Pikeville, Tennessee

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Pikeville
| settlement_type                 = [[City]]
| nickname                        = 
| motto                           = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline                   = Pikeville-water-tower-tn2.jpg
| imagesize                       = 250px
| image_caption                   = Water tower in Pikeville
| image_flag                      = 
| image_seal                      = <!-- Maps -->
| image_map                       = File:Bledsoe County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Pikeville Highlighted 4758120.svg
| mapsize                         = 250px
| map_caption                     = Location of Pikeville in Bledsoe County, Tennessee.
| image_map1                      = 
| mapsize1                        = 
| map_caption1                    = <!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type                = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name                = United States
| subdivision_type1               = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1               = [[Tennessee]]
| subdivision_type2               = [[List of counties in Tennessee|County]]
| subdivision_name2               = [[Bledsoe County, Tennessee|Bledsoe]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes            = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = 
| leader_name                     = 
| leader_title1                   = 
| leader_name1                    = 
| established_title               = Founded
| established_date                = 1816
| established_title2              = Incorporated
| established_date2               = 1830<ref name=GenWebHistory />

<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='47'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 6.33
| area_land_km2                   = 6.33
| area_water_km2                  = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi                = 2.44
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 2.44
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.00

<!-- Population -->| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total                = 1824
| population_density_km2          = 288.32
| population_density_sq_mi        = 746.62

<!-- General information -->| timezone                        = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -6
| timezone_DST                    = CDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -5
| elevation_footnotes             = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_m                     = 
| elevation_ft                    = 860
| coordinates                     = {{coord|35|36|27|N|85|11|29|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 37367
| area_code                       = [[Area code 423|423]]
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 47-58120<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 1297464<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1297464}}</ref>
| footnotes                       = 
| pop_est_as_of                   = 
| pop_est_footnotes               = 
| population_est                  = 
| name                            = 
}}

'''Pikeville''' is a city in [[Bledsoe County, Tennessee]]. The population was 1,824 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]]. It is also the [[county seat]] of Bledsoe County.<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx|access-date=June 7, 2011|title=Find a County|publisher=National Association of Counties}}</ref>

==History==
The [[Sequatchie River]] valley was part of [[Cherokee]] lands until 1805, when the Cherokee ceded it to the U.S. as part of the [[Treaty of Tellico]].  By the late 18th century, the valley had been identified by hunters, one of whom, [[Anthony Bledsoe]] (1739-1788), became the county's namesake. Bledsoe County was formed in 1807, with the town of Madison as its county seat.<ref name=GenWebHistory>"[http://www.tngennet.org/bledsoe/history.htm Bledsoe County, Tennessee] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130821093200/http://www.tngennet.org/bledsoe/history.htm |date=2013-08-21 }}."  TNGenWeb. Retrieved: January 7, 2008.</ref>

[[File:Pikeville.jpg|thumb|left|[[Carl Mydans]] photo showing local residents "spelling" themselves in front of a Pikeville store in 1936]]

Pikeville was established in 1816 on lands donated by Charles Love, an early Sequatchie settler. The origin of the town's name is unknown, although some have suggested that it was named for explorer [[Zebulon Pike|General Zebulon Pike]]. By 1818, the Bledsoe County seat had been moved from Madison to Pikeville. The town was [[municipal corporation|incorporated]] in 1830.<ref name=GenWebHistory/>

J.V. Wigle (1890&ndash;1970), a combustion engineer from Michigan and laboratory assistant at [[Eastern Michigan University]], met a local woman, Mattie Lawson, and settled down in Pikeville. He first brought electricity to town when he electrified the house where he lived near the corner of Poplar and Wiegle streets (Wiegle Street, named after J.V. Wigle, is misspelled). In addition to bringing electricity to Pikeville, Wigle bottled Coca-Cola and made wrought iron railings in the community. He was granted two U.S. patents in 1931 (1,798,289 & 1,814,535) for a coin selecting device and a braking mechanism. His two sons attended the engineering school at [[Vanderbilt University]].<ref name=ElectrifyHistory>"[http://37367.us/ Pikeville, TN.]" History of Zip Code 37367. Retrieved: April 30, 2010.</ref> His son Tom (1933&ndash;2006) helped build [[U.S. Route 127]] heading north out of town as it rises up the mountain near the county line, during a summer job between semesters at Vanderbilt. Wigle is buried with his wife in Pikeville City Cemetery in the family plot, along with Tom Wigle.<ref name=BaltimoreSunObituary>"[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/keyword/wigle Obituaries: Wigle, Thomas A.]" Baltimore Sun, April 23, 2006. Retrieved: April 30, 2010.</ref>

==Geography==
[[File:Pikeville-Courthouse-Square-tn1.jpg|right|210px|thumb|Courthouse Square in Pikeville]]
Pikeville is located at {{coord|35|36|27|N|85|11|29|W|type:city}} (35.607470, -85.191340).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> The city is situated in the northern half of the [[Sequatchie Valley]], a deep, narrow, and fertile valley that presents as a large rupture in the southern [[Cumberland Plateau]]. The walls of the plateau, namely [[Walden Ridge]] and Little Mountain, rise prominently to the east and west, respectively. The [[Sequatchie River]] passes through the eastern section of Pikeville.

