Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee

2025-07-01T14:31:58Z

184.174.141.204: /* Government */

{{Use American English|date=June 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee
| official_name =
| settlement_type = [[City]]
| nickname =
| motto = 
| image_skyline = Soddy-Daisy-City-Hall-tn.jpg
| imagesize = 250px
| image_caption = Soddy-Daisy City Hall
| image_flag =
| image_seal = 
| image_map = File:Hamilton County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Soddy-Daisy Highlighted 4769560.svg
| mapsize = 260px
| map_caption = Location of Soddy-Daisy in Hamilton County, Tennessee
| image_map1 =
| mapsize1 =
| map_caption1 = 
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = United States
| subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Tennessee]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of counties in Tennessee|County]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Hamilton County, Tennessee|Hamilton]]


| government_footnotes =
| government_type =
| leader_title =
| leader_name =
| leader_title1 =
| leader_name1 =
| established_title = Incorporated
| established_date = 1969


| 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 = 62.26
| area_land_km2 = 60.02
| area_water_km2 = 2.24
| area_total_sq_mi = 24.04
| area_land_sq_mi = 23.18
| area_water_sq_mi = 0.86

| population_as_of = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total = 13070
| population_density_km2 = 217.75
| population_density_sq_mi = 563.97

| timezone = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset = -5
| timezone_DST = EDT
| utc_offset_DST = -4
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft = 699
| coordinates = {{coord|35|15|31|N|85|10|37|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code = 37379, 37384
| area_code = [[Area code 423|423]]
| blank_name = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info = 47-69560<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 = 1270798<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1270798}}</ref>
| website = {{URL|www.soddy-daisy.org}}
| footnotes =
| pop_est_as_of =
| pop_est_footnotes =
| population_est =
}}

'''Soddy-Daisy''' is a city in [[Hamilton County, Tennessee]], United States. The population was 13,070 at the 2020 census<ref name="Census 2010">{{Cite web| url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4769560| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Soddy-Daisy city, Tennessee| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=January 29, 2018| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200213113651/https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/G001/1600000US4769560| archive-date=February 13, 2020| url-status=dead}}</ref> and estimated to be 13,619 in 2022.<ref name="USCensusEst2019">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.2019.html|title=Population and Housing Unit Estimates|access-date=May 21, 2020}}</ref> The city was formed in 1969 when the communities of Soddy (to the north) and Daisy (to the south), along with nearby developed areas along [[U.S. Route 27]], merged to form Soddy-Daisy. It is becoming a [[bedroom community]] of nearby [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]] and is part of the Chattanooga [[Chattanooga metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]]. [[Sequoyah Nuclear Generating Station]] is located in Soddy-Daisy.

==History==
Soddy-Daisy is an incorporated city, comprising the former Tennessee cities of Soddy and Daisy. It has frequently been noted on lists of [[Place names considered unusual|unusual place names]].<ref>{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=29zh3dIgmv8C&pg=PR12 | title=Welcome to Horneytown, North Carolina, Population: 15: An insider's guide to 201 of the world's weirdest and wildest places | publisher=Adams Media | author=Parker, Quentin | year=2010 | pages=xii | isbn=9781440507397 }}{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

Soddy-Daisy was home to [[Hamilton County, Tennessee|Hamilton County]]'s first courthouse and government seat, Poe's Tavern.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://community.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/mar/23/soddy-daisy-commits-50000-historic-poes-tavern-pro/ |title=Community | HomeSoddy-Daisy commits $50,000 to historic Poe's Tavern project |access-date=November 15, 2013 |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221232100/http://community.timesfreepress.com/news/2011/mar/23/soddy-daisy-commits-50000-historic-poes-tavern-pro/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The tavern, built in 1819, was the home of Soddy-Daisy resident Hasten Poe. In 1838, the tavern served as a way station for 1,900 [[Cherokee]]s who were on the [[Trail of Tears]]. During the [[American Civil War|Civil War]], Poe's Tavern served as a hospital for both [[Union Army|Union]] and [[Confederate States Army|Confederate]] troops.<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/news/story/2011/jun/25/poes-tavern-re-creation-anchor-new-2-acre-park-sod/52712/|title = Poe's Tavern re-creation to anchor new 2-acre park in Soddy-Daisy|date = June 25, 2011|access-date = September 30, 2015|website = Timesfreepress.com|last = Cooper|first = Clint}}</ref> Though the original Poe's Tavern was torn down in 1911, the city of Soddy-Daisy has reconstructed a replica of the building a block away from the original site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://soddy-daisy.org/?s=poe%27s|title=Search results for "poe's" | Soddy-Daisy.org}}</ref>

There are two popular stories about how the city of Soddy got its name. The first is that the word "Soddy" is an anglicization of ''Tsati'', a shorter form of the [[Cherokee language|Cherokee word]] ᎠᏂ ᎫᏌᏘ Ᏹ (''Ani-Kusati-yi''), referring to the [[Muskogean]] [[Coushatta|Koasati]] people who lived there in the 18th century prior to [[Chickamauga Cherokee|Cherokee migration]] to the area after 1776. The second theory is that Soddy was named for William Sodder, who ran a trading post in the city. Others claim that Soddy's name is a reference to Soddy Creek, which is believed to have originated from the Cherokee word ''Sauta'', which is derived from ''Echota''. Soddy was a very small town until the Soddy Coal Company began mining in 1867.

