Finger, Tennessee

Finger is a town in Chester and McNairy counties, Tennessee. The population was 350 at the 2000 census.

Finger, Tennessee
Town
SR 199 in Finger
Location of Finger in McNairy County, Tennessee.
Coordinates: 35°21′24″N 88°36′32″W[1]
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
Counties	Chester, McNairy
Area [2]
• Total	1.57 sq mi (4.07 km^2)
• Land	1.57 sq mi (4.07 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	443 ft (135 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	298
• Estimate  (2019)[3]	288
• Density	183.44/sq mi (70.81/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	38334
Area code(s)	731
FIPS code	47-26160[4]
GNIS feature ID	1284266[5]

History

According to tradition, the city received its name when the townspeople, during a heated discussion over what to name the city, noticed a man's passionate hand gestures.[6] Other sources suggest the city was named for an early resident, Andrew Jackson Finger (1815–1888).[7]

The Finger Diner was the original model for the Hard Rock Cafe chain.[8][9]

Geography

The city lies along State Route 199 at its junction with U.S. Route 45. Henderson lies along US 45 to the north, and Selmer lies to the south.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1980	245		—
1990	279		13.9%
2000	350		25.4%
2010	298		−14.9%
Est. 2019	288	[3]	−3.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 350 people, 122 households, and 96 families residing in the city. The population density was 231.1 people per square mile (89.5/km²). There were 134 housing units at an average density of 88.5 per square mile (34.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 49.86% White, 41.14% African American, 4.14% Native American, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.43% of the population.

There were 122 households, out of which 43.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.7% were married couples living together, 9.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.5% were non-families. 18.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 31.7% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 17.4% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.7 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,250, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $28,250 versus $11,750 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,654. About 19.1% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.2% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.

Newspapers

Finger is served by two newspapers: the Independent Appeal and McNairy County News, both of which serve all of McNairy County.

Notable people

• Jim Clayton, an American entrepreneur who founded Clayton Homes (now a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway) and built it into the United States' largest producer and seller of manufactured housing, was born in Finger.
• Buford Pusser, Sheriff of McNairy County, Tennessee, from 1964 to 1970 who was born in Finger.[11] Several movies and a television series were based on his life.

References

1. "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
2. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
3. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
4. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
5. "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
6. "Some towns sure have funny names". The Miami News. June 9, 1971. pp. 4A. Retrieved May 19, 2015.
7. Miller, Larry (2001). Tennessee Place Names. Indiana University Press. pp. 76–77.
8. "Pushing Burgers" (PDF). Newsweek. October 4, 1971. p. 67.
9. Whitten, Jeff (June 23, 2013). "Finger Diner Basis for Iconic Hard Rock Café Design". Independent Appeal. p. 3A.
10. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
11. "Buford Pusser, the Man". Buford Pusser Museum.

External links

• Municipal Technical Advisory Service entry for Finger – information on local government, elections, and link to charter
• Let's Call It Finger: A History of North McNairy County and Finger, Tennessee and Its Surrounding Communities
• A High Sacred Place: A History of Mount Carmel Cemetery and Meeting House, McNairy County, Tennessee