Copperhill, Tennessee

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox settlement | official_name = Copperhill, Tennessee | settlement_type = [[City]] | nickname = | motto =  | image_skyline = Tennessee Route 68 in Copperhill.JPG | imagesize = | image_caption = Downtown Copperhill | image_flag = | image_seal =  | image_map = File:Polk County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Copperhill Highlighted 4717000.svg | mapsize = 250px | map_caption = Location of Copperhill in Polk County, Tennessee. | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Tennessee]] | subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Tennessee|County]] | subdivision_name2 = [[Polk County, Tennessee|Polk]]

| government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = | leader_name = | leader_title1 = | leader_name1 = | established_title = Founded | established_date = 1890<ref>"[http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/aug/18/deep-roots-new-life/ A Glimpse of Adventurous Copper Basin]," ''Chattanooga Times Free Press''. Retrieved: January 17, 2013.</ref> | established_title2 = Incorporated | established_date2 = 1913<ref>''[http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/05-06/48-data.pdf Tennessee Blue Book]'', 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.</ref>

| unit_pref = Imperial | area_footnotes = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='47'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref> | area_magnitude = | area_total_km2 = 4.67 | area_land_km2 = 4.58 | area_water_km2 = 0.08 | area_total_sq_mi = 1.80 | area_land_sq_mi = 1.77 | area_water_sq_mi = 0.03

| timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]] | utc_offset = -5 | timezone_DST = EDT | utc_offset_DST = -4 | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = 448 | elevation_ft = 1470 | coordinates = {{coord|34|59|32|N|84|22|27|W|region:US-TN|display=inline}} | postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]] | postal_code = 37317 | area_code = [[Area code 423|423]] | blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]] | blank_info = 47-17000<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> | blank1_name = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID | blank1_info = 1281278<ref name="GR3-u">{{cite gnis|1281278|Copperhill|2026-04-01}}</ref> | website = | footnotes = | pop_est_as_of = | pop_est_footnotes = | population_est = }} '''Copperhill''' is a city in [[Polk County, Tennessee|Polk County]], [[Tennessee]], United States. The population was 443 at the 2020 census.<ref>Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, [https://www.tn.gov/ecd/pdf/StateProfile/2011certpop.pdf Certified Population of Tennessee Incorporated Municipalities and Counties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630192652/https://www.tn.gov/ecd/pdf/StateProfile/2011certpop.pdf |date=June 30, 2014 }}, State of Tennessee official website, July 14, 2011. Retrieved: December 6, 2013.</ref> It is included in the [[Cleveland, Tennessee|Cleveland]] [[Cleveland, Tennessee metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History== Copperhill is located in a geological region known as the [[Copper Basin (Tennessee)|Copper Basin]], which was the site of a major [[copper mining]] operation between the 1840s and 1987. According to the original border surveying plan, Copperhill (and [[Ducktown, Tennessee]]) would have been in North Carolina. In 1819, surveyors were instructed to follow the highest ridges to the Georgia state line. However, at Unicoi Gap surveyors immediately turned south for 15 miles, reportedly because they ran out of liquor and heard there was a moonshine still at the Georgia border.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Voyles |first=Bruce |date=2025-12-03 |title=State lines & expensive moonshine |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=5A}}</ref>

Starting around the time of the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], the production method for removing the Sulphur from the copper ore mined in the area required building bonfires, throwing in the ore, and burning off the Sulphur. This necessitated cutting most of the trees in the valley for the bonfires. The [[acid rain]] caused by the burning of the Sulphur inhibited additional vegetation from growing, and the topsoil consequently washed off the hilly terrain due to lack of vegetation to hold it. Though acid plants were later built to convert the Sulphur into a useful product, the result of the earlier activities was that for years, up until the 1980s, the area was denuded of any greenery, and the red clay soil remaining gave it a Martian appearance. The area has now been greatly reforested, due to a multimillion-dollar effort by the successor companies to the original copper company. The copper and acid plants have been permanently closed and most of the plant infrastructure already removed and sold overseas. Much of the scrap metals from the site have been removed and sold to China. Glenn Springs Holdings has cleaned and purified all the surrounding creeks and waterways, and water quality is now back to near pristine condition according to published EPA and Tennessee Department of Environmental Conservation studies.

