Fayette

Formed September 29, 1824 (62^nd county)

Fayette County (42,002), Somerville (3,419), Oakland (8,939)

The light tan brick and concrete Beaux Arts courthouse was built in 1925 on a square at East Main, Fayette, West Main, and Market streets.  United States Highway 64 is Fayette Street in the town.  A dome and tower sit on top of the structure and veterans’ memorials are on the grounds.  There was an 1876 courthouse previously.  George Mahan, Jr., is the building designer.  A Justice Center was added in 2008.  The county was organized on September 29, 1824 as the 62^nd county with Somerville as the only county seat.  Fayette County is named for Revolutionary War hero Marquis de la Fayette.  He is also the namesake of the county seat of Lincoln County and the county seat of Macon County.  The county seat is named for Indian War Lieutenant Robert Somerville. 

The area of the county is 705 square miles.  It is 3 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 37 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 59.6 persons per square mile making it 57 out of 95 in the state.  Fayette County has 41.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 40 cuts the northwest corner of the county from Haywood County, north, to Shelby County, west.  United States Highway 64 crosses east to west from Hardeman County to Shelby County.  United States Highways 70/79 come from Tipton County, northwest, and go to Shelby County, west. 

Fayette County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 19 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges, Two Chancery Court Judges, and One General Court Judge serve Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale, McNairy, and Tipton counties.  The county is on the southwest border with Mississippi.  Memphis, Tennessee is directly west and Nashville, Tennessee is northeast of the county.  The county is an overall rectangle.  Somerville is located in the eastern third of the county.  Oakland is located near the western border of the county.  Somerville is the county seat and Oakland is the largest city.  Somerville is 8.1% of the county population while Oakland is 21.3% of the county population.  The county center is 6 miles Southwest of Somerville nearer Williston.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Haywood and Hardeman counties, and Mississippi, and Shelby and Tipton counties.  This county is in the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Grand Junction