Monteagle, Tennessee
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name = Monteagle, Tennessee
| settlement_type = Town
| nickname =
| motto =
| image_skyline = Monteagle-water-tower-tn1.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| image_caption = Greenway and water tower in Monteagle
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| image_map = File:Grundy County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Monteagle Highlighted 4749740.svg
| mapsize = 250px
| map_caption = Location of Monteagle in Franklin, Grundy, and Marion counties Tennessee.
| image_map1 =
| mapsize1 =
| map_caption1 =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = State
| subdivision_name1 = Tennessee
| subdivision_type2 = Counties
| subdivision_name2 = Grundy, Marion, Franklin
| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| established_title = Founded
| established_title2 = Incorporated
| established_date2 = 1962[http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/05-06/48-data.pdf Tennessee Blue Book], 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.
| named_for = Eagles that once lived in the areaNancy Capace, [https://books.google.com/books?id=v8KkJq1ZRwYC&q=gordonsville,+tennessee+named+for Encyclopedia of Tennessee] (North American Book Distributors, 2000), p. 203.
| unit_pref = Imperial
| area_magnitude =
| area_total_km2 = 23.71
| area_land_km2 = 23.42
| area_water_km2 = 0.29
| area_total_sq_mi = 9.15
| area_land_sq_mi = 9.04
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.11
| population_as_of = 2020
| population_total = 1393
| population_density_km2 = 59.47
| population_density_sq_mi = 154.02
| timezone = Central (CST)
| utc_offset = -6
| timezone_DST = CDT
| utc_offset_DST = -5
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft = 1926
| coordinates = {{coord|35|14|24|N|85|50|4|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type = ZIP code
| postal_code = 37356
| blank_name = FIPS code
| blank_info = 47-49740{{cite web|url=http://factfinder.census.gov|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212221153/http://factfinder.census.gov/main.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 12, 2020|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=American FactFinder}}
| blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
| blank1_info = 1314141{{GNIS|1314141}}
| website = {{URL|www.townofmonteagle-tn.gov}}
| footnotes =
| pop_est_as_of =
| pop_est_footnotes =
| population_est =
}}
Monteagle is a town in Franklin, Grundy, and Marion counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, in the Cumberland Plateau region of the southeastern part of the state. The population was 1,238 at the 2000 census – 804 of the town's 1,238 residents (64.9%) lived in Grundy County, 428 (34.6%) in Marion County, and 6 (0.5%) in Franklin County.{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/popest/cities/files/SUB-EST2006_47.csv | title = Subcounty population estimates: Tennessee 2000-2006| format = CSV | publisher = United States Census Bureau, Population Division | date = June 28, 2007 | access-date = October 12, 2007}} The population at the 2020 census was 1,393.{{Cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4749740| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Monteagle town, Tennessee| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=August 18, 2016}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
The Marion County portion of Monteagle is part of the Chattanooga–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area, while the Franklin County portion is part of the Tullahoma, TN Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Monteagle is famous for the treacherous stretch of Interstate 24 that passes through the town. It is here that the highway passes over what is colloquially referred to as "The Monteagle" or "Monteagle Mountain", a section of the southern Cumberland Plateau which is a major landmark on the road between Chattanooga and Nashville. The interstate regularly shuts down in inclement weather, routing traffic onto U.S. Route 41. In the Jerry Reed song "The Legend", which is the opening track in the film Smokey and the Bandit, Reed tells the story of the Bandit miraculously surviving brake failure on the "Monteagle Grade". There is also a song called "Monteagle Mountain" by Johnny Cash on the album Boom Chicka Boom.
The town is home to DuBose Conference Center and the Monteagle Sunday School Assembly. The Highlander Folk School, long involved in the labor movement and the civil rights movement, was located here from 1932 to 1961. Rosa Parks attended workshops there shortly before the Montgomery Bus Boycott.{{citation needed|date=June 2012}}
History
File:Monteagle-pedestrian-1941-tn1.jpg
Monteagle has long served as a popular point to cross the Cumberland Plateau due to its location along a relatively narrow stretch of the plateau in southern Tennessee. One of the last groups of Cherokees removed from the Southeastern United States along the Trail of Tears passed through what is now Monteagle en route to Oklahoma in late October 1838. This group consisted of approximately 700 Cherokee led by John Bell and escorted by U.S. Army Lieutenant Edward Deas."Trail of Tears: Bell Removal Route," historical marker along U.S. Route 41 in Monteagle, Trail of Tears Remembrance Motorcycle Ride. Accessed: April 16, 2016.
The town of Monteagle was originally known as "Moffat Station" after John Moffat, a Scottish-Canadian temperance activist who purchased over {{convert|1000|acre|km2}} of land in the area in 1870. In 1872, Moffat donated {{convert|50|acre|ha}} of land to Fairmount College, a women's college that had decided to relocate to the area from Jackson, Mississippi. The grounds of the school are now home to the DuBose Conference Center, named for one of the school's early pastors."[http://www.duboseconf.org/history DuBose Conference Center: A Short History]," DuBose Conference Center website. Originally published in the Chattanooga Times Free Press, August 14, 1982. Retrieved: April 19, 2016. In 1882, the Chautauqua-inspired Monteagle Sunday School Assembly was established to train Sunday school teachers.William Ray Turner, "[https://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=576 Grundy County]," Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture. Retrieved: April 19, 2016.