The town was originally known as McCays since it is directly across a river from [[McCaysville, Georgia|McCaysville]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. When the [[L&N Railroad]] combined the two train stations, the new depot was dubbed "Copper Hill." City officials then changed the name of McCays to Copperhill in 1911.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Voyles |first=Bruce |date=2025-06-04 |title=Tennessee Copper Co.'s vital role in Copper Basin |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=5A}}</ref>

The town these days is a tourist attraction, with near daily rail excursions from [[Blue Ridge, Georgia]], on the [[Blue Ridge Scenic Railway]], and near daily rail excursions from The [[Gee Creek Wilderness]] on the [[Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum|Hiwassee River train route]]. Whitewater rafting on the [[Ocoee River]] also attracts many people and other outdoor activities such as Mountain Biking and Hiking are also popular in the area. The area was the host for the [[Whitewater rafting|whitewater]] portion of the [[1996 Summer Olympics]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/local/story/2016/jul/31/whitewater-reflectionsocoee-river-venue-trans/378759/|title=Ocoee River venue transformed Polk County 20 years ago during Olympic Games|newspaper=timesfreepress.com|access-date=November 3, 2016}}</ref>

[[File:Copper mining and sulfuric acid plant1a34317v.jpg|thumb|right|Copper mine and sulfuric acid plant, Copperhill, 1939]]

==Geography== Copperhill is located at {{coord|34|59|32|N|84|22|27|W|type:city}} (34.992108, -84.374254),<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> situated in extreme southeast Tennessee, bordering North Georgia.

Its [[Twin cities (geographical proximity)|twin city]] is McCaysville, Georgia, with the two situated as a single town aligned along a northwestward-flowing river, known as the [[Toccoa River]] in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]], and the [[Ocoee River]] in [[Tennessee]], rather than the east/west state line, which cuts diagonally across streets (where it is marked with a blue line) and through buildings. There is a main downtown area, which the town shares with McCaysville, and it retains a historic feel of when it was thriving. The main street through town is Ocoee Street ([[Tennessee State Route 68]]) which becomes Toccoa Street ([[Georgia State Route 60]]) to the east-southeast in McCaysville. A truss bridge over the river at the state line links them to [[Blue Ridge, Georgia|Blue Ridge]] Drive ([[Georgia State Route 5|Georgia 5]]) to the south-southwest.

In the early morning hours of February 16, 1990, a major flood struck the towns, although it is now hard to see any damage from this flooding. The upstream Blue Ridge Dam was raised several feet by the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]], thus greatly minimizing any potential future possible occurrence of flooding. There have been no further incidents with the river flooding.

As a result of the state line, homes and businesses on the Copperhill side of town have [[area code 423]], while those on the McCaysville side have [[area code 706]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|1.9|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|1.9|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} (2.08%) is water.

==Demographics== {{US Census population |1920= 1102 |1930= 1050 |1940= 1005 |1950= 924 |1960= 638 |1970= 563 |1980= 418 |1990= 362 |2000= 511 |2010= 354 |2020= 443 |footnote=Sources:<ref name="GR9">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 4, 2012|title=Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses}}</ref><ref name=CensusPopEst>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N%2CNAME&for=place%3A%2A&in=state%3A47|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref> | align = right | align-fn = center }}

===2020 census=== As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], Copperhill had a population of 443, with 212 households that included 97 families. The median age was 47.2 years, 14.4% of residents were under the age of 18, and 23.9% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 100.5 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 99.5 males age 18 and over.<ref name="Census2020DP">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dp?get=NAME%2CDP1_0021P%2CDP1_0024P%2CDP1_0025C%2CDP1_0049C%2CDP1_0045C%2CDP1_0069C%2CDP1_0073C%2CDP1_0125P%2CDP1_0126P%2CDP1_0129P%2CDP1_0133P%2CDP1_0137P%2CDP1_0138P%2CDP1_0139P%2CDP1_0141P%2CDP1_0142P%2CDP1_0143P%2CDP1_0145P%2CDP1_0146P%2CDP1_0147C%2CDP1_0148C%2CDP1_0149C%2CDP1_0156C%2CDP1_0157C%2CDP1_0158C%2CDP1_0159P%2CDP1_0160P&for=place%3A17000&in=state%3A47|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=February 5, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.<ref name="Census2020DHC">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/dhc?get=NAME%2CP2_002N%2CP2_003N&for=place%3A17000&in=state%3A47|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2023|access-date=February 5, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref>

There were 212 households in Copperhill, of which 24.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 24.5% were married-couple households, 28.8% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 36.8% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 40.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

There were 289 housing units, of which 26.6% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.1%.<ref name="Census2020DP"/>

{| class="wikitable" |+ Racial composition as of the 2020 census<ref name="Census2020PL">{{cite web|title=2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=NAME%2CP1_001N%2CP1_003N%2CP1_004N%2CP1_005N%2CP1_006N%2CP1_007N%2CP1_008N%2CP1_009N%2CP2_001N%2CP2_002N%2CH1_001N%2CH1_002N&for=place%3A17000&in=state%3A47|website=United States Census Bureau|year=2021|access-date=February 5, 2026|df=mdy}}</ref> ! Race !! Number !! Percent |- | [[White Americans|White]] || 388 || 87.6% |- | [[African Americans|Black or African American]] || 2 || 0.5% |- | [[Native Americans in the United States|American Indian and Alaska Native]] || 1 || 0.2% |- | [[Asian Americans|Asian]] || 1 || 0.2% |- | [[Native Hawaiians|Native Hawaiian]] and [[Pacific Islander|Other Pacific Islander]] || 0 || 0.0% |- | Some other race || 28 || 6.3% |- | [[Multiracial Americans|Two or more races]] || 23 || 5.2% |- | ''[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (of any race)'' || 39 || 8.8% |}

===2000 census=== As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there was a population of 511, with 239 households and 146 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|271.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 274 housing units at an average density of {{convert|145.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 97.46% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.20% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 2.35% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.98% of the population.

