Davidson

Formed October 6, 1783 (3^rd county)

Davidson County (715,875), Nashville (689,454)                

A modern Justice Center built in 2006 augments the 1937 courthouse.  The masonry courthouse is on James Robertson Parkway between 2^nd and 3^rd avenues.  United States Highway 31 is James Robertson Parkway in this part of the city.  Emmons H. Woolvine and Frederick C. Heirons provided the Art Deco courthouse designs.  There was also an 1857 courthouse in Nashville, the only county seat.  The courthouse grounds have numerous fountains.  A Metropolitan Justice Center also supports the courthouse.  The county was created on October 6, 1783 from Washington County as the 3^rd county.  Davidson County is named for Revolutionary War hero William Lee Davidson.  The county seat is named for Revolutionary War hero Francis Nash.  Davidson County was the birthplace of 3 Tennessee Governors, James C. Jones, Edward H. East and H. Hill McAlister. 

Davidson County government consists of a sheriff, a Mayor, and 40 Council Members.  Fourteen Circuit Court Judges, Four Chancery Court Judges, Eleven General Court Judges, and Nine Juvenile Court Judges serve Davidson County.  The county is in the northern part of the state.  Memphis, Tennessee is southwest and Chattanooga, Tennessee is southeast of the county.  The county center is in Nashville 3.2 miles Southeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Robertson, Sumner, Wilson, Rutherford, Williamson, and Cheatham counties. 

The area of the county is 502 square miles.  It is 37 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 2 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 1426.0 persons per square mile making it 1 out of 95 in the state.  Davidson County has 100.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 24 enters the county from the northwest, Cheatham County, and exits to the southeast, Rutherford County.  Interstate Highway 40 comes from Wilson County, east, and goes into Cheatham County, west.  Interstate Highway 65 travels north to south from Sumner County to Williamson County.  United States Highway 31 originates and goes south into Williamson County.  United States Highway 31 Alternate originates and heads south into Williamson County.  United States Highway 31 East enters from Sumner County, northeast, and terminates.  United States Highway 31 West comes into from Robertson County, north, and terminates.  United States Highway 41 crosses northwest to southeast from Robertson County to Rutherford County.  United States Highway 41 Alternate comes from Cheatham County and joins United States Highway 31 Alternate into Williamson County.  United States Highway 70 parallels Interstate Highway 40 from Wilson to Cheatham counties.  United States Highway 70 South enters joined with United States Highway 41 from Rutherford County and terminates.  United States Highway 431 travels from Robertson County, north, to Williamson County, south.  Andrew Jackson, the 7^th President, is buried in this county.  James K. Polk, the 11^th President, is also buried in this county.  The county’s overall shape is a triangle.  Nashville and Davidson County are combined and therefore occupy the same space.  Nashville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 96.3% of the county population.  This county is in the Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area.

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