Sweetwater, Tennessee

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Sweetwater, Tennessee
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Railroad tracks in Sweetwater


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Sweetwater, Tennessee


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subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Tennessee
subdivision_type2 = Counties
subdivision_name2 = Monroe, McMinn

government_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =

area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 17.9
area_land_km2 = 17.9
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 6.9
area_land_sq_mi = 6.9
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 5586
population_density_km2 = 312.8
population_density_sq_mi = 810.1

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 278
elevation_ft = 912
latd = 35 |latm = 36 |lats = 9 |latNS = N
longd = 84 |longm = 28 |longs = 1 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 37874
area_code = 423
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 47-72540GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1303970GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Sweetwater is a city in McMinn and Monroe counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the most populous city in Monroe County. The population was 5,586 at the 2000 census. Sweetwater is the home of the Craighead Caverns which contains the Lost Sea, the United States' largest underground lake.

Geography

Sweetwater is located at coor dms|35|36|9|N|84|28|1|W|city (35.602604, -84.466992)GR|1. The city lies along Sweetwater Creek, which flows northeast for several miles before emptying into the Watts Bar Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River. The creek's drainage has created a lowland area known as Sweetwater Valley, which is surrounded by low hills.

Sweetwater is centered along U.S. Route 11 between its junction with State Route 68 to the south and State Route 322 to the north. Interstate 75 passes along the western boundary of Sweetwater.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.9 square miles (17.9 km²), all land.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 5,586 people, 2,315 households, and 1,537 families residing in the city. The population density was 810.1 people per square mile (312.6/km²). There were 2,511 housing units at an average density of 364.2/sq mi (140.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 89.72% White, 7.32% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.41% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.95% of the population.

There were 2,315 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.0% were married couples living together, 13.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.87.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 82.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,323, and the median income for a family was $35,269. Males had a median income of $29,982 versus $23,075 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,746. About 11.5% of families and 16.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.5% of those under age 18 and 18.1% of those age 65 or over.

History

Sweetwater was established in the 1850s on a series of lots sold by Isaac Lenoir (1807-1875), a local politician and son of the founder of Lenoir City (located a few miles to the east in Loudon County). The name "Sweet Water" was being used as early as 1817, when the area was still part of Cherokee lands. Sweetwater was officially incorporated in 1875. [Sally Sands, " [http://www.sweetwatertn.net/history/index.htm History of Sweetwater] ," 2006. Retrieved: 31 December 2007.]

References

External links