Selmer, Tennessee

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Selmer is a town in McNairy County in southwestern Tennessee. The population was 4,541 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of McNairy County^GR6. It is named after Selma, Alabama.

The notable sheriff, Buford Pusser, served as the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970, and since Selmer is the county seat, the location of the courthouse and the jail, this was his base of operations. His story has been made famous in the Walking Tall series of movies starring Joe Don Baker and Bo Svenson. The movies were filmed in nearby Henderson, Tennessee.

Selmer became a focus of national news media in late March 2006. A local minister, Matthew Brian Winkler, was shot to death by his wife Mary Carol Winkler at their Selmer home. After Mary was said to have fled Selmer with the couple's three daughters, she was apprehended in Orange Beach, Alabama, and was returned to Selmer for trial. She has confessed to the authorities concerning the shooting of her husband with a shotgun.

The major highways U.S. Route 64 (east-west), and U.S. Route 45 (north-south) intersect in this town, making it an important crossroads. Selmer's position on Route 64 places it on the historic Lee Highway, which stretches from New York to San Francisco. The UN/LOCODE for the town is USSQE.

The Robert Sibley Airport (IATA airport code SZY (ICAO: KSZY)) is located in the area, with no ATC, a 5,002 foot runway, and at 610 feet above sea level. The town was the one of the locations of a brief 2002 television professional wrestling promotion, Championship Wrestling, sponsored by WMC-TV in Memphis. McNairy Central High School is located in the town. Selmer is the birthplace of baseball pitcher Chad Harville (born 1976.)

[edit] Geography

Selmer is located at 35°10′20″N, 88°35′35″W (35.172333, -88.592964)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 25.4 km² (9.8 mi²).

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 4,541 people, 1,935 households, and 1,234 families residing in the town. The population density was 179.3/km² (464.5/mi²). There were 2,173 housing units at an average density of 85.8/km² (222.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town was 81.61% White, 15.92% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.37% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.54% of the population.

There were 1,935 households out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.2% were non-families. 32.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.80.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 19.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females there were 86.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $28,494, and the median income for a family was $38,313. Males had a median income of $31,176 versus $21,989 for females. The per capita income for the town was $21,350. About 10.9% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 19.9% of those age 65 or over.