Montgomery County, Tennessee

History

The county was named for John Montgomery, a soldier in the American Revolutionary War and an early settler who founded the city of Clarksville. It was authorized on April 9, 1796, when the western portion of Tennessee County, which since 1790 had been part of the Territory South of the River Ohio, became part of the new state of Tennessee. (In 1790, North Carolina had ceded its western lands to the Federal government to create what was also known as the Southwest Territory.) The eastern portion of old Tennessee County was, at the same time Montgomery County was formed, combined with land taken from Sumner County to form Robertson County, Tennessee. Later acts of the Tennessee General Assembly had further reduced Montgomery County by 1871 to its current size and boundaries.

Montgomery County was the site of several early saltpeter mines. Saltpeter is the main ingredient of gunpowder and was obtained by leaching the earth from local caves. Bellamy Cave near Stringtown still contains the remains of two dozen saltpeter leaching vats. It appears to have been a large operation. Cooper Creek Cave shows evidence of extensive mining and contains the remains of "many saltpeter hoppers." Both were probably mined during the War of 1812. Dunbar Cave is reported to have been mined for saltpeter during the Mexican War of 1848, but commercial development has destroyed any evidence of this. Little mining is likely to have happened here during the Civil War, since the Union Army captured and occupied this part of Tennessee in early 1862.

Geography

Montgomery County lies on the northern line of Tennessee; its northern border abuts the state of Kentucky. The hilly terrain is marked by drainages and largely covered with trees. The Cumberland River meanders westward through the lower central part of the county. The highest point on the county terrain (806 ft ASL) is a small hill 3.7 mi ENE from Slayden in Dickson County.

According to the US Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 544 sqmi, of which 539 sqmi is land and 4.7 sqmi (0.9%) is water.

Unlike most of Tennessee, a sizable part of northern Montgomery County is outside of the Sun Belt due to a past error surveying the northern border of Middle and East Tennessee. Most of Clarksville in particular is north of the Sun Belt. The Sun Belt is defined by the Kinder Institute as being south of 36°30'N latitude, which was intended to be the northern border of Tennessee and is the actual northern border of West Tennessee.

Dunbar Cave

Montgomery County lies in a region of well-developed karst topography. A large cave system under the county is named Dunbar Cave; it is the centerpiece of Dunbar Cave State Park, which encompasses approximately 110 acres and is one of the most visited units in the Tennessee State Park System.

Dunbar Cave was extensively used by prehistoric Indians, who inhabited this area for thousands of years before European encounters. Remains of their cane torches have been found in the cave, and archaeologists have excavated numerous artifacts inside the entrance. During a research trip into the cave on January 15, 2005, Park Ranger Amy Wallace, History professor Joe Douglas, local historian Billyfrank Morrison, and Geologist Larry E. Matthews discovered Indian glyphs on the walls of the cave. Subsequent investigations by archaeologists from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville confirmed the drawings were from people of the Mississippian culture, which was active about 1000-1300 CE. These glyphs were featured for a few years on the tour of the cave.

In 2010, the State of Tennessee closed Dunbar Cave to the public because White Nose Syndrome was diagnosed in a bat, and they did not want the disease to spread. The cave has since reopened, and tours are conducted seasonally, from May to August (with special hygiene procedures in place).

Adjacent counties

• Christian County, Kentucky - northwest
• Todd County, Kentucky - northeast
• Robertson County - east
• Cheatham County - southeast
• Dickson County - south
• Houston County - southwest
• Stewart County - west

Protected areas

• Barnett's Woods State Natural Area
• Dunbar Cave State Natural Area
• Dunbar Cave State Park
• Haynes Bottom Wildlife Management Area
• Port Royal State Park (part)
• Shelton Ferry Wildlife Management Area

Demographics

| align-fn = center 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2014

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 220,069 people, 76,974 households, and 53,563 families residing in the county.

The median age was 31.3 years, with 27.0% of residents under the age of 18 and 10.0% who were 65 years of age or older; for every 100 females there were 97.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 94.8 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 62.6% White, 20.3% Black or African American, 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.5% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.6% from some other race, and 10.2% from two or more races; Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 10.4% of the population.

82.3% of residents lived in urban areas, while 17.7% lived in rural areas.

