Selmer, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Selmer is a town in McNairy County, Tennessee
, United States
, in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 4,541 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of McNairy County. It is named after Selma, Alabama
.
Buford Pusser
served as the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970.
of 2000, there were 4,541 people, 1,935 households, and 1,234 families residing in the town. The population density
was 464.5 people per square mile (179.3/km²). There were 2,173 housing units at an average density of 222.3 per square mile (85.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.61% White, 15.92% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.37% from other races
, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 1,935 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,494, and the median income for a family was $38,313. Males had a median income of $31,176 versus $21,989 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $21,350. About 10.9% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.
to Selmer.Purdy McNairy Co. TN
, served as the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970, and since Selmer is the county seat, the location of the courthouse and the jail, this was his base of operations. His story has been made famous in the Walking Tall
series of movies starring Joe Don Baker
and Bo Svenson
. The movies were filmed in nearby Henderson, Tennessee
.
The McNairy County News began publication in 2009. The MCN is located at 252 Mulberry Avenue in Selmer. The paper has an online presence at mcnairycountynews.com and a facebook page, as well as a weekly printed publication each Thursday.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 9.8 square miles (25.4 km²).
SZY (ICAO
: KSZY)) is located in the area, with no ATC, a 5002 feet (1,524.6 m) runway, and at 610 feet (185.9 m) above sea level. The UN/LOCODE
for the town is USSQE.
The current manager of Robert Sibley Airport is Chris Tull.
(east-west), and U.S. Route 45
(north-south) intersect in this town, making it an important crossroads. Selmer's position on Route 64 places it on the historic Lee Highway
, which stretches from New York
to San Francisco.
, was shot to death by his wife Mary Carol Winkler
at their Selmer home. After Mary was said to have fled Selmer with the couple's three daughters, she was apprehended in Orange Beach, Alabama
, and was returned to Selmer for trial. She has confessed to the authorities concerning the shooting
of her husband with a shotgun
.
drag racing
car driven by Australian-born Troy Warren Critchley lost control and killed six young people while performing a burnout routine during a car show charity parade on Mulberry Avenue. Critchley's car left the road and struck part of the crowd attending the Cars For Kids charity parade. Six young people were killed. Two died at the scene of the accident, and four died later at hospitals in Selmer, Jackson
and Memphis
. A total of 20 others were injured and were transported to various hospitals throughout Western and Middle Tennessee. Results of a Tennessee Highway Patrol
inquiry into the accident have not been announced. Pending lawsuits filed against the city and event organizers ask for more than $US 85 million in damages. http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070618/NEWS01/706180315/1002 "Lawsuits over parade accident cripple charity"
On March 4, 2008, the McNairy County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Troy Critchley on six counts of vehicular homicide due to recklessness, a Class C Felony, and 22 counts of reckless aggravated assault, a Class D Felony. Neither Cars for Kids or the City of Selmer were named in the indictment."The Independent Appeal newspaper - March 5, 2008 Grand Jury indicts driver in Cars for Kids tragedy; NO festival this year"
On March 20, 2008, Troy Critchley surrendered to authorities and was booked on the charges. Bond is set at $35,000.00. The trial is set for November 3, 2008.
Troy Critchley plead guilty to 28 charges of reckless assault and was sentenced to 18 months probation. cbs11tv.com/sports/Troy.Critchley.racer.2.908001.html
Channel 6 is located in Selmer. It is a Unity Broadcasting Network
station and is currently off the air.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in the southwestern part of the state. The population was 4,541 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of McNairy County. It is named after Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
.
Buford Pusser
Buford Pusser
Buford Hayse Pusser was the Sheriff of McNairy County, Tennessee , from 1964 to 1970. Pusser is known for his virtual one-man war on moonshining, prostitution, gambling, and other vices on the Mississippi-Tennessee state-line. His story has directly inspired several books, songs, movies and at...
served as the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 4,541 people, 1,935 households, and 1,234 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 464.5 people per square mile (179.3/km²). There were 2,173 housing units at an average density of 222.3 per square mile (85.8/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.61% White, 15.92% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.37% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.
There were 1,935 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.80.
In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $28,494, and the median income for a family was $38,313. Males had a median income of $31,176 versus $21,989 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $21,350. About 10.9% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.
