Dyer

Formed October 16, 1823 (54^th county)

Dyer County (36,803), Dyersburg (16,166)

The large dome stands out on the 1911 Classical Revival structure.  There were 1827, 1850 and 1867 courthouses previously.  The courthouse is located on a square at Court Street, Main Avenue, Market Street, and Mill Avenue.  United States Highway 51 Business is Main Avenue in this part of the town.  Asa Biggs designed the red/brown brick courthouse.  The building was renovated in 1969 and 1988.  The courthouse features veterans’ memorials.  An Administration office is located in an old commercial building across from the courthouse.  Dyer County was founded on October 16, 1823 as the 54^th county.  Stokes was the first county seat until 1826 when Dyersburg assumed the role.  The county and its county seat are named for War of 1812 hero Robert Henry Dyer. 

Dyer County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 22 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge, One Chancery Court Judge, Two General Court Judges, and One Juvenile Court Judge serve Dyer and Lake counties.  Dyer County is on the northwest border with both Missouri and Arkansas.  The Mississippi River forms its western border.  Memphis, Tennessee is south and Nashville, Tennessee is east of the county.  The county center is in Dyersburg 1.2 miles North-Northwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lake, Obion, Gibson, Crockett, and Lauderdale counties and Arkansas and Missouri. 

The area of the county is 510 square miles.  It is 35 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 41 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 72.2 persons per square mile making it 49 out of 95 in the state.  Dyer County has 54.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 155 originates in the county and goes west into Missouri.  United States Highway 51 enters from the northeast, Obion County, and exits to the southwest, Lauderdale County.  United States Highway 412 comes from Crockett County, southeast, and joins Interstate Highway 155 into Missouri.  The county resembles a box toy truck heading west.  Dyersburg is located in the southern third of the county.  Dyersburg is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 43.9% of the county population.  This county is in the Dyersburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.