There were 79,841 households in the county, of which 38.8% had children under the age of 18 living in them; 51.0% were married-couple households, 17.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 22.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 85,714 housing units, of which 6.9% were vacant; among occupied housing units, 60.2% were owner-occupied and 39.8% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.3%.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States census, there were 134,768 people, 48,330 households, and 35,957 families in the county. The population density was 250 PD/sqmi. There were 52,167 housing units at an average density of 97 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the county was 73.17% White, 19.18% Black or African American, 0.53% Native American, 1.82% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, 2.18% from other races, and 2.91% from two or more races. 5.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 48,330 households, out of which 40.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.70% were married couples living together, 12.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.60% were non-families. 20.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70, and the average family size was 3.11.

The county population contained 28.40% under the age of 18, 12.30% from 18 to 24, 34.30% from 25 to 44, 17.20% from 45 to 64, and 7.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.80 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,981, and the median income for a family was $43,023. Males had a median income of $30,696 versus $22,581 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,265. About 7.90% of families and 10.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.70% of those under age 18 and 10.70% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

County government

The county mayor is the chief executive officer of Montgomery County, responsible for overseeing county administration and implementing policies adopted by the County Commission. Voters elect the county mayor at-large, along with several other countywide offices, including the sheriff. The current mayor is Republican Wes Golden.

Countywide elected officials

State elected offices

Montgomery County is represented in the Tennessee General Assembly by 4 Republicans and 1 Democrat in the House.

Legislative branch

The Board of County Commissioners, the legislative body of Montgomery County, consists of 21 members elected for four‑year terms from single-member districts with roughly equal populations. Republicans currently hold 9 seats, Democrats hold 7 seats, and 6 commissioners are Independent.

Each year at the first session on or after September 1, the commission elects a chair and a chair pro tempore. Since 2022, County Mayor Wes Golden has been elected as chair of the commission, including for the 2025–2026 term, and Commissioner Joe Smith (R - District 3) currently serves as chair pro tempore. If the county mayor is elected chair and accepts, they relinquish veto power over legislative resolutions. A chair who is a commissioner may vote as a regular member but may not cast a tie‑breaking vote.

If the county mayor does not serve as chair, they retain veto power over legislative resolutions (excluding administrative or appellate resolutions). A vetoed resolution must be returned to the commission with the mayor’s reasons within 10 days, and the commission may override the veto at the next regular meeting or within 20 days of receiving the veto.

When the chair is absent, the chair pro tempore presides. If both are absent, the county clerk calls the meeting to order to elect a temporary chair. The chair may designate another commissioner to act in their place on boards or commissions, and the designee may exercise all powers and vote as if the chair were present.

County commissioners’ districts do not correspond with the city of Clarksville, which has its own mayor and city council. Residents living within Clarksville city limits vote in both city and county elections, are represented by both mayors, and pay city and county taxes

Education governance

Public education in Montgomery County is overseen by the Clarksville–Montgomery County School Board, which governs the Clarksville–Montgomery County School System (CMCSS). The board consists of 7 members elected from single-member districts, serving staggered four-year terms. The board functions as a single governing body, making decisions that apply to the entire school system, including policies, budgets, and superintendent oversight. The board currently has a Republican majority, with 5 Republicans and 2 Democrats.The board appoints a director of schools to lead the district; the current director, Jean Luna-Vedder, was appointed on May 10, 2022, and began serving on July 1, 2022. She previously served as Chief of Student Readiness for the Tennessee State Department of Education.

Political history

Montgomery County has historically been a Democratic stronghold. Since the 2000 presidential election, however, the county started voting for the Republican Party, and is now a Republican stronghold.

The last time Montgomery County voted for a Democratic candidate in a statewide race was for Phil Bredesen in 2006, and the last time it voted for a Democratic candidate on a presidential level, was in 1996 when it voted for Democrat Bill Clinton.

Although Montgomery County is a Republican stronghold, the city of Clarksville has been competitive for both major political parties. In the 2024 presidential election, Clarksville voted for Donald Trump by a margin of 6.2%.

County mayoral elections

• 2026 Tennessee county mayoral elections

Communities

City

• Clarksville (county seat)

Unincorporated communities

• Cunningham
• Needmore
• New Providence
• Oakridge
• Palmyra
• Port Royal
• Salem
• Sango
• Shady Grove
• South Guthrie
• Southaven
• Southside
• St. Bethlehem
• Woodlawn

Education

Clarksville-Montgomery County School System serves most of the county. Portions in Fort Campbell however are zoned to Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) schools. Fort Campbell High School is the zoned high school for Fort Campbell.

References

References

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