Humphreys

Formed November 14, 1809 (37^th county)

Humphreys County (18,992), Waverly (4,292)                

The masonry Modern Art Deco courthouse was built in 1952.  The facility is on Church, Main, Thompson, and Mill streets at Court Square.  Tennessee State Highway 13 is Church Street in this part of the town.  Steinbaugh & Wheeler are the building architects.  An Administrative Building augments the courthouse.  There were 1837 and 1898 versions earlier in Waverly, the only county seat.  The county was founded on November 14, 1809 from Stewart County as the 37^th county.  It is named for Judge Parry W. Humphreys.  Waverly is named for the novel by Sir Walter Scott. 

Humphreys County government consists of a sheriff, a County Executive, and 14 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges, One Chancery Court Judge, Two General Court Judges, and One Juvenile Court Judge serve Humphreys, Cheatham, Dickson, Houston, and Stewart counties.  Humphreys County is in western Tennessee.  Nashville, Tennessee is east and Memphis, Tennessee is southwest of the county.  The Tennessee River forms its western border.  The county center is 7.7 miles Southeast of Waverly.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Houston, Dickson, Hickman, Perry, and Benton counties. 

The area of the county is 532 square miles.  It is 30 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 68 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 35.7 persons per square mile making it 86 out of 95 in the state.  Humphreys County has 40.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 40 crosses the southern part of the county from Hickman County, southeast, to Benton County, west.  United States Highway 70 goes east to west from Dickson County to Benton County.  The county resembles a man’s head with a hat on.  Waverly is located in the western third of the county.  Waverly is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 22.6% of the county population.