Selmer, Tennessee

Selmer is a city in and the county seat of McNairy County, Tennessee, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 4,446.

History

The community is named after Selma, Alabama. It incorporated in 1901. Six young people were killed (two died at the scene of the accident, and four died later at hospitals), and 20 others were injured. Lawsuits filed against the city and event organizers asked for more than $US 85 million in damages. The City of Selmer approved a $500,000 settlement in September 2011. On March 4, 2008, the McNairy County grand jury returned an indictment against Critchley on six counts of vehicular homicide due to recklessness, a Class C felony, and 22 counts of reckless aggravated assault, a Class D felony. Neither Cars for Kids nor the City of Selmer were named in the indictment. Troy Critchley pleaded guilty to 28 charges of reckless assault and was sentenced to 18 months' probation.

On April 3, 2025, an EF3 tornado struck the city in the early hours, killing five people and injuring fourteen others. The city lost an estimated $27.6 million in property damage. The tornado touched down in Downtown and Oak Hill neighborhoods destroying multiple homes and buildings.

Geography

Selmer is located at (35.172333, -88.592964).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all land.

Neighborhoods

thumb|McNairy County Courthouse (2013)

Downtown is a neighborhood in the heart of Selmer, often referred to as "the main drag of Selmer", this historic neighborhood is also the site of McNairy County Historical Museum, Selmer City Police Department, Selmer Civic Center, First Baptist Church, The Latta Theatre, and many more historic buildings, the Civic Center and the Latta Theatre and the police department are all operated by the city.

Eastside is a neighborhood in East Selmer, this neighborhood is the site of Eastside Church Of Christ and McNairy Central High School. the church is operated by the city, but the school is operated by McNairy County School Board.

Eaglewood is a neighborhood in Northeast Selmer, it is the site of Chip-A-Roos and Eaglewood III Estates, the recreational facility and the apartment complex are operated by the city.

Falcon is a neighborhood in South Selmer, this neighborhood is the site of the Falcon Church, Falcon Cemetery, City of Selmer Fire Department, Owl Creek Lumber, Phillips 66, and McNairy County Sheriff's Office, the church, the cemetery, the fire department, Owl Creek Lumber, Phillips 66, and the sheriff's office are all operated by the city.

Lakeview is a neighborhood in West Selmer, this neighborhood is the site of Lakeview Church, First United Methodist Church, and Selmer Golf & Country Club, both churches and the country club are operated by the city.

Oak Hill is a neighborhood in North Selmer, the majority African-American neighborhood is the site of Oak Hill Cemetery, North Selmer Fire Station, Selmer Second Baptist Church, and Monogram Refrigeration LLC, Monogram and Oak Hill Cemetery and the fire department are all operated by the city.

Rosewood is a neighborhood in Southwest Selmer, Tennessee, this neighborhood is the site of what used to be Sweats Trailer Park Mobile Home Park, it is also the location of Purdy Place Apartments, and Rosewood Place Apartments, both high income apartment complexes operated in the city.

Climate

Demographics

2020 census

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

|+Selmer, Tennessee – Racial and ethnic composition

!Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)

!Pop 2000

!Pop 2010

!% 2000

!% 2010

|White alone (NH)

|3,657

|3,545

|style='background: #ffffe6; |3,425

|80.53%

|80.64%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |77.04%

|Black or African American alone (NH)

|722

|636

|style='background: #ffffe6; |658

|15.90%

|14.47%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14.80%

|Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)

|14

|style='background: #ffffe6; |14

|0.18%

|0.32%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.31%

|Asian alone (NH)

|12

|22

|style='background: #ffffe6; |25

|0.26%

|0.50%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.56%

|Pacific Islander alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0

|0.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.00%

|Some Other Race alone (NH)

|style='background: #ffffe6; |11

|0.00%

|0.02%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |0.25%

|Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH)

|72

|87

|style='background: #ffffe6; |203

|1.59%

|1.98%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4.57%

|Hispanic or Latino (any race)

|70

|91

|style='background: #ffffe6; |110

|1.54%

|2.07%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |2.47%

|Total

|4,541

|4,396

|style='background: #ffffe6; |4,446

|100.00%

|style='background: #ffffe6; |100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,446 people, 1,669 households, and 1,104 families residing in the city.

As of the census

The McNairy County News began publication in 2009. The paper has an online presence at mcnairycountynews.com and a Facebook page, as well as a weekly printed publication each Thursday.

Radio broadcasting

;FM stations

WXKV 90.5 Contemporary Christian
WWGM 93.9 Mix

;AM station

WDTM 1150 Southern Gospel

Notable people

Ray Bodiford, Tennessee politician
Chad Harville, baseball pitcher who pitched for four teams over parts of six seasons
Buford Pusser, served as the sheriff of McNairy County from 1964 to 1970. Selmer, as the county seat, is the location of the courthouse and old jail, which was his base of operations. His story has been made famous in the Walking Tall movies starring Joe Don Baker and Bo Svenson. The movies were filmed in nearby Henderson.

References

==External links==