, 1796
Named for	James Robertson
Seat	Springfield
Largest city	Springfield
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	476 sq mi (1,233 km²) 476 sq mi (1,233 km²) 0.2 sq mi (1 km²), 0.04%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	72,803 145/sq mi (56/km²)
Congressional district	6th
Time zone	Central: UTC-6/-5
Website	www.robertsoncountytn.gov

Robertson County is a county located on the central northern border of Tennessee in the United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 72,803 people. Its county seat is Springfield. The county was named for James Robertson, an explorer, founder of Nashville, and a state senator, who was often called the "Father of Middle Tennessee". Robertson County is a component of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin, TN Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2002 Howard Bradley became the mayor of Robertson County. Bradley was re-elected and served as Mayor until 2018, when he was succeeded by Billy Vogle, the current incumbent.

History

This was part of the Miro District (also spelled Mero), named after the Spanish Governor Esteban Rodríguez Miró of what was then Louisiana on the west side of the Mississippi River. Miró had served with Spanish troops that assisted the Americans during their war for independence. James Robertson, the explorer for whom this county was named, was trying to create an alliance with Miró that would allow free movement on the Mississippi River (which Spain controlled) to settlers on the Cumberland frontier. Before statehood, this territory was known as Tennessee County.

It was organized as Robertson County in 1796, at the same time as Montgomery County, which had also been part of the Miro district. The county seat, Springfield, Tennessee, was laid out in 1798. Although initially most settlers did not hold slaves, by the 1820s planters began to cultivate tobacco, a commodity crop that was labor-intensive and depended on enslaved African Americans. The planters bought slaves to work their plantations, as well as to care for the livestock they bred - thoroughbred horses and cattle.

By the time of the Civil War, African Americans comprised about one-quarter of the area's population, typical for Middle Tennessee, where tobacco and hemp were commodity crops. During the Civil War, Tennessee was occupied by the Union from 1862, which led to a breakdown in social organization in Middle Tennessee.

By 1910 the county's population was 25,466, including 6,492 black citizens, who continued to make up one-quarter of the total. Most of the residents were still involved in farm work, and tobacco was the primary commodity crop, but agricultural mechanization was reducing the need for laborers. White conservative Democrats had tried to restrict black voting; other southern states had totally excluded blacks from the political process. Many African Americans left rural Robertson County and other parts of Tennessee in the Great Migration to northern and midwestern cities for employment and social freedom. Combined with later in-migration of whites to the county, by the early 21st century, African Americans comprised less than 10 percent of the county population. They live chiefly in its larger towns.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 476 square miles (1,230 km²), of which 476 square miles (1,230 km²) is land and 0.2 square miles (0.52 km²) (0.04%) is water.

Adjacent counties

• Logan County, Kentucky (north)
• Simpson County, Kentucky (northeast)
• Sumner County (east)
• Davidson County (south)
• Cheatham County (southwest)
• Montgomery County (west)
• Todd County, Kentucky (northwest)

State protected areas

• Cedar Hill Swamp Wildlife Management Area
• Port Royal State Park (part)

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1800	4,280		—
1810	7,270		69.9%
1820	9,938		36.7%
1830	13,372		34.6%
1840	13,801		3.2%
1850	16,145		17.0%
1860	15,265		−5.5%
1870	16,166		5.9%
1880	18,861		16.7%
1890	20,078		6.5%
1900	25,029		24.7%
1910	25,466		1.7%
1920	25,621		0.6%
1930	28,191		10.0%
1940	29,046		3.0%
1950	27,024		−7.0%
1960	27,335		1.2%
1970	29,102		6.5%
1980	37,021		27.2%
1990	41,494		12.1%
2000	54,433		31.2%
2010	66,238		21.7%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2020

2020 census

Robertson County racial composition

Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	57,049	78.36%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	5,091	6.99%
Native American	139	0.19%
Asian	447	0.61%
Pacific Islander	21	0.03%
Other/Mixed	3,178	4.37%
Hispanic or Latino	6,878	9.45%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 72,803 people, 26,577 households, and 20,378 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 54,433 people, 19,906 households, and 15,447 families residing in the county. The population density was 114 people per square mile (44/km²). There were 20,995 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 89.13% White, 8.62% Black or African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.83% from other races, and 0.80% from two or more races. 2.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

In 2005 the racial makeup of the county was 85.4% non-Hispanic whites, 8.3% African Americans, and 5.3% Latinos.

