Polk County, Tennessee

 

Founding: 1839
Parent counties: Bradley and McMinn

Namesake: James Polk, U.S. president
Seat: Benton (1840–)

Land area: 435 square miles

Population (2020): 17,544

Population (historic): 3,570 (1840); 8,726 (1860); 7,269 (1880); 11,357 (1900); 15,686 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1840–1860; 1880–1930; 1970–2020

Subdivisions: Two cities; one town

National Register listings: 18

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 612 (7%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 22.4%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 1.8%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 35.8%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 24.3%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $415
Average outbuilding value (1930): $260
Average farmhouse size (1940): 4.1 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 951
Average farm size (1920): 39.6 acres
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Benton

Namesake: Thomas Benton, Missouri senator

Founding: 1840 (platting); 1845 (post office); 1915 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 1,523

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 27 (3.7%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. *Higdon Hotel (c. 1890). Childer's Creek Road, east of Tellico–Reliance Road. Eastlake.
2. *Warren Copeland Farm (1869). 532 Cookson Creek Road. Italianate.
3. *Vaughn House (c. 1888). State Route 30, northwest of Tellico–Reliance Road. Eastlake.