The primary highway running through Pikeville is [[U.S. Route 127]], which connects the city to [[Crossville, Tennessee|Crossville]] atop the plateau to the north and [[Dunlap, Tennessee|Dunlap]] to the south. In Pikeville, US-127 splits, with the main route running along Main Street through the city's business district and courthouse square, and a [[bypass (road)|bypass]] running through a newer commercial area in the western part of the city. [[Tennessee State Route 30|State Route 30]], which connects Pikeville with [[Spencer, Tennessee|Spencer]] and the [[Fall Creek Falls State Park]] area atop the plateau to the west and [[Dayton, Tennessee|Dayton]] across the plateau to the east, runs congruent with US-127 through most of the city.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|2.4|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

===Climate===
{{Weather box
|location = Pikeville, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1962–present)
|single line = Y
|width = auto
|Jan record high F = 75
|Feb record high F = 82
|Mar record high F = 87
|Apr record high F = 92
|May record high F = 97
|Jun record high F = 106
|Jul record high F = 107
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 98
|Oct record high F = 96
|Nov record high F = 85
|Dec record high F = 78
|year record high F = 107

|Jan avg record high F = 65.8
|Feb avg record high F = 70.1
|Mar avg record high F = 78.1
|Apr avg record high F = 84.2
|May avg record high F = 87.9
|Jun avg record high F = 92.8
|Jul avg record high F = 94.9
|Aug avg record high F = 94.0
|Sep avg record high F = 91.2
|Oct avg record high F = 83.8
|Nov avg record high F = 75.0
|Dec avg record high F = 66.7
|year avg record high F = 96.0

|Jan high F = 49.4
|Feb high F = 54.1
|Mar high F = 62.6
|Apr high F = 72.2
|May high F = 79.1
|Jun high F = 85.4
|Jul high F = 88.2
|Aug high F = 87.8
|Sep high F = 82.7
|Oct high F = 72.8
|Nov high F = 60.8
|Dec high F = 51.7
|year high F = 70.6
|Jan mean F = 39.8
|Feb mean F = 43.4
|Mar mean F = 50.8
|Apr mean F = 59.3
|May mean F = 67.1
|Jun mean F = 74.2
|Jul mean F = 77.6
|Aug mean F = 76.7
|Sep mean F = 71.0
|Oct mean F = 60.1
|Nov mean F = 49.1
|Dec mean F = 42.3
|year mean F = 59.3
|Jan low F = 30.1
|Feb low F = 32.8
|Mar low F = 39.0
|Apr low F = 46.5
|May low F = 55.0
|Jun low F = 63.0
|Jul low F = 67.0
|Aug low F = 65.6
|Sep low F = 59.4
|Oct low F = 47.5
|Nov low F = 37.5
|Dec low F = 32.8
|year low F = 48.0

|Jan avg record low F = 9.0
|Feb avg record low F = 13.4
|Mar avg record low F = 19.5
|Apr avg record low F = 28.3
|May avg record low F = 37.7
|Jun avg record low F = 50.6
|Jul avg record low F = 57.5
|Aug avg record low F = 55.9
|Sep avg record low F = 43.2
|Oct avg record low F = 29.1
|Nov avg record low F = 19.7
|Dec avg record low F = 15.2
|year avg record low F = 6.2