The name of Moffat Station was later changed to "Mount Eagle", and afterwards to "Mounteagle". The spelling had been changed to "Monteagle" by the time the town incorporated in 1962."[http://grundycountytn.net/monteagle/index.html Monteagle: History]," Grundy County website. Retrieved: April 19, 2016.
Geography
Monteagle is located in the southwest corner of Grundy County and the northwest corner of Marion County at {{coord|35|14|24|N|85|50|4|W|type:city}} (35.239941, -85.834372).{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}} The Marion-Grundy county line runs east-to-west through the center of town. The town limits extend west into Franklin County as well.
The town straddles a narrow stretch of the Cumberland Plateau known colloquially as "Monteagle Mountain".The name is used by the local chamber of commerce ([http://www.monteaglechamber.com/]) and the Grundy County website ([http://grundycountytn.net/monteagle/index.html]), and is frequently used in news reports to describe accidents in the vicinity (e.g. [http://newschannel9.com/news/local/tractor-trailer-overturns-going-down-monteagle-mountain] and [http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/30678422/sunday-morning-crash-shuts-down-i-24-on-monteagle-mtn]). This stretch of the plateau is approximately {{convert|2|mi|0}} wide, with steep drop-offs to the northwest and southeast. Monteagle lies at an elevation of just under {{convert|2000|ft|m}} above sea level. By comparison, two nearby cities, Cowan (to the northwest) and South Pittsburg (to the southeast), lie at elevations of less than {{convert|1000|ft|m}} above sea level.{{GNIS|1306151|Cowan, Tennessee}}{{GNIS|1314091|South Pittsburg, Tennessee}}
Interstate 24 passes through the town just south and west of the town center, with access from Exits 134 and 135. I-24 leads northwest {{convert|88|mi}} to Nashville and southeast {{convert|46|mi}} to Chattanooga. U.S. Route 41 is Main Street through the town, leading east {{convert|6|mi|0}} to Tracy City and northwest {{convert|24|mi}} to Manchester. U.S. Route 41A branches off from US 41 in Monteagle and leads southwest {{convert|5.5|mi}} to Sewanee. Winchester is {{convert|18|mi}} to the west via US 41A.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of {{convert|22.3|sqkm|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|22.1|sqkm|order=flip}} is land and {{convert|0.1|sqkm|order=flip|2}}, or 0.48%, is water. The north side of town drains off the plateau into Layne Cove and is part of the Elk River watershed, while the south side drains into Ladd Cove and Cave Cove, part of the Battle Creek watershed. Both watersheds flow to the Tennessee River.
=Climate=
Monteagle's climate is subtropical (Cfa) under Köppen, typical of Tennessee. However, it's temperate (Do) under Trewartha due to only having 7 months over {{convert|50|°F|°C|abbr=on}}. Additionally, its high precipitation means that it's a rainforest climate more typical of the southern Blue Ridge Mountains (see Appalachian temperate rainforest).
{{Weather box
|location = Monteagle, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1938–present)
|single line = Y
|Jan record high F = 73
|Feb record high F = 80
|Mar record high F = 82
|Apr record high F = 88
|May record high F = 95
|Jun record high F = 100
|Jul record high F = 101
|Aug record high F = 99
|Sep record high F = 98
|Oct record high F = 91
|Nov record high F = 81
|Dec record high F = 73
|year record high F = 101
|Jan avg record high F = 64.0
|Feb avg record high F = 67.6
|Mar avg record high F = 74.7
|Apr avg record high F = 80.5
|May avg record high F = 83.4
|Jun avg record high F = 87.9
|Jul avg record high F = 89.6
|Aug avg record high F = 89.0
|Sep avg record high F = 85.9
|Oct avg record high F = 79.7
|Nov avg record high F = 72.3
|Dec avg record high F = 63.7
|year avg record high F = 91.2
|Jan high F = 44.3
|Feb high F = 48.7
|Mar high F = 57.3
|Apr high F = 66.8
|May high F = 73.8
|Jun high F = 80.3
|Jul high F = 83.2
|Aug high F = 82.7
|Sep high F = 78.0
|Oct high F = 67.8
|Nov high F = 56.7
|Dec high F = 47.9
|year high F = 65.6
|Jan mean F = 35.4
|Feb mean F = 39.3
|Mar mean F = 47.1
|Apr mean F = 56.0
|May mean F = 63.8
|Jun mean F = 70.8
|Jul mean F = 74.0
|Aug mean F = 73.3
|Sep mean F = 68.1
|Oct mean F = 57.3
|Nov mean F = 46.8
|Dec mean F = 39.1
|year mean F = 55.9
|Jan low F = 26.4
|Feb low F = 29.8
|Mar low F = 36.8
|Apr low F = 45.2
|May low F = 53.8
|Jun low F = 61.3
|Jul low F = 64.8
|Aug low F = 64.0
|Sep low F = 58.2
|Oct low F = 46.7
|Nov low F = 36.8
|Dec low F = 30.3
|year low F = 46.2
|Jan avg record low F = 7.1
|Feb avg record low F = 12.9
|Mar avg record low F = 18.9
|Apr avg record low F = 29.4
|May avg record low F = 38.8
|Jun avg record low F = 51.0
|Jul avg record low F = 57.3
|Aug avg record low F = 56.6
|Sep avg record low F = 44.5
|Oct avg record low F = 31.1
|Nov avg record low F = 21.1
|Dec avg record low F = 14.2
|year avg record low F = 4.4
|Jan record low F = -20
|Feb record low F = -8
|Mar record low F = 1
|Apr record low F = 19
|May record low F = 30
|Jun record low F = 40
|Jul record low F = 48
|Aug record low F = 44
|Sep record low F = 33
|Oct record low F = 21
|Nov record low F = -7
|Dec record low F = −9
|year record low F = -20
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation inch = 5.68
|Feb precipitation inch = 5.77
