Bradley

Formed May 6, 1836 (70^th county)

Bradley County (91,196), Cleveland (37,746)

The Modern tan brick and concrete building was built in 1964.  It is on the city square at Ocoee, 1^st, Broad, and 2^nd streets.  United States Highway 11 is Ocoee Street in this part of the town.  Selmon T. Franklin & Associates are the architects.  The building and grounds feature columns, veteran’s memorials, and a gazebo.  A classic courthouse preceded this one in 1892.  The county was organized on May 6, 1836 as the 70^th county with Cleveland as the only county seat.  It is named for Edward Bradley.  Cleveland is named for American Revolutionary War Colonel Benjamin Cleveland. 

Bradley County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 14 Commissioners.  Four Circuit Court Judges, One Chancery Court Judge, One General Court Judge, and One Juvenile Court Judge serve Bradley, McMinn, Monroe, and Polk counties.  The county is located on the southeast border with Georgia.  Chattanooga, Tennessee is directly west and Knoxville, Tennessee is northeast of the county.  The county center is in Cleveland 3 miles North-Northeast of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Meigs, McMinn, and Polk counties and Georgia and Hamilton County. 

The area of the county is 332 square miles.  It is 68 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 13 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 298.08 persons per square mile making it 11 out of 95 in the state.  Bradley County has 42.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 75 enters the county from the northeast, McMinn County, and exits to the west, Hamilton County.  United States Highway 11 parallels Interstate Highway 75 from McMinn to Hamilton counties.  United States Highway 64 comes from Polk County, east, and goes into Hamilton County, west.  The county shape looks like a candle flame.  Cleveland is located near the center of the county.  Cleveland is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 41.7% of the county population.  This county is in the Cleveland Metropolitan Statistical Area.