There were 239 households, out of which 20.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.5% were non-families. 34.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.14 and the average family size was 2.73.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.2% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 29.4% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,313, and the median income for a family was $28,365. Males had a median income of $23,125 versus $18,542 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,677. About 8.7% of families and 10.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 5.3% of those under age 18 and 14.7% of those age 65 or over. ==Climate== The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Copperhill has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=723241&cityname=Copperhill,+Tennessee,+United+States+of+America&units=|title=Copperhill, Tennessee Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|website=Weatherbase}}</ref>

{{Weather box |location = Murphy 4ESE, North Carolina (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1873–present) |single line = Y | Jan record high F = 76 | Feb record high F = 81 | Mar record high F = 88 | Apr record high F = 92 | May record high F = 91 | Jun record high F = 98 | Jul record high F = 100 | Aug record high F = 99 | Sep record high F = 96 | Oct record high F = 93 | Nov record high F = 84 | Dec record high F = 77 | year record high F = 100

| Jan record low F = -16 | Feb record low F = -4 | Mar record low F = -3 | Apr record low F = 18 | May record low F = 25 | Jun record low F = 35 | Jul record low F = 46 | Aug record low F = 48 | Sep record low F = 28 | Oct record low F = 21 | Nov record low F = 6 | Dec record low F = −4 | year record low F = -16 | precipitation colour = green | Jan precipitation inch = 5.10 | Feb precipitation inch = 5.26 | Mar precipitation inch = 5.29 | Apr precipitation inch = 5.20 | May precipitation inch = 4.75 | Jun precipitation inch = 5.41 | Jul precipitation inch = 5.25 | Aug precipitation inch = 4.70 | Sep precipitation inch = 4.28 | Oct precipitation inch = 3.45 | Nov precipitation inch = 4.60 | Dec precipitation inch = 5.99 | year precipitation inch = 59.28 | Jan snow inch = 0.8 | Feb snow inch = 1.5 | Mar snow inch = 0.1 | Apr snow inch = 0.0 | May snow inch = 0.0 | Jun snow inch = 0.0 | Jul snow inch = 0.0 | Aug snow inch = 0.0 | Sep snow inch = 0.0 | Oct snow inch = 0.0 | Nov snow inch = 0.1 | Dec snow inch = 1.9 | year snow inch = 4.4 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in | Jan precipitation days = 11.5 | Feb precipitation days = 11.3 | Mar precipitation days = 11.9 | Apr precipitation days = 10.9 | May precipitation days = 11.4 | Jun precipitation days = 12.6 | Jul precipitation days = 12.2 | Aug precipitation days = 11.3 | Sep precipitation days = 9.2 | Oct precipitation days = 8.2 | Nov precipitation days = 9.3 | Dec precipitation days = 11.9 | year precipitation days = 131.7 | unit snow days = 0.1 in | Jan snow days = 0.9 | Feb snow days = 0.9 | Mar snow days = 0.2 | Apr snow days = 0.0 | May snow days = 0.0 | Jun snow days = 0.0 | Jul snow days = 0.0 | Aug snow days = 0.0 | Sep snow days = 0.0 | Oct snow days = 0.0 | Nov snow days = 0.1 | Dec snow days = 0.8 | year snow days = 2.9 | source 1 = [[NOAA]]<ref name= NOAA> {{cite web | url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=mrx | title = NowData – NOAA Online Weather Data | publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration | access-date = October 10, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&startDate=0001-01-01&endDate=9996-12-31&stations=USC00316001&format=pdf | title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020 | publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] | accessdate = May 20, 2021 }}</ref> }}

==See also== *[[Copper Basin (Tennessee)]] *[[Burra Burra Mine (Tennessee)]]

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category|Copperhill, Tennessee}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070313221255/http://www.copperhilltn.gov/ City website] *[http://www.mtas.tennessee.edu/public/CHARTERS.nsf/0/D8A25C4B48EB3F57852568CC0061DA73/$File/copper.cht.pdf?OpenElement City charter] *[http://www.TheNewsObserver.com The News Observer]

[[Category:Cities in Tennessee]] [[Category:Cities in Polk County, Tennessee]] [[Category:Cleveland metropolitan area, Tennessee]] [[Category:Copper Basin (Tennessee)]] [[Category:Mining communities in Tennessee]]