Henderson

Formed November 7, 1821 (50^th county)

Henderson County (27,841), Lexington (7,959)                

The tan brick Modern building was erected in 1961.  The courthouse is on a square at Main, Monroe, Church, and Natchez Trace streets.  United States Highway 412 is Church Street.  The courthouse was designed by Hart, Freeland and Roberts.  There was an 1896 courthouse previously in Lexington, the only county seat.  The grounds of the courthouse feature canons and veterans’ memorials.  The inside has marble walls and decorative quilts.  There was an 1896 version earlier.  The county was organized on November 7, 1821 as the 50^th county.  Henderson County is named for War of 1812 hero James Henderson.  He is also the namesake for the county seat of Chester County.  The county seat is named for Lexington, Massachusetts. 

Henderson County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 14 Commissioners.  Three Circuit Court Judges, One Chancery Court Judge, and One General Court Judge serve Henderson, Chester, and Madison counties.  Henderson County is located in the western part of Tennessee.  Memphis, Tennessee southwest and Nashville, Tennessee is northeast of the county.  The county center is in Lexington .8 miles Southwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Carroll, Decatur, Hardin, Chester, and Madison counties. 

The area of the county is 520 square miles.  It is 34 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 53 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 53.5 persons per square mile making it 64 out of 95 in the state.  Henderson County has 33.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 40 crosses east to west in the county from Decatur County to Madison County.  United States Highway 412 enters from the east, Decatur County, and exits to the west, Madison County.  The county looks like a pastry gun pointing south.  Lexington is located near the center of the county.  Lexington is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 28.6% of the county population.

Scotts Hill