Lincoln

Formed November 14, 1809 (38^th county)

Lincoln County (35,326), Fayetteville (7,076)                

The Colonial Revival red brick courthouse was built in 1971.  The courthouse is on a square at Main Avenue, College Street, Elk Avenue, and Market Street.  United States Highway 64 is College Street through the town.  The structure features a clock tower.  The architects were Morton-Carter and Associates.  There was an 1873 version earlier in Fayetteville, the only county seat.  The county was founded on November 14, 1809 from Bedford County as the 38^th county.  It is named for American Revolutionary General Benjamin Lincoln.  Fayetteville was named Revolutionary War hero Marquis de Lafayette.  He is also the namesake of Fayette County and the county seat of Macon County. 

Lincoln County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 24 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge, One Chancery Court Judge, and One General Court Judge serve Lincoln, Bedford, Marshall, and Moore counties.  The county is on the southern border with Alabama.  Chattanooga, Tennessee is east and Nashville, Tennessee is northwest of the county.  The county center is 5.9 miles Southwest of Fayetteville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Bedford, Moore, and Franklin counties and Alabama and Giles and Marshall counties. 

The area of the county is 570 square miles.  It is 20 out of 95 in size in Tennessee.  It ranks 43 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 62.0 persons per square mile making it 54 out of 95 in the state.  Lincoln County has 21.5% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 64 crosses the county from east to west from Franklin County to Giles County.  United States Highway 231 enters from the northeast, Bedford County, and exits to the south, Alabama.  United States Highway 431 comes from Marshall County, northwest, and joins United States Highway 231 into Alabama.  The county resembles a bowl of ice cream.  Fayetteville is located near the center of the county.  Fayetteville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 20.0% of the county population.