Daisy is rumored to have taken its name from Daisy Parks, the daughter of Thomas Parks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/genInfo.php?locIndex=58986|title=Profile for Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee|publisher=[[ePodunk]]|access-date=April 25, 2010}}</ref> Thomas Parks was vice-president of the Tabler-Cleudup Coal & Coke Company, and founded the [[Daisy Coal Company]] in April 1881.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee|url=http://www.hctgs.org/communities/soddy_daisy.htm|access-date=August 31, 2021|website=www.hctgs.org}}</ref>

The two cities incorporated in April 1969 along a {{convert|9|mi|adj=on}} stretch of U.S. 27.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://soddy-daisy.org/about/|title=About | Soddy-Daisy.org}}</ref>

==Geography==
Soddy-Daisy is located in north-central Hamilton County at {{coord|35|15|31|N|85|10|37|W|type:city}} (35.258538, -85.176996).<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> Its southwestern end is bordered by the city of [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]]. Unincorporated communities that border Soddy-Daisy are [[Middle Valley, Tennessee|Middle Valley]] to the south, [[Falling Water, Tennessee|Falling Water]] to the southwest, [[Mowbray Mountain, Tennessee|Mowbray Mountain]] to the west and [[Flat Top Mountain, Tennessee|Flat Top Mountain]] to the northwest. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|60.7|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|58.6|km2|order=flip}} are land and {{convert|2.1|km2|order=flip}}, or 3.51%, are water.

The city is situated at the base of the Cumberland Escarpment, the east face of [[Walden Ridge]], which is part of the [[Cumberland Plateau]]. An inlet of [[Chickamauga Dam|Chickamauga Lake]] (consisting of the lower part of Soddy Creek) lies to the east. [[U.S. Route 27]] is the city's main highway, connecting it with [[Chattanooga, Tennessee|Chattanooga]] {{convert|16|mi}} to the south and [[Dayton, Tennessee|Dayton]] {{convert|22|mi}} to the northeast. [[Tennessee State Route 111|State Route 111]], which crosses Walden Ridge and leads {{convert|17|mi}} northwest to [[Dunlap, Tennessee|Dunlap]], intersects US-27 in the northern part of the city.

The area is home to the popular Stone Fort bouldering area.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://outdoorchattanooga.com/stone-fort/ | title=Stone Fort | Outdoor Chattanooga | date=May 2018 }}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 7569
|1980= 8388
|1990= 8240
|2000= 11530
|2010= 12714
|2020= 13070
|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,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:47&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Soddy-Daisy racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4769560&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 25, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 11,867
| 90.8%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 137
| 1.05%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 27
| 0.21%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 44
| 0.34%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 3
| 0.02%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 596
| 4.56%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 396
| 3.03%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 13,070 people, 5,628 households, and 3,378 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 11,530 people, 4,511 households, and 3,392 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|500.6|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 4,809 housing units at an average density of {{convert|208.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 98.15% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.60% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.24% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|American Indian]], 0.19% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.17% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.63% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 4,511 households, out of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.8% were non-families. 21.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 29.3% from 25 to 44, 25.5% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $37,163, and the median income for a family was $41,394. Males had a median income of $32,073 versus $23,147 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $16,889. About 6.5% of families and 8.8% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 10.6% of those under age 18 and 13.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==
Soddy-Daisy's City Commission currently consists of Jim Coleman, City Mayor; Mark Penney, Vice Mayor; other city commissioners are Travis Beene, Steve Everett, and Marcus Keith.

The City Manager is currently Burt Johnson, who is also the Finance Director and Recorder.

==Education==

=== Schools ===
Soddy-Daisy has seven schools:
*Allen Elementary
*Daisy Elementary
*Soddy Elementary
*Ivy Academy
*Soddy-Daisy Middle
*[[Soddy Daisy High School|Soddy-Daisy High School]]
*Sequoyah High School

=== Library ===
Soddy-Daisy has a privately operated community library, which opened in 2018 with the support from local residents, businesses and organizations following years without a public library within the Soddy-Daisy city limits or in the Sale Creek area.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Volunteers Make Success Of Soddy Daisy Community Library|url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2019/8/2/394007/Volunteers-Make-Success-Of-Soddy-Daisy.aspx|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=www.chattanoogan.com|date=August 2, 2019|language=en}}</ref>

=== Museum ===
Soddy-Daisy has one museum, which was opened in 2017 and remains operated by the city's historical association. The museum, currently housed in the 100 year old former bank building in Soddy has exhibits that showcase and teach the history of Soddy-Daisy area. The historical association also hosts an annual history fair at Soddy-Daisy High School every January.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Soddy, Daisy And Montlake Historical Association To Host 5th Annual History Fair|url=https://www.chattanoogan.com/2020/1/14/402424/Soddy-Daisy-And-Montlake-Historical.aspx|access-date=January 31, 2021|website=www.chattanoogan.com|date=January 15, 2020|language=en}}</ref>

==Media==
* Soddy-Daisy has one local radio station licensed to its community, [[WGOW-FM]].

==Notable people==
* [[Joe Chaney]], darts player
* [[Ron Cox (racing driver)|Ron Cox]], racing driver
* [[Terry Gordy]], professional wrestler
* [[Bryan Harvey]], former [[Major League Baseball]] [[relief pitcher]]
* [[Ralph McGill]], journalist

==In popular culture==
In the "I'm a Guest Here" episode of the ABC TV series ''[[Will Trent]]'' (season 3, episode 1, first broadcast on January 7, 2025), [[Georgia Bureau of Investigation]] agent Will Trent has escaped from his personal and professional problems to Soddy-Daisy before he is convinced to return to help solve a crime in Atlanta.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.soddy-daisy.org/ City of Soddy-Daisy official website]

{{Hamilton County, Tennessee}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Cities in Hamilton County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Cities in the Chattanooga metropolitan area]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1969]]
[[Category:1969 establishments in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Coal towns in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Tennessee populated places on the Tennessee River]]

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Soddy-Daisy, Tennessee