|Mar precipitation inch = 6.31
|Apr precipitation inch = 6.26
|May precipitation inch = 5.31
|Jun precipitation inch = 5.76
|Jul precipitation inch = 6.40
|Aug precipitation inch = 4.75
|Sep precipitation inch = 4.59
|Oct precipitation inch = 4.09
|Nov precipitation inch = 5.22
|Dec precipitation inch = 6.82
|year precipitation inch = 66.96
|Jan snow inch = 1.5
|Feb snow inch = 1.9
|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 = 0.1
|Dec snow inch = 1.1
|year snow inch = 5.4
|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 12.8
|Feb precipitation days = 12.3
|Mar precipitation days = 12.8
|Apr precipitation days = 11.6
|May precipitation days = 11.9
|Jun precipitation days = 12.5
|Jul precipitation days = 12.8
|Aug precipitation days = 11.0
|Sep precipitation days = 8.6
|Oct precipitation days = 9.1
|Nov precipitation days = 10.1
|Dec precipitation days = 13.0
|year precipitation days = 138.5
|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 1.1
|Feb snow days = 1.1
|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 = 0.7
|year snow days = 3.6
|source 1 = 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 10, 2021}}
{{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=USC00406162&format=pdf
| title = Station: Monteagle, TN
| work = U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991–2020)
| publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
| access-date = October 10, 2021}}
}}
Demographics
{{US Census population
|1970= 934
|1980= 1126
|1990= 1138
|2000= 1238
|2010= 1192
|2020= 1393
|footnote=Sources:{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/decennial/|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 4, 2012|title=Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses}}{{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}}{{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}}
}}
=2020 census=
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Monteagle racial composition{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4749740&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 24, 2021|website=data.census.gov}} !scope="col"| Race !scope="col"| Number !scope="col"| Percentage |
| scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)
| 1,256 | 90.17% |
|---|
| scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)
| 12 | 0.86% |
| scope="row"| Native American
| 1 | 0.07% |
| scope="row"| Asian
| 23 | 1.65% |
| scope="row"| Other/Mixed
| 67 | 4.81% |
| scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino
| 34 | 2.44% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,393 people, 614 households, and 458 families residing in the town.
=2000 census=
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,238 people, 477 households, and 321 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|152.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 701 housing units at an average density of {{convert|86.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 96.45% White, 1.37% African American, 0.32% Native American, 0.73% Asian, 0.08% from other races, and 1.05% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.48% of the population.
File:Monteagle-city-hall-tn1.jpg
There were 477 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.3% were married couples living together, 15.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were non-families. 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.33 and the average family size was 2.85.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 19.5% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 25.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45 years. For every 100 females, there were 89.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $24,464, and the median income for a family was $29,886. Males had a median income of $24,643 versus $17,708 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,983. About 21.7% of families and 25.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.4% of those under age 18 and 17.6% of those age 65 or over.
Places of interest
Notable people
- Mary Anderson, inventor of the windshield wiper{{cite web|last1=Olive|first1=J. Fred III|title=Mary Anderson|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2553|website=Encyclopedia of Alabama|access-date=December 19, 2017|date=March 9, 2010 }}
- May Justus, award-winning author
- Edwin A. Keeble, architect (Nashville's Life & Casualty Tower)
- William Millsaps, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Missionary Church
- William Alexander Percy, poet and lawyer, bought Brinkwood, a summer house in Monteagle.William Armstrong Percy, 'William Alexander Percy,' in Carryin' On in the Lesbian and Gay South, John Howard (ed.), New York and London: New York University Press, 1997, p. 87
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Monteagle, Tennessee}}
{{wikivoyage|Monteagle}}
- {{official website|http://www.townofmonteagle-tn.gov}}
- [http://mtas-notes.ips.utk.edu/public%5CCHARTERS.NSF/Charters%20By%20City/0B3FBDBE8DC9B034852568CC0061DB4C?OpenDocument Town charter]
{{Marion County, Tennessee}}
{{Franklin County, Tennessee}}
{{Grundy County, Tennessee}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Towns in Grundy County, Tennessee
Category:Towns in Marion County, Tennessee
Category:Towns in Franklin County, Tennessee