Stewart County is a county in Tennessee, United States, on the Kentucky border in the northwest corner of Middle Tennessee. It had a population of 13,657 at the 2020 census and covers 493 square miles (1,280 km2) centred near 36°30′N 87°50′W.
Dover is the county seat, and its postal code is 37058. The county has one city and two towns — Dover, Cumberland City and Tennessee Ridge — plus a scatter of small unincorporated communities. Stewart County observes Central Time and carries FIPS code 161.
Towns & Villages in Stewart County
Stewart County has three incorporated municipalities and roughly twenty unincorporated communities and crossroads. Dover is a city and the county seat; Cumberland City and Tennessee Ridge are towns. Everything else on the list below is an unincorporated community (Unincorp.), most too small to carry their own census count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dover | City · seat | 1,826 | 37058 |
| Cumberland City | Town | 305 | 37050 |
| Tennessee Ridge | Town | 1,332 | 37178 |
| Bumpus Mills | Unincorp. | — | 37028 |
| Indian Mound | Unincorp. | — | 37079 |
| Big Rock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Asbury | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Atkins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bear Spring | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Carlisle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chestnut Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cross Roads | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fair View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fort Henry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Legate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Haven | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Top | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Snider | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tharpe | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Throckmorton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tip Top | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tobaccoport | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vinson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wyatts Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — |
Fort Henry is not a modern settlement — it is the site of the Confederate earthwork fort on the Tennessee River that fell to Union forces in February 1862, now largely under Kentucky Lake within the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area. It is kept on the list as a named place because it still marks a locality on county maps.
ZIP Codes
- 37058 — Dover (also serves the county’s southern and central communities)
- 37050 — Cumberland City
- 37178 — Tennessee Ridge
- 37028 — Bumpus Mills
- 37079 — Indian Mound
The remaining unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and share the ZIP code of their nearest town, most often Dover.
Geography
Stewart County lies in the Highland Rim of northwestern Middle Tennessee, on Kentucky’s southern border. The Cumberland River crosses the county and is impounded here as Lake Barkley; the Tennessee River, impounded as Kentucky Lake, forms much of the county’s western edge. The strip of land between the two reservoirs is Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, which reaches into Stewart County from the north; federal and state land, including the recreation area and Fort Donelson National Battlefield, covers roughly 44% of the county.
Stewart County borders Montgomery County to the east, Houston County to the south, Benton County to the southwest, Henry County to the west, and Christian County, Kentucky, along with Trigg and Calloway Counties, Kentucky, to the north.
Demographics
Stewart County had 13,657 residents at the 2020 census, spread over 459 square miles of land for a density of about 30 people per square mile. Dover, the county seat, is the largest community with 1,826 residents, followed by Tennessee Ridge at 1,332. Cumberland City, the county’s other incorporated town, had 305 residents. Median household income in the county runs below the Tennessee median of $67,631, reflecting the county’s rural, low-density economic base.
Economy & Local Life
Government, tourism and outdoor recreation drive much of the county’s economy, anchored by Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area and the Fort Donelson National Battlefield and Cemetery, both major visitor draws. The Clarksville Metropolitan Statistical Area, of which Stewart County is part, pulls commuters east toward Fort Campbell and Clarksville. Farming, timber and lake-based recreation businesses round out the local economy.
History
Stewart County was formed in 1803 from part of Montgomery County and named for Duncan Stewart, an early settler and state legislator. It became a Civil War battleground in February 1862, when Union forces under Ulysses S. Grant captured Fort Henry on the Tennessee River and then Fort Donelson at Dover on the Cumberland, a decisive early Union victory that opened Tennessee to invasion and earned Grant the nickname “Unconditional Surrender.” A second, smaller engagement, the Battle of Dover, was fought in the town in February 1863.
Getting There
U.S. Route 79 runs through the county from Dover southeast toward Clarksville, and State Route 149 crosses Land Between the Lakes toward Kentucky.
- Clarksville — 33 miles east
- Cadiz, Kentucky — 25 miles north
- Paris, Tennessee — 30 miles south
- Nashville — 90 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Nashville International Airport; Clarksville Regional Airport, closer by, handles general aviation only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Stewart County, Tennessee?
It is in the northwest corner of Middle Tennessee, on the Kentucky state line, part of the Clarksville metropolitan area.
What is the population of Stewart County?
13,657 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Stewart County?
493 square miles (1,280 km2), of which about 34 square miles is water.
What is the county seat of Stewart County?
Dover, population 1,826.
How many towns are in Stewart County?
Three incorporated municipalities — Dover, Cumberland City and Tennessee Ridge — plus about twenty unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Stewart County?
37058 (Dover), 37050 (Cumberland City), 37178 (Tennessee Ridge), 37028 (Bumpus Mills) and 37079 (Indian Mound).
What is Stewart County known for?
Fort Donelson National Battlefield and Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, both major Civil War and outdoor-recreation destinations.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Tennessee.