Wartrace, Tennessee

Wartrace, Tennessee
Town

Downtown Wartrace
Nickname(s): The Cradle of the Walking Horse

Location of Wartrace, Tennessee
Coordinates: 35°31′37″N 86°19′51″W / 35.52694°N 86.33083°W / 35.52694; -86.33083Coordinates: 35°31′37″N 86°19′51″W / 35.52694°N 86.33083°W / 35.52694; -86.33083
Country United States
State Tennessee
County Bedford
Incorporated 1858[1]
Named for Indian trail that passed through the area[2]
Government
 • Mayor Thomas Hurt
Area
 • Total 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km2)
 • Land 0.7 sq mi (1.8 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 833 ft (254 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 651
 • Density 800.0/sq mi (308.9/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 37183
Area code(s) 931
FIPS code 47-78120[3]
GNIS feature ID 1304389[4]

Wartrace is a town in Bedford County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 548 at the 2000 census and 651 at the 2010 census. It is located northeast of Shelbyville. The downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the Wartrace Historic District.

Wartrace is a hub of the Tennessee Walking Horse industry and has been nicknamed "the cradle of the Tennessee Walking Horse". The Tennessee Walking Horse National Museum has been headquartered in downtown Wartrace since 2012.[5]

History

The name "Wartrace" is rooted in a Native American trail that once passed through the area. The town, initially known as "Wartrace Depot," was established in the early 1850s as a stop on the newly constructed Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad.[2]

During the Civil War, the town was the winter headquarters of Confederate General William J. Hardee during the aftermath of the Battle of Stones River, and the Old Chockley Tavern in Wartrace was a gathering place for Confederate officers during the Tullahoma Campaign. A skirmish was fought at Wartrace on April 11, 1862.[2]

With the increase in rail travel in the late 19th century, Wartrace experienced a boom period. At its height, the town had six inns and hotels, and serviced 13 trains per day.[2] One hotel, the Walking Horse Hotel, is still in business today.[6]

Wartrace is connected to Shelbyville by the Walking Horse and Eastern Railroad, a historic rail line that is still in part-time operation.[7]

Geography

Wartrace is located at 35°31′37″N 86°19′51″W / 35.52694°N 86.33083°W / 35.52694; -86.33083 (35.526872, -86.330739).[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2), all of it land.

Climate

Climate is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen Climate Classification subtype for this climate is "Cfa" (Humid Subtropical Climate).[9]

Climate data for Wartrace, TN
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 9
(49)		 12
(53)		 17
(62)		 22
(72)		 27
(80)		 31
(87)		 32
(90)		 32
(89)		 29
(84)		 23
(73)		 16
(61)		 11
(52)		 22
(71)
Average low °C (°F) −2
(28)		 −1
(31)		 3
(38)		 8
(47)		 13
(55)		 17
(63)		 19
(67)		 19
(66)		 15
(59)		 8
(47)		 3
(38)		 −1
(31)		 8
(47)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 124
(4.9)		 117
(4.6)		 147
(5.8)		 114
(4.5)		 135
(5.3)		 107
(4.2)		 119
(4.7)		 94
(3.7)		 100
(4)		 86
(3.4)		 117
(4.6)		 132
(5.2)		 1,400
(55)
Average precipitation days 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 8 8 7 9 11 116
Source: Weatherbase [10]

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1880468—
189068646.6%
1900642−6.4%
19106592.6%
1920619−6.1%
1930606−2.1%
1940552−8.9%
1950545−1.3%
19605450.0%
197061613.0%
1980540−12.3%
1990494−8.5%
200054810.9%
201065118.8%
Est. 2015659[11]1.2%
Sources:[12][13]

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 548 people, 234 households, and 147 families residing in the town. The population density was 800.0 people per square mile (311.2/km²). There were 250 housing units at an average density of 365.0 per square mile (141.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.14% White, 8.94% African American, 0.73% from other races, and 2.19% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.64% of the population.

There were 234 households out of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.8% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.34 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the town the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $29,500, and the median income for a family was $38,472. Males had a median income of $28,409 versus $19,565 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,459. About 14.4% of families and 14.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.3% of those under age 18 and 19.3% of those age 65 or over.

References

  1. ↑ Tennessee Blue Book, 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "History of Wartrace," Wartrace Chamber of Commerce website. Retrieved: 1 March 2013.
  3. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ Pam Sohn, "Museum Holds Walking Horse Memories," Chattanooga Times Free Press, 1 September 2012.
  6. ↑ "The History of Wartrace," Wartrace Chamber of Commerce website. Accessed: 27 April 2016.
  7. ↑ Russ Manning, Scenic Driving Tennessee (Globe Pequot, 2002), p. 201.
  8. ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. Retrieved 2011-04-23.
  9. ↑ Climate Summary for Wartrace, TN
  10. ↑ "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on July 13, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". Retrieved July 2, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2012-03-04.
  13. ↑ "Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012". Population Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 11 December 2013.
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