There were 19,906 households, out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.90% were married couples living together, 11.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.40% were non-families. 18.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.80% under the age of 18, 8.50% from 18 to 24, 31.40% from 25 to 44, 22.50% from 45 to 64, and 10.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $43,174, and the median income for a family was $49,412. Males had a median income of $34,895 versus $24,086 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,054. About 6.40% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.90% of those under age 18 and 13.10% of those age 65 or over.

Communities

Cities

• Adams
• Cedar Hill
• Cross Plains
• Greenbrier
• Millersville (mostly in Sumner County)
• Orlinda
• Portland (partly in Sumner County)
• Ridgetop (partly in Davidson County)
• Springfield (county seat)
• White House (mostly in Sumner County)

Towns

• Coopertown

Unincorporated communities

• Ashburn
• Baggettsville
• Barren Plains
• Crunk
• Holmansville
• Hubertville
• Milldale
• Port Royal (partial Montgomery County)
• Sandy Springs
• Stroudville
• Turnersville
• Youngville

Transportation

Interstate 65 runs along the eastern border of the county for about 20 miles (32 km), and Interstate 24 runs along the southwestern border of the county for about 10 miles (16 km). U.S. Routes 41 and 431 run through the county, intersecting and briefly forming a concurrency in Springfield. Major state routes include 25, 49, 52, 76, and 109. Secondary state routes in Robertson County include 161, 256, and 257.

Politics

United States presidential election results for Robertson County, Tennessee

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	24,536	72.77%	8,692	25.78%	489	1.45%
2016	19,410	71.59%	6,637	24.48%	1,066	3.93%
2012	17,643	67.11%	8,290	31.53%	356	1.35%
2008	17,903	64.83%	9,318	33.74%	393	1.42%
2004	15,331	60.54%	9,865	38.96%	127	0.50%
2000	9,675	47.98%	10,249	50.83%	240	1.19%
1996	6,685	41.19%	8,465	52.16%	1,079	6.65%
1992	5,271	33.41%	8,498	53.86%	2,010	12.74%
1988	5,714	48.95%	5,884	50.41%	74	0.63%
1984	5,445	48.34%	5,756	51.11%	62	0.55%
1980	3,560	32.00%	7,381	66.34%	185	1.66%
1976	2,505	24.77%	7,547	74.62%	62	0.61%
1972	4,175	56.43%	2,985	40.34%	239	3.23%
1968	1,802	22.47%	2,315	28.86%	3,904	48.67%
1964	1,797	23.70%	5,784	76.30%	0	0.00%
1960	1,776	30.15%	4,053	68.80%	62	1.05%
1956	1,517	23.25%	4,961	76.02%	48	0.74%
1952	1,834	26.59%	5,063	73.41%	0	0.00%
1948	376	9.53%	3,044	77.14%	526	13.33%
1944	622	16.77%	3,074	82.90%	12	0.32%
1940	490	13.01%	3,258	86.49%	19	0.50%
1936	388	12.70%	2,629	86.03%	39	1.28%
1932	252	8.31%	2,752	90.71%	30	0.99%
1928	848	35.30%	1,543	64.24%	11	0.46%
1924	229	11.94%	1,645	85.77%	44	2.29%
1920	1,191	28.04%	3,046	71.70%	11	0.26%
1916	733	25.08%	2,106	72.05%	84	2.87%
1912	513	16.73%	2,287	74.57%	267	8.71%
1908	755	23.68%	2,418	75.85%	15	0.47%
1904	811	25.46%	2,308	72.44%	67	2.10%
1900	1,128	29.96%	2,564	68.10%	73	1.94%
1896	1,386	30.62%	2,943	65.02%	197	4.35%
1892	879	24.06%	1,938	53.04%	837	22.91%
1888	952	27.31%	2,203	63.20%	331	9.50%
1884	794	28.52%	1,977	71.01%	13	0.47%
1880	951	30.49%	2,107	67.55%	61	1.96%

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Robertson County, Tennessee

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Robertson County, Tennessee

• Official site
• Robertson County History in state encyclopedia
• Robertson County, Tenn GenWeb - free genealogy resources for the county
• Robertson County at Curlie
• Robertson County Chamber of Commerce Archived November 25, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
• Robertson County Schools