|Jan record low F = -20
|Feb record low F = -11
|Mar record low F = 1
|Apr record low F = 18
|May record low F = 30
|Jun record low F = 37
|Jul record low F = 47
|Aug record low F = 48
|Sep record low F = 32
|Oct record low F = 21
|Nov record low F = 9
|Dec record low F = −10
|year record low F = -20
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 4.80
|Feb precipitation inch = 5.11
|Mar precipitation inch = 5.33
|Apr precipitation inch = 5.30
|May precipitation inch = 4.78
|Jun precipitation inch = 4.92
|Jul precipitation inch = 5.17
|Aug precipitation inch = 3.75
|Sep precipitation inch = 3.80
|Oct precipitation inch = 3.51
|Nov precipitation inch = 4.39
|Dec precipitation inch = 5.35
|year precipitation inch = 56.21
|Jan snow inch = 1.1
|Feb snow inch = 1.7
|Mar snow inch = 0.8
|Apr snow inch = 0.0
|May snow inch = 0.0
|Jun snow inch = 0.0
|Jul snow inch = 0.0
|Aug snow inch = 0.0
|Sep snow inch = 0.0
|Oct snow inch = 0.0
|Nov snow inch = 0.0
|Dec snow inch = 0.7
|year snow inch = 4.3
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 11.3
|Feb precipitation days = 11.1
|Mar precipitation days = 11.7
|Apr precipitation days = 11.3
|May precipitation days = 11.6
|Jun precipitation days = 12.2
|Jul precipitation days = 12.2
|Aug precipitation days = 9.5
|Sep precipitation days = 8.0
|Oct precipitation days = 7.6
|Nov precipitation days = 9.0
|Dec precipitation days = 11.6
|year precipitation days = 127.1
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 1.5
|Feb snow days = 1.8
|Mar snow days = 0.6
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.1
|Dec snow days = 0.8
|year snow days = 4.8
|source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOAA>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=mrx
| title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = October 8, 2021}}</ref><ref name=NCEI>
{{cite web
| url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00407184&format=pdf
| title = Station: Pikeville, TN
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = October 8, 2021}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Pikeville racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4758120&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 26, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,657
| 90.84%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 40
| 2.19%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 8
| 0.44%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 11
| 0.6%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 65
| 3.56%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 43
| 2.36%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,824 people, 807 households, and 503 families residing in the city.

===2019===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2019, there were 2,251 people, 792 [[household]]s, and 488 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|734.5|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 901 housing units at an average density of {{convert|354.3|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The [[Race and ethnicity in the United States Census|racial makeup]] of the city was 94.95% White, 3.09% African American, 0.28% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.28% from other races, and 1.01% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.84% of the population.

There were 792 households, out of which 29.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.0% were non-families. 34.0% 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 2.30 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 7.0% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 22.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.8 males.{{US Census population
|1870= 188
|1880= 145
|1920= 488
|1930= 551
|1940= 759
|1950= 882
|1960= 951
|1970= 1454
|1980= 2085
|1990= 1771
|2000= 1781
|2010= 1608
|2020= 1824
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="GR9">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 4, 2012|title=Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses}}</ref><ref name=CensusPopEst>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:47&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}
The median income for a household in the city was $23,438, and the median income for a family was $30,365. Males had a median income of $27,500 versus $19,097 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $12,754. About 19.5% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the [[Poverty threshold|poverty line]], including 29.3% of those under age 18 and 22.3% of those age 65 or over.[[File:John-bridgman-house-tn2.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Bridgman House, built in 1815]]

== Tourism ==

* [[John Bridgman House|John Bridgeman House]]- Historical landmark in downtown Pikeville
* [[Bellview School]]- Rural schoolhouse built in 1928; now used as a community center
* [[Bledsoe County Courthouse|Bledsoe County Court House]]
* [[Lincoln School (Pikeville, Tennessee)|Lincoln School]]- A [[Rosenwald School|Rosenwald school]] built in the 1920s
* [[Pikeville Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church]]- Originally a [[Freedmen's Bureau]] school built in 1870; converted to [[African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church|AME Zion church]] in 1888
* [[Dr. James A. Ross House]]- Home and office of Dr. James Ross, built c. 1872; now home to the Museum of Bledsoe County History
*

==Notable people==

* [[Josiah M. Anderson]], born near Pikeville, [[United States Congressman]]
* [[Ramona Barnes]] (1938-2003), [[Alaska]] state legislator, was born in Pikeville.
* [[James B. Frazier]], Governor of Tennessee (1903–1905) and U.S. Senator
* [[Theron Hale]], [[Grand Ole Opry]] fiddler, born in Pikeville in 1883.
* [[Jeanelle C. Moore]], First Lady of North Carolina
* [[John Murrell (bandit)|John A. Murrell]] (1806?-1844), bandit, known for the Mystic Clan or Mystic Confederacy and Murrell Insurrection Conspiracy
* [[James G. Spears]], Civil War general

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Pikeville, Tennessee}}
*[http://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/gml-mtas.nsf/Webstatecityinfo/688D7922E0637DE285256AF7005EDAE8?OpenDocument Municipal Technical Advisory Service entry for Pikeville] — information on local government, elections, and link to charter

{{Bledsoe County, Tennessee}}
{{Tennessee county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Cities in Bledsoe County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:County seats in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1816]]