Lake County, Tennessee
Lake County is a county located in the northwest corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,005, making it the fifth-least populous county in Tennessee. Its county seat is Tiptonville. It shares a border with Kentucky to the north and is separated from Missouri to the west by the Mississippi River.
Lake County | |
|---|---|
Lake County Courthouse in Tiptonville | |
Location within the U.S. state of Tennessee | |
Tennessee's location within the U.S. | |
| Coordinates: 36°20′N 89°29′W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| Founded | 1870 |
| Named for | Reelfoot Lake |
| Seat | Tiptonville |
| Largest town | Tiptonville |
| Area | |
| • Total | 194 sq mi (500 km2) |
| • Land | 166 sq mi (430 km2) |
| • Water | 28 sq mi (70 km2) 14% |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 7,005 |
| • Density | 47/sq mi (18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 8th |
| Website | www |
Reelfoot Lake, formed after the New Madrid earthquakes in the early 19th century, occupies much of the northern part of the county. Issues of control of the lake and the development of cotton plantations in this part of the county resulted in violence by local farmers against corporate owners in 1908; the state called in the militia to suppress night riding. Reelfoot Lake and surrounding property were finally acquired by the state beginning in 1914. It is now within the Reelfoot Lake State Park and preserved for public use. The Northwest Correctional Complex in Tiptonville, a state prison first opened in 1981, can house up to 2,391 male prisoners, a significant share of the county's population.