Polk County, Tennessee

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Polk County, Tennessee, sits in the southeastern corner of the state. It covers about 442 square miles, mostly land, and had a population of 17,544 in 2020. Benton is the county seat and the largest town.

Geography and nature
Polk County is mostly mountainous, part of the Blue Ridge and southern Appalachian ranges, with the Copper Basin in the southeast. Big Frog Mountain is the highest point. About 80% of the land sits in the Cherokee National Forest. The Ocoee River runs through the county and is famous for whitewater rafting, while the Hiwassee River provides calmer rafting and tubing. The Conasauga River lies in the southwest and is Tennessee’s only river not in the Mississippi River Basin. Polk is the southeasternmost Tennessee county and borders both Georgia and North Carolina.

History
Polk County was created in 1839 and named after James K. Polk, who became president. Before European settlement, the Cherokee lived in the area, evacuated during the Trail of Tears in 1838–1839. Copper mining began in the Copper Basin in the 1840s and dominated the economy there for many years, until mines closed in 1987. During the Civil War, Polk County supported the Confederacy, and its copper was important to the war effort. Dams on the Ocoee and Hiwassee rivers later provided electricity and jobs. In 1996, the Ocoee Whitewater Center hosted canoe slalom events for the Atlanta Olympics. In 2019, Polk County became a Second Amendment sanctuary.

Economy and tourism
As copper mining declined, tourism grew, especially rafting on the Ocoee and Hiwassee rivers. The first Hiwassee rafting company appeared in 1969, and water releases from dams since the 1980s helped rafting become a major attraction. Today, rafting, kayaking, and canoeing attract well over 250,000 visitors each year. The Ocoee River is the most rafted river in the United States.

Education
Public schools are part of the Polk County Schools system, which includes Copper Basin High School, Polk County High School, Chilhowee Middle School, and the elementary schools Benton Elementary, South Polk Elementary, and Copper Basin Elementary.

Politics and people
Polk County has tended to lean Republican in recent years, though it voted for Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944. As of 2019, the county supports strong Second Amendment rights. The area is mainly rural, with the population predominantly White, and smaller numbers of other racial groups.

Transportation
Martin Campbell Field serves general aviation, and the Chilhowee Gliderport is located near Benton for glider aviation.