Hickman

Formed December 14, 1821 (69^th county)

Hickman County (4,523), Clinton (1,220)                

The red brick Victorian facility was constructed in 1884.  The courthouse is on a square at Clay, Washington, Jackson, and Jefferson streets.  Washington Street is United States Highway 51 in the town.  The architects were the McDonalds Brothers.  The building was remodeled in 1918 and renovated in 2001.  An Annex is across the street.  The building features a tower and a rooster in front like many throughout the town.  Columbus was the original county seat with an 1823 courthouse.  Clinton became the county seat in 1830.  The county was created on December 14, 1821 from Christian County as the 69^th county.  The county is named for War of 1812 hero Captain Paschal Hickman.  The county seat is presumably named for New York Governor De Witt Clinton.  He is also the namesake of Clinton County. 

Hickman County government consists of a sheriff, County Judge Executive, and 3 Magistrates.  One Circuit Court Judge and One District Court Judge serve Hickman, Ballard, Carlisle, and Fulton counties.  Hickman County is in the far west part of the state on the border with Missouri.  The Mississippi River forms its western border.  Paducah, Kentucky is northeast of the county.  The county center is 2.4 miles East of Clinton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Carlisle and Graves counties and Tennessee and Fulton County and Missouri. 

The area of the county is 244 square miles.  It is 88 out of 120 in the state.  It ranks 118 out of 120 in population in the state.  It has a density of 18.5 persons per square mile making it 120 out of 120 in the state.  Hickman County has 30.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 45 clips the southeast tip of the county from Graves County, east, to Fulton County, south.  United States Highway 51 goes north to south from Carlisle County to Fulton County.  The county is shaped like a very fat comma.  Clinton is located near the center of the county.  Clinton is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 27.0% of the county population.