# Moscow, Tennessee

Moscow (/ˈmɒskoʊ/ MOS-koh) is a city in Fayette County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 568 at the 2020 census, 556 at the 2010 census, and 422 at the 2000 census. The town was named after Moscow, Russia, by its founder J. A. Dilliard to honor his wife Alexandra, a native of the Russian city, whom he met on a business trip to Russia in 1834. Moscow, Tennessee maintained close relations with Russia in the years leading to the Civil War, which led to Dilliard’s niece, Lucy Pickens born in La Grange, Tennessee, along with her husband serving as the US ambassador to Russia then after secession serving as Confederate representative to the Russian Emperor during the Civil War. Moscow is also known as the “Land Between Two Rivers,” due to its location after the Army Corps of Engineers rerouted the waterways, moving the main channel west to its current location.

## Geography

Moscow is located in southern Fayette County at 35°3′40″N 89°23′59″W﻿ / ﻿35.06111°N 89.39972°W﻿ / 35.06111; -89.39972 (35.060976, -89.399649), at the confluence of the Wolf River with its North Fork.
Tennessee State Route 57 passes through the city, leading east 13 miles (21 km) to Grand Junction and west 15 miles (24 km) to Collierville. Downtown Memphis is 38 miles (61 km) to the west. Tennessee State Route 76 leads north from Moscow 13 miles (21 km) to Somerville, the Fayette County seat.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Moscow has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.2 km$^2$), of which 0.01 square miles (0.02 km$^2$), or 0.73%, is water.

### Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Moscow has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Moscow was 110 °F (43.3 °C) on July 28, 1952, while the coldest temperature recorded was −14 °F (−25.6 °C) on February 2, 1951.
Climate data for Moscow, Tennessee, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1920–2013 :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 80 (27) | 82 (28) | 91 (33) | 94 (34) | 98 (37) | 107 (42) | 110 (43) | 107 (42) | 105 (41) | 95 (35) | 88 (31) | 80 (27) | 110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 69.1 (20.6) | 73.7 (23.2) | 80.3 (26.8) | 85.9 (29.9) | 89.1 (31.7) | 93.8 (34.3) | 96.7 (35.9) | 96.6 (35.9) | 92.8 (33.8) | 85.8 (29.9) | 79.1 (26.2) | 70.1 (21.2) | 98.1 (36.7) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 50.7 (10.4) | 54.8 (12.7) | 64.2 (17.9) | 72.8 (22.7) | 79.9 (26.6) | 86.9 (30.5) | 90.4 (32.4) | 89.6 (32.0) | 84.5 (29.2) | 74.6 (23.7) | 63.9 (17.7) | 53.3 (11.8) | 72.1 (22.3) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 40.3 (4.6) | 43.7 (6.5) | 52.2 (11.2) | 61.4 (16.3) | 69.9 (21.1) | 76.9 (24.9) | 80.6 (27.0) | 79.9 (26.6) | 73.1 (22.8) | 61.8 (16.6) | 51.4 (10.8) | 43.0 (6.1) | 61.2 (16.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.9 (−1.2) | 32.6 (0.3) | 40.6 (4.8) | 50.0 (10.0) | 59.9 (15.5) | 67.0 (19.4) | 70.8 (21.6) | 70.2 (21.2) | 61.8 (16.6) | 48.9 (9.4) | 38.9 (3.8) | 32.7 (0.4) | 50.3 (10.2) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 10.3 (−12.1) | 16.6 (−8.6) | 23.2 (−4.9) | 32.6 (0.3) | 44.7 (7.1) | 54.0 (12.2) | 60.3 (15.7) | 59.1 (15.1) | 44.6 (7.0) | 31.6 (−0.2) | 24.8 (−4.0) | 14.8 (−9.6) | 7.2 (−13.8) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −11 (−24) | −14 (−26) | 10 (−12) | 19 (−7) | 32 (0) | 43 (6) | 46 (8) | 45 (7) | 29 (−2) | 20 (−7) | 5 (−15) | −12 (−24) | −14 (−26) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.03 (102) | 4.44 (113) | 5.51 (140) | 4.99 (127) | 5.61 (142) | 4.30 (109) | 4.11 (104) | 4.59 (117) | 3.80 (97) | 4.35 (110) | 3.89 (99) | 5.25 (133) | 54.87 (1,393) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.6 (1.5) | 1.0 (2.5) | 0.2 (0.51) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 1.9 (4.76) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 6.8 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.6 | 5.5 | 7.1 | 5.0 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 6.0 | 6.5 | 74.8 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 1.0 |
| Source 1: NOAA ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: XMACIS2 (mean maxima/minima 1981–2010) ||||||||||||||

## Demographics

Moscow, Tennessee – Racial and ethnic composition Note: the U.S. census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race. :
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2000 | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2000 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
| White alone (NH) | 289 | 223 | 219 | 68.48% | 40.11% | 38.29% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 122 | 311 | 318 | 28.91% | 55.94% | 55.59% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0.24% | 0.00% | 0.35% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.17% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | 0.18% | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.52% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 5 | 3 | 9 | 1.18% | 0.54% | 1.57% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5 | 18 | 20 | 1.18% | 3.24% | 3.50% |
| Total | 422 | 556 | 572 | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the census of 2000, there were 422 people, 172 households, and 108 families residing in the city. The population density was 340.8 inhabitants per square mile (131.6/km$^2$). There were 185 housing units at an average density of 149.4 per square mile (57.7/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the city was 68.96% White, 29.15% African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.47% from other races, and 1.18% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.18% of the population.
There were 172 households, out of which 18.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.9% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 23.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.24.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 10.9% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 76.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,021, and the median income for a family was $46,875. Males had a median income of $35,417 versus $21,346 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,772. About 16.3% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 24.2% of those age 65 or over.

## Battle of Moscow

Moscow was the site of a skirmish during the Civil War on December 4, 1863. Confederate cavalry under the command of Gen. Stephen D. Lee attempted to burn the railroad bridge over the Wolf River, in order to aid Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest in returning to Tennessee from Mississippi. They were thwarted by African-American Union troops who were stationed nearby. Union Gen. Stephen A. Hurlbut wrote of these troops in a dispatch dated December 17, 1863: "The recent affair at Moscow, Tennessee, has demonstrated the fact that colored troops, properly trained and disciplined, can and will fight well."

## Famous residents

Compton Newby Crook, who was born in Rossville, Tennessee, and who wrote science fiction under the pseudonym Stephen Tall, grew up in Moscow.