Tipton

Formed October 29, 1823 (61^st county)

Tipton County (60,979), Covington (8,664), Atoka (10,013)

The red brick Italianate courthouse was constructed in 1889 and remodeled in 1928 and renovated in 1977.  The courthouse is in a square surrounded by East Court, Pleasant, West Court, and Liberty streets.  The building architects are the McDonalds Brothers.  United States Highway 51 is two blocks to the west of the site.  A Justice Building for administration was built in 1974 and a Justice Center was added in 1997.  The courthouse features a gazebo and a liberty bell.  The county was formed on October 29, 1823 from Shelby County as the 61^st county with Covington as the only county seat.  The county was named for Indian War hero Joseph Tipton.  Covington is named for War of 1812 General Leonard Wales Covington. 

The area of the county is 459 square miles.  It is 46 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 23 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 132.9 persons per square mile making it 27 out of 95 in the state.  Tipton County has 49.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 51 travels north to south through the county from Lauderdale County to Shelby County.  United States Highways 70/79 clip the southeast corner from Haywood County, east, to Fayette County, southeast.  The county resembles a computer mouse.  Covington is located in the northeast quarter of the county.  Atoka is on the southern border.  Covington is the county seat and Atoka is the largest city.  Covington is 14.2% of the county population.  Atoka is 16.4% of the county population. 

Tipton County government consists of a sheriff, a County Executive, and 18 Commissioners.  Two Circuit Court Judges, Two Chancery Court Judges, One General Court Judge, and One Juvenile Court Judge serve Tipton, Fayette, Hardeman, Lauderdale, and McNairy counties.  Tipton County is on the southwest border with Arkansas.  The Mississippi River forms its western border.  Memphis, Tennessee is directly south and Nashville, Tennessee is northeast of the county.  The county center is 7.2 miles Southwest of Covington nearer Brighton.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lauderdale, Haywood, Fayette, and Shelby counties, and Arkansas.  This county is in the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area.