Weakley

Formed October 21, 1823 (60^th county)

Weakley County (35,021), Dresden (3,005), Martin (11,473)

The masonry Neo-Classical courthouse was built in 1950 on a square at Main, Poplar, Maple, and Wilson streets.  Tennessee State Highway 54 passes in front of the facility.  Thomas Marr and Joseph Holman are the building architects.  Veterans’ memorials are on the courthouse grounds.  There was an 1855 courthouse earlier in Dresden the only county seat.  The county was established on October 21, 1823 as the 60^th county.  Weakley County is named for Legislator Robert Weakley.  The county seat was named for Dresden, Germany.  Weakley County was the birthplace of 1 Tennessee Governors, Ned R. McWherter. 

Weakley County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 18 Commissioners.  One Circuit Court Judge, One Chancery Court Judge, One General Court Judge, and One Juvenile Court Judge serve Weakley and Obion counties.  The county is on the northwest border with Kentucky.  Nashville, Tennessee is southeast and Memphis, Tennessee is southwest of the county.  The county center is .8 miles North-Northwest of Dresden.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Kentucky and Henry, Carroll, Gibson, and Obion counties. 

The area of the county is 582 square miles.  It is 20 out of 95 in the state.  It ranks 43 out of 95 in population in the state.  It has a density of 60.17 persons per square mile making it 52 out of 95 in the state.  Weakley County has 54.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 45 East goes north to south in the county from Obion County to Gibson County.  The county is shaped like a fat capital letter J.  Dresden is located near the center of the county.  Martin is in the northwest quarter of the county.  Dresden is the county seat and Martin is the largest city.  Dresden is 8.6% of the county population while Martin is 32.8% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced DREZ-DEN.  This county is in the Martin Micropolitan Statistical Area.