Cookeville, Tennessee

Cookeville is a city in Putnam County, Tennessee, United States. Its population at the 2010 census was 30,435. It is the county seat of Putnam County and home to Tennessee Technological University. It is recognized as one of the country's micropolitan areas, smaller cities which nevertheless function as significant economic hubs. Of the twenty micropolitan areas in Tennessee, Cookeville is the largest; the Cookeville micropolitan area's 2010 Census population was 106,042.HistoryCookeville is named for Richard Fielding Cooke, who came to Tennessee in 1810 and settled nearby. Cooke was twice elected to the state senate, and was influential in establishing Putnam County.Cookeville was chosen as the county seat because it had a spring which provided water to the community.In 1856, Cookeville's first courthouse was erected. It burned a few years later and was rebuilt. The rebuilt courthouse burned again in 1861 when Union Army soldiers who were camped there accidentally set it on fire. A third courthouse was completed in 1866, and burned in 1899. The present courthouse was completed in 1900.The Isbell Hotel was completed prior to 1886, and was the first hotel in Cookevile.In 1890, the Nashville and Knoxville Railroad was completed through Cookeville.A basic charter for the city was adopted under a private act of the State of Tennessee in 1903.GeographyAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 22.0sqmi, of which 21.9sqmi is land and 0.2sqmi (0.77%) is water.