Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1886-05-08
ROUND AS A DOLLAR.
Interesting History of How Warren
County Came to be Circular
Shaped.
Nashville Union.

The state of Tennessee possesses
many curiosities and an abundance of
picturesque scenery from the slopes of
the Cumberland mountains to the
valleys that skirt the Mississippi.
Among its people also may be found
peculiarities that interest the north
ern visitor, while its political history
is as diversified as its Landscapes. One
remarkable fact connected with this
State is that it claims, among other
celebrities, the honor of being the
only State in the union that has a
county that is perfectly round, with
the county seat exactly in the middle.
This is Warren county, situatedabout
100 miles southeast of Nashville on
branch of the Nashville & Chattanoo-
ga road, with the town Of McMinn-
vile as its county seat.
Many amusing and contradictory
stories are told concerning the causes
which led to the circularshape of this
county, but the following history of
it is vouched for by a gentleman who
related it in the presence of a Union
representative. The gentleman in
question is a well-known travelling
salesman, and is perfectly familiar
with the cloud which rests upon a
drummer's title for veracity. His
story runs:
zone day this spring l was in Nc
Minnville on business, and boarded
the afternoon train for Tullahoma,
enroute home. Among the passen-
gers on the train were a number of
neatly dressed men who, by their
conversation, | soon discovered were
prospectors from the northern states.
In company with them was a genu-
inc specimen of the Tennessee back
wOodsman, who was RECALLING the
strangers with description of the
adjacent country that would discount
the advance agent Of an agricultural
bureau. 1t was evident, however, to
the listeners that he was partial to
Coffee county instead of Warren, and
as the train left Manchester and roll
ed through that beautiful lakeland
that stretches toward Tullahoma he
grew eloquent. One Of the prospec-
tors, who was closely studying a map
which he held in his hand, exclaimed:
wCan you tell me why it is that
Warren county is as round as a dol
lar, while all the adjoining counties
are differently. shaped"
wSimple enough, SIR said the
Coffee county may. you see, strang-
ers, years ago there waren't no such
thing as Warren county. There ware
nothing but that little town called
McAIinnville, which we left a while
ago. 1t waren't much eff a place,
either, until three OF four men from
Ohio settled, bought land, started
stores, and became prominent citi.
zens. But McMinnville wasn't 6
county seat. 1t lay in one corner Of
a county, and the country around il
was the corners and ends of Other
counties. Under these circumstance
McMinnville didn't grow very fast
and there Was no politics there, anC
the men living in McMinnville stood
no show in county politics, anyway
These Ohio men tried to rise in the
political world, but it wasslow work
Finally they got mad and went t.
scheming. Before anybody knew
what they We're up to they had lob
bied bill through the Legislature
creating new county, Warren by
name, with McMinnville as the coun
ty seat. When the surveyors came
to run the new county lines they
found that the law directed them tt
go west twelve miles from McNTinn
vile, drive a stake; go east twelve
miles from McMinnville, and drive
another stake; and north twelve anC
south twelve, two more stakes, anC
then run circular line connecting
these stakes. The result, of course
was a circle, and 50 Warren county
: appeared on the map as round as
dollar, and with McNTinnville RICH
in the center. Then the Ohio mer
were happy. They started right in
run the politics Of the new county
filled most Of the Offices and got rici
on the rise in value Of their real es
tate"
To fully appreciate the story itneeC