Norris, Tennessee
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| Norris, Tennessee | |
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| Coordinates: | |
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Anderson |
| Area | |
| - Total | 6.9 sq mi (17.8 km²) |
| - Land | 6.9 sq mi (17.8 km²) |
| - Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²) |
| Elevation | 1,073 ft (327 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| - Total | 1,446 |
| - Density | 210.6/sq mi (81.3/km²) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP code | 37828 |
| Area code(s) | 865 |
| FIPS code | 47-53600[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1295831[2] |
Norris is a city in Anderson County, Tennessee, United States. Its population was 1,446 at the 2000 U.S. census. It is included in the Knoxville, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area.
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[edit] History
Norris was built as a model planned community by the Tennessee Valley Authority in 1933 to house workers building Norris Dam. It is named in honor of Nebraska Senator George W. Norris, a long-term supporter of TVA.
The town design was based on the English garden city movement of the 1890s. Roads followed the contour of the terrain, houses did not always face the street, and large common areas were maintained for use by residents. The houses, which were some of the first all-electric homes, were built using local wood and stone, according to twelve basic house designs. [3]
During the 1930s TVA officials excluded black families from the town, purportedly to conform to the customs and traditions of the area. However, black leaders said that poor whites and blacks had lived and worked together in the area long before TVA came into existence. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) complained repeatedly (in 1934, 1935 and 1938) about racial discrimination by TVA in the hiring, housing and training of blacks.[4]
The town was later purchased by a private corporation that soon thereafter sold individual homes to their residents. The town was officially incorporated in 1949. The original town, including 340 buildings and 40,000 acres (160 km²) of land, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975 as an historic district.[5]
Today Norris primarily serves as a bedroom community for Knoxville and Oak Ridge.[4] Services available within the community include one elementary school serving grades K-5, one middle school serving grades 6-8, a small grocer, and a diner. High school students leave the community to attend Anderson County High School.
The Museum of Appalachia is a popular attraction on the outskirts of Norris. Norris is a short distance from both the Norris Dam and Big Ridge State Parks, which include popular camping areas.
[edit] Government
The government of Norris is vested in a mayor, a vice mayor and a three member city council. As of 2007, the current mayor of Norris is Sharon Wallace. The vice mayor is Richard Dyer. The councilmembers are: Tommy Marriner, Jean Heinzman, and Tom Bates.
The original city hall was located in an old TVA dormitory on Ridgeway Drive until 1978, when it was destroyed by a fire. The cause was never determined, but arson was rumored to be the cause. The city hall then moved to a location on Chestnut Road, but this location was destroyed in an accidental fire in 2002. The current city hall is located at 9 Norris Square. This address is also the location of the Norris Public Safety Department.
The city of Norris also operates a public library. The library has about 20,000 materials in its collection, which is located in the McNeeley Municipal Building.
[edit] Geography
Norris is located at (36.199515, -84.069077)[6].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 6.9 square miles (17.8 km²), all of it land.
[edit] Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 1,446 people, 644 households, and 426 families residing in the city. The population density was 210.6 people per square mile (81.3/km²). There were 682 housing units at an average density of 99.3/sq mi (38.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 98.41% White, 0.21% African American, 0.48% Native American, 0.14% Asian, 0.21% from other races, and 0.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.55% of the population.
There were 644 households out of which 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.7% were non-families. 31.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.25 and the average family size was 2.83.
In the city the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 5.0% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 88.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $47,105, and the median income for a family was $55,179. Males had a median income of $41,813 versus $27,727 for females. The per capita income for the city was $29,832. About 0.7% of families and 4.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.1% of those under age 18 and 6.5% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] References
- ^ a b American FactFinder. United States Census Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ US Board on Geographic Names. United States Geological Survey (2007-10-25). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
- ^ History and Facts on Norris Dam, Tennessee GenWeb Project (accessed November 11, 2007)
- ^ a b Tennessee Valley Authority, The Planned Community of Norris, Tennessee
- ^ National Register of Historic Places: Anderson County Historic Districts
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
[edit] External links
- Norris, Tennessee is at coordinates Coordinates:
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