Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, its population was 22,039, down from 22,228 at the 2010 census. Its county seat is Huntsville and the largest town is Oneida. Scott County is known for having seceded from Tennessee in protest of the state’s decision to join the Confederacy during the Civil War, and subsequently forming The Free and Independent State of Scott.
| Name: | Scott County |
|---|---|
| FIPS code: | 47-151 |
| State: | Tennessee |
| Founded: | 1849 |
| Named for: | Winfield Scott |
| Seat: | Huntsville |
| Largest town: | Oneida |
| Total Area: | 533 sq mi (1,380 km²) |
| Land Area: | 532 sq mi (1,380 km²) |
| Total Population: | 21,850 |
| Population Density: | 42/sq mi (16/km²) |
| Time zone: | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| Summer Time Zone (DST): | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Website: | www.scottcounty.com |
Scott County location map. Where is Scott County?
History
Scott County was formed in 1849 from portions of Anderson, Campbell, Fentress and Morgan counties. It is named for U.S. Army General Winfield Scott, a hero of the Mexican War.
State of Scott
During the Civil War, the county was a Southern Unionist bastion, voting against secession from the Union in Tennessee’s June 1861 referendum by a higher percentage (521 to 19, or 96%) than in any other Tennessee county. This sentiment was encouraged by a June 4, 1861, speech in Huntsville by U.S. Senator Andrew Johnson. In 1861, the county assembly officially enacted a resolution seceding from the state of Tennessee, and thus the Confederacy, forming the “Free and Independent State of Scott,” also known simply as the “State of Scott.” The county remained a pro-Union enclave throughout the war. Ulysses S. Grant received over 90% of the vote in Scott County during both the 1868 United States presidential election and the 1872 United States presidential election.
The proclamation was finally repealed, over a hundred years later, by Scott County in 1986.
Scott County Road Map
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 533 square miles (1,380 km), of which 532 square miles (1,380 km) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.3 km) (0.2%) is water. The county is located in a relatively hilly area atop the Cumberland Plateau. In the southwestern part of the county, the Clear Fork and New River converge to form the Big South Fork of the Cumberland River, a major tributary of the Cumberland River, and the focus of a national river and recreation area.
U.S. Route 27 is the county’s primary north–south road. State Route 63 connects Scott County with Campbell County to the east. State Route 52 connects Scott County with the Fentress County area to the west. A portion of State Route 297 connects Oneida with the Big South Fork Recreation Area. State Route 456 is another major road in the area.
Adjacent counties
- McCreary County, Kentucky (north)
- Campbell County (east)
- Anderson County (southeast)
- Morgan County (southwest)
- Fentress County (west/CST Border)
- Pickett County (northwest/CST Border)
- Wayne County, Kentucky (northwest)
National protected area
- Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (part)
State protected areas
- North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area (part)
- Scott State Forest (part)
- Twin Arches State Natural Area (part)
Scott County Topographic Map
Scott County Satellite Map
Scott County Outline Map