County seat
In 1890, the county seat of McNairy County was moved from PurdyPurdy, Tennessee
Purdy, Tennessee is a rural unincorporated community 3.5 mi northeast ofSelmer in McNairy County, Tennessee, United States. Until 1890, Purdy was the county seat of McNairy County....
to Selmer.Purdy McNairy Co. TN
Buford Pusser
The notable sheriff, Buford PusserBuford Pusser
Buford Hayse Pusser was the Sheriff of McNairy County, Tennessee , from 1964 to 1970. Pusser is known for his virtual one-man war on moonshining, prostitution, gambling, and other vices on the Mississippi-Tennessee state-line. His story has directly inspired several books, songs, movies and at...
, served as the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970, and since Selmer is the county seat, the location of the courthouse and the jail, this was his base of operations. His story has been made famous in the Walking Tall
Walking Tall
Walking Tall is a 1973 semi-biopic of Sheriff Buford Pusser, a former professional wrestler-turned-lawman in McNairy County, Tennessee. It starred Joe Don Baker as Pusser...
series of movies starring Joe Don Baker
Joe Don Baker
Joe Don Baker is an American film actor, perhaps best known for his roles as a Mafia hitman in Charley Varrick, deputy sheriff Thomas Jefferson Geronimo III in Final Justice, real-life Tennessee Sheriff Buford Pusser in Walking Tall, brute force with a badge detective Mitchell in Mitchell, James...
and Bo Svenson
Bo Svenson
Bo Svenson is a Swedish-born American actor, known for his roles in American genre films of the 1970s and 1980s.-Early life:...
. The movies were filmed in nearby Henderson, Tennessee
Henderson, Tennessee
Henderson is an incorporated city in Chester County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 5,670 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Chester County...
.
Newspaper
The oldest existing business in McNairy County is its newspaper, the Independent Appeal, which was founded in 1902. It is located at 111 N. 2nd St. in Selmer. The fourth largest circulation of a weekly newspaper in the state, with an average weekly circulation of 7,200-7,400 and a readership of more than 17,000.The McNairy County News began publication in 2009. The MCN is located at 252 Mulberry Avenue in Selmer. The paper has an online presence at mcnairycountynews.com and a facebook page, as well as a weekly printed publication each Thursday.
Geography
Selmer is located at 35°10′20"N 88°35′35"W (35.172333, -88.592964).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 9.8 square miles (25.4 km²).
Robert Sibley Airport
The Robert Sibley Airport (IATA airport codeIATA airport code
An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association...
SZY (ICAO
ICAO airport code
The ICAO airport code or location indicator is a four-character alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. These codes are defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization, and published in ICAO Document 7910: Location Indicators.The ICAO codes are used by air traffic...
: KSZY)) is located in the area, with no ATC, a 5002 feet (1,524.6 m) runway, and at 610 feet (185.9 m) above sea level. The UN/LOCODE
UN/LOCODE
UN/LOCODE, the United Nations Code for Trade and Transport Locations, is a geographic coding scheme developed and maintained by United Nations Economic Commission for Europe , a unit of the United Nations. UN/LOCODE assigns codes to locations used in trade and transport with functions such as...
for the town is USSQE.
The current manager of Robert Sibley Airport is Chris Tull.
Major highways
The major highways U.S. Route 64U.S. Route 64
U.S. Route 64 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 2,326 miles from eastern North Carolina to just southwest of the Four Corners in northeast Arizona. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 160 in Teec Nos Pos, Arizona. The highway's eastern terminus is at NC 12 and U.S. Route...
(east-west), and U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
(north-south) intersect in this town, making it an important crossroads. Selmer's position on Route 64 places it on the historic Lee Highway
Lee Highway
The Lee Highway was a National Auto Trail in the United States connecting New York City and San Francisco, California via the South and Southwest. It was named after Robert E...
, which stretches from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to San Francisco.
Matthew Winkler Murder 2006
Selmer became a focus of national news media in late March 2006. A local minister, Matthew Brian WinklerMatthew Winkler
Matthew Brian Winkler was the victim in a high-profile murder case in 2006.In the 1990s, Winkler attended college at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. Winkler was the pulpit minister at the Fourth Street Church of Christ in Selmer, Tennessee, at the time of his death...
, was shot to death by his wife Mary Carol Winkler
Mary Winkler
Mary Carol Winkler was convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the 2006 shooting death of her husband, Matthew Winkler, the pulpit minister at the Fourth Street Church of Christ in the small town of Selmer, Tennessee...
at their Selmer home. After Mary was said to have fled Selmer with the couple's three daughters, she was apprehended in Orange Beach, Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and was returned to Selmer for trial. She has confessed to the authorities concerning the shooting
Shooting
Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...
of her husband with a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
.
Drag racing catastrophe 2007
On June 16, 2007, a high-power Pro ModifiedPro Modified
Pro Modified, also known as Pro Mod, is a class or division in the sport of drag racing used in the NHRA and the American Drag Racing League .-Overview:...
drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
car driven by Australian-born Troy Warren Critchley lost control and killed six young people while performing a burnout routine during a car show charity parade on Mulberry Avenue. Critchley's car left the road and struck part of the crowd attending the Cars For Kids charity parade. Six young people were killed. Two died at the scene of the accident, and four died later at hospitals in Selmer, Jackson
Jackson, Tennessee
Jackson is a city in Madison County, Tennessee, United States. The total population was 65,211 at the 2010 census. Jackson is the primary city of the Jackson, Tennessee metropolitan area, which is included in the Jackson-Humboldt, Tennessee Combined Statistical Area...
and Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. A total of 20 others were injured and were transported to various hospitals throughout Western and Middle Tennessee. Results of a Tennessee Highway Patrol
Tennessee Highway Patrol
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is the highway patrol agency for the U.S. state of Tennessee, responsible for enforcing all federal and state laws relating to traffic on the state's federal and state highways. It is a component of the Department of Safety....
inquiry into the accident have not been announced. Pending lawsuits filed against the city and event organizers ask for more than $US 85 million in damages. http://www.jacksonsun.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070618/NEWS01/706180315/1002 "Lawsuits over parade accident cripple charity"
On March 4, 2008, the McNairy County Grand Jury returned an indictment against Troy Critchley on six counts of vehicular homicide due to recklessness, a Class C Felony, and 22 counts of reckless aggravated assault, a Class D Felony. Neither Cars for Kids or the City of Selmer were named in the indictment."The Independent Appeal newspaper - March 5, 2008 Grand Jury indicts driver in Cars for Kids tragedy; NO festival this year"
On March 20, 2008, Troy Critchley surrendered to authorities and was booked on the charges. Bond is set at $35,000.00. The trial is set for November 3, 2008.
Troy Critchley plead guilty to 28 charges of reckless assault and was sentenced to 18 months probation. cbs11tv.com/sports/Troy.Critchley.racer.2.908001.html
Television Broadcasting
W06AWW06AW
W06AW Channel 6 TV was a translator television station located in Selmer, Tennessee. The station is owned and operated by the Unity Broadcasting Network. The station was founded by WDTM, INC in 1999...
Channel 6 is located in Selmer. It is a Unity Broadcasting Network
Unity Broadcasting Network
The Unity Broadcasting Network is an over-the-air religious television network. The company is headquartered in Booneville, Mississippi, and individual transmitter stations are located in Mississippi and Tennessee.-Current Stations:...
station and is currently off the air.
FM Stations
- WXKVWXKVWXKV is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary Christian music format. Licensed to Selmer, Tennessee, USA, the station is currently owned by Educational Media Foundation....
90.5 Contemporary Christian - WSIBWSIB (FM)WSIB is a radio station broadcasting a Southern Gospel music format. Licensed to Selmer, Tennessee, USA, the station is currently owned by Grace Broadcasting Services, Inc. and features programing from Salem Radio Network....
93.9 Southern GospelSouthern GospelSouthern Gospel music—at one time also known as "quartet music"—is music whose lyrics are written to express either personal or a communal faith regarding biblical teachings and Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music... - WXOQWXOQWXOQ is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Selmer, Tennessee, USA, the station is currently owned by Gerald W. Hunt and features programing from Citadel Media....
105.5 Country MusicCountry musicCountry music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
Education
Selmer is served by:- Selmer Elementary
- Selmer Middle School
- McNairy Central High School (Home of the Bobcats).
Notable natives
- Chad HarvilleChad HarvilleChad Ashley Harville is a free agent relief pitcher who most recently played in the majors for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Harville bats and throws right-handed...
, baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcherPitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
, (born in Selmer 1976.) - Chris Heisler, U.S. Honor Flag founder, (mother born in Selmer 1947, lived in Selmer 1989.)