History of Lake County Tennessee United States of America

Our database does not include an historic photo for Lake County Tennessee, do you have one you would like to contribute? Contact Us!

Lake County was erected on June 9, 1870, from a part of Obion County and named for Reelfoot Lake.

The earliest settlers in the county were probably Richard Meriwether, Robert Nolen, and Frank Longley, who located before 1825.

The first county court was held in Atheneum Hall in Tiptonville, which was chosen as the county seat on September 5, 1870.

The great outstanding feature of Lake County is Reelfoot Lake. This lake was formed during the earthquake convulsions of the winter of 1811-1812. It is about eighteen miles long and from three-quarters of a mile to three miles in width. It is one of the most noted places in this country for fishing and hunting.

Statistics of Lake County: Population, 1920, 9,075. Assessed valuation of taxable property, 1921, $7,779,841. Area, 210 square miles. Number of farms, 850. Railway mileage, 24. County is bordered on the north by Kentucky and lies between Reelfoot Lake and the Mississippi River. The county is well timbered. Soil very fertile, and staple products are cotton, corn and hogs. Tiptonville, the county seat, is on the Mississippi River and has a population of about 1,000. It has good schools and churches, a weekly newspaper, two banks, and prosperous business establishments. Scholastic population of county, 3,728; high schools, 2; elementary schools, 25.

From: Moore, John Trotwood. Tennessee, The Volunteer State, 1769-1923. Vol. 1. Chicago, IL, USA: S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1923.

History of Lake County Tennessee

Local History Notes:

Local History and Genealogy Links: