Tracy City, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Tracy City is a town in Grundy County, Tennessee
, United States
. Incorporated in 1915, the population was 1,481 at the 2010 census. Named after Benjamin Franklin Tracy, the city developed out of railroad and mining interests after coal was found in 1840. Tracy City is also home to the oldest family bakery in Tennessee, Dutch Maid Bakery. In 2010 the people of Tracy City elected a dead man, Carl Robin Geary
, as mayor.
out of the ground discovered coal. In the early 1870's Tracy City an experimental blast furnace
was built by Samuel Jones and owned by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company
. The furnace, called "Fiery Gizzard", was built to see if local coal would be used to produce iron
. The furnace made 15 tons of iron before the stovepipe
fell on the third day. The former location of the furnace is marked with a historical marker. The coke ovens at Tracy City supplied railroad and industrial fuel
and workers and their families moved into the area in great numbers from 1875 until 1900. By 1910 the industry faded due to problems invoked by labor unions
and convict labor. In 1987 the coke ovens were placed on the National Register of Historic Places
. Tracy City was incorporated in 1915.
, the town has a total area of 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²), of which, 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.83%) is water.
of 2000, there were 1,679 people, 712 households, and 474 families residing in the town. The population density
was 350.8 people per square mile (135.3/km²). There were 775 housing units at an average density of 161.9 per square mile (62.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.09% White, 0.71% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.30% from other races
, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.
There were 712 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% were married couples
living together, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,826, and the median income for a family was $28,864. Males had a median income of $28,563 versus $18,571 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,457. About 17.5% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.
in Tennessee. It was opened in 1902 by John Baggenstoss and continues to utilize original receipes that Baggenstoss brought from Switzerland
. The bakery is open to the public. The Marugg Company is headquartered in Tracy City. The company, founded in 1873 by Swiss settler Christian Marugg, designs and manufactures European style scythes
. Open to the public for tours, the Marugg Company was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
as mayor. Geary died of a heartattack on March 10, and on April 12 he was elected, beating incumbent Barbara Bock 268 votes to 85.
player and University of Miami
coach Charlie Tate
was born in Tracy City. Miss Tennessee
1939, Judy Jones was from Tracy City. Baseball
player Phil Douglas
is buried in Tracy City Cemetery, even though he died in Sequatchie, Tennessee. Politician and Nazi politician and propagandist Ernst Leonhardt
was born in Tracy City in 1885. He held a dual citizenship and returned to Switzerland as a child.
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...
. Incorporated in 1915, the population was 1,481 at the 2010 census. Named after Benjamin Franklin Tracy, the city developed out of railroad and mining interests after coal was found in 1840. Tracy City is also home to the oldest family bakery in Tennessee, Dutch Maid Bakery. In 2010 the people of Tracy City elected a dead man, Carl Robin Geary
Carl Robin Geary
Carl Robin Geary, Sr, was elected mayor of Tracy City, Tennessee on April 13, 2010. Despite the fact that Mr Geary had died on March 10, he still received 268 votes, while the incumbent, Barbara Brock, only received 85. When asked what would come of her political career after losing to a dead man,...
, as mayor.
History
In 1840 local boys digging a groundhogGroundhog
The groundhog , also known as a woodchuck, whistle-pig, or in some areas as a land-beaver, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Other marmots, such as the yellow-bellied and hoary marmots, live in rocky and mountainous areas, but...
out of the ground discovered coal. In the early 1870's Tracy City an experimental blast furnace
Blast furnace
A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron.In a blast furnace, fuel and ore and flux are continuously supplied through the top of the furnace, while air is blown into the bottom of the chamber, so that the chemical reactions...
was built by Samuel Jones and owned by the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company
Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company
The Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad Company , also known as TCI and the Tennessee Company, was a major American steel manufacturer with interests in coal and iron ore mining and railroad operations. Originally based entirely within Tennessee, it relocated most of its business to Alabama in the...
. The furnace, called "Fiery Gizzard", was built to see if local coal would be used to produce iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
. The furnace made 15 tons of iron before the stovepipe
Stovepipe
A stovepipe is the chimney of a coal- or wood-burning stove.Stovepipe may also refer to:- Clothing :* Stovepipe hat, tall top hat with a consistent width* Stovepipe pants, style of slim-fit pants also known as drainpipes...
fell on the third day. The former location of the furnace is marked with a historical marker. The coke ovens at Tracy City supplied railroad and industrial fuel
Fuel
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. Most fuels used by humans undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air...
and workers and their families moved into the area in great numbers from 1875 until 1900. By 1910 the industry faded due to problems invoked by labor unions
Labor unions in the United States
Labor unions in the United States are legally recognized as representatives of workers in many industries. The most prominent unions are among public sector employees such as teachers and police...
and convict labor. In 1987 the coke ovens were placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. Tracy City was incorporated in 1915.
Geography
Tracy City is located at 35°15′39"N 85°44′30"W. According to the United States Census BureauUnited 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 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²), of which, 4.8 square miles (12.4 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square mile (0.1035995244 km²) of it (0.83%) is water.
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 1,679 people, 712 households, and 474 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 350.8 people per square mile (135.3/km²). There were 775 housing units at an average density of 161.9 per square mile (62.5/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 98.09% White, 0.71% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.30% 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 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.60% of the population.
There were 712 households out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.4% 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, 11.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.3% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 24.5% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 26.7% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 95.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $23,826, and the median income for a family was $28,864. Males had a median income of $28,563 versus $18,571 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 $15,457. About 17.5% of families and 21.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.6% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
Tracy City is home to the Dutch Maid Bakery, the oldest family bakeryBakery
A bakery is an establishment which produces and sells flour-based food baked in an oven such as bread, cakes, pastries and pies. Some retail bakeries are also cafés, serving coffee and tea to customers who wish to consume the baked goods on the premises.-See also:*Baker*Cake...
in Tennessee. It was opened in 1902 by John Baggenstoss and continues to utilize original receipes that Baggenstoss brought from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The bakery is open to the public. The Marugg Company is headquartered in Tracy City. The company, founded in 1873 by Swiss settler Christian Marugg, designs and manufactures European style scythes
Scythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
. Open to the public for tours, the Marugg Company was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
Arts and culture
Tracy City serves as the location of the Grundy County Historical Society and Tracy City Library. Twelve churches are located in Tracy City, including the Tracy City First Baptist Church, which was founded in 1892.Parks and recreation
The town has a road side picnic area and Tracy City Mini Park. The town also has a community center, the Plainview Community Center.Government
In 2010 Tracy City residents elected Carl Robin GearyCarl Robin Geary
Carl Robin Geary, Sr, was elected mayor of Tracy City, Tennessee on April 13, 2010. Despite the fact that Mr Geary had died on March 10, he still received 268 votes, while the incumbent, Barbara Brock, only received 85. When asked what would come of her political career after losing to a dead man,...
as mayor. Geary died of a heartattack on March 10, and on April 12 he was elected, beating incumbent Barbara Bock 268 votes to 85.
Notable people
American college footballCollege football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
player and University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
coach Charlie Tate
Charlie Tate
Charles William "Charlie" Tate was an American college football player and coach. Tate served as the head coach of the University of Miami for six seasons during the 1960s and two games during the 1970 season....
was born in Tracy City. Miss Tennessee
Miss Tennessee
The Miss Tennessee competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Tennessee in the Miss America pageant.-History:...
1939, Judy Jones was from Tracy City. Baseball
Baseball
Baseball 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...
player Phil Douglas
Phil Douglas
Phillip Brooks Douglas was an American baseball player.Douglas originally signed with the Chicago White Sox in 1912, but soon landed with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1915, he was traded to the Brooklyn Dodgers, then to the Chicago Cubs.In 1919, he was signed by the New York Giants. John McGraw had...
is buried in Tracy City Cemetery, even though he died in Sequatchie, Tennessee. Politician and Nazi politician and propagandist Ernst Leonhardt
Ernst Leonhardt
Ernst Leonhardt was an American-born Swiss military figure and pro-Nazi Germany politician.- Biography :...
was born in Tracy City in 1885. He held a dual citizenship and returned to Switzerland as a child.
Further reading
- Grundy County Historical Society. Reminiscence: senior citizens of Tracy City. Tracy City: Grundy County Historical Society (1990).
- Woodward, I.B. Tracy City from 1893 to 1899. Tracy City: Woodward's Print (1899)