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Word on White House
It's a growing little city
by Jenny Cordle
with Jon Osterholm
Contributing Writer and Editor of the Gazette (in Goodlettsville, TN)
The city of White House, Tennessee, a short drive up I-65 or Hwy 41/31W from
Goodlettsville, has been growing rapidly in recent years. In fact, as of 2005,
the population there had skyrocketed to 8,5301, nearly
four times the population of 25 years ago in 1980 (2,225). Much of that growth has been fairly
recent.
Curiously, though, some impressions of the community vary widely, as have
impressions of Goodlettsville, as demonstrated on the pages of this publication
since our beginning, two years ago.
For instance, both are looked on as "bedroom towns" or homesteads in which many
big city workers live, but in which they don't have their hearts. While this,
arguably, may be true in both cities to a degree, they both have certain characters
that appeal to many of those who choose to live or work there.
Variations in opinions on the populations of both cities can vary from entirely too
small to entirely too large. (Goodlettsville's population is estimated to be around
16,000 currently).
Both are plagued with the confusion that arises when a city straddles county lines.
In Goodlettsville, that can include some residents of Sumner County being unaware
that they are either in the city limits, or that they may vote in city elections.
No doubt, similar confusion exists in White House (while it's admittedly speculation
here).
The misunderstandings don't stop there. But instead of dwelling on the misunderstandings,
here's some of the facts, as we understand them at the Gazette.
Angie Carrier1 is the City Administrator.
John Decker1 serves as mayor. City Aldermen include
Farris H. Bibb, Jr.1, Mike Arnold1,
Lisa Stickel1, and Darrell
Leftwich1. Julie J. High is the city recorder and finance director. David
Amonette is the city attorney.
White House officials include Chief of Police Stan Hilgadiack1,
Fire Chief Joe Palmer, Director of Public Works Randy Briley, Director of Leisure
Services Tim Ellis, Director of Sewer Services Phyllis Smith, Head Librarian
Judy Speight1, City Judge Susan Johnson, and Codes
Administrator Andy McCormick.
Partly in Robertson County and partly in Sumner County, White House fills 476 square
miles.
Property tax for the city of White House is $1.342per $100 value.
Residents living in Robertson County include a $2.662 property
tax, while residents of Sumner County pay $2.592.
As for selected vital economic statistics, we found that the banks located in White House
include Regions Bank2, First State Bank2 and
Farmers Bank2.
Educational institutions include two elementary (one in Robertson Co. and one in Sumner
Co.), one middle/jr. high (in Sumner Co.) , one senior high (in Sumner Co.), one
junior/senior high (in Robertson Co.) and four2 private and/or
parochial school in the city. The single set of grade schools are not the only ones that
residents attend, however.
The student/teacher ratio in the schools run from 21:11 at the high school, to
23:11 at the two elementary schools.
According to the White House data collected there are 129 acres of park and recreation areas,
which includes eight soccer fields, one football stadium, six baseball fields, three tennis courts,
one jogging trail, one basketball court, one gymnasium, one senior citizens facility,
several picnic areas, and an ever-expanding greenway (that will eventually circle the entire city).
As of early 2006, 3.5 miles of the 10-foot wide greenway was complete, with parking lots
located at several entry points and accessible from major highways in the area.4 The beginning point
is at Municipal Park, along Highway 76.
White House soon will be the new home of a Jack Nicklaus Bear Trace golf course, thanks to unanimous
support for the project by the Robertson County and White House planning commissions. The course will
include a 500-home residential development and have an economic impact in excess of $150 million.3
Anyone who doesn't know it hasn't lived in the area more than a year, but White House is
known to be a consummate high school football town. White House High School's team
took the state championship a few years ago, and is a regular threat to every other
school football team which hopes for championship status.
Ironically, Goodlettsville's city commissioner is the principal of WHHS--Jeff Cordell.
White House includes thirteen protestant churches in the city limits. Catholic churches are
available in Hendersonville and Springfield, and Jewish Synagogues in Nashville.
White House reports a total of 3,340 members of the labor force; 1,700 male and 1,640
female (from both counties). The median income for a family inside the city limits
is $55,7313. The two counties in which White House is located have
the following unemployment
rates: In 2005, 4.62percent of the Robertson County population
were unemployed. The labor force in all of Robertson County totaled 30,9402.
Per capita income averaged $26,9582 in 2005 (the latest year available).
Approximately 4.22 percent of the population were
unemployed in Sumner County in 2005. In Sumner, per capita income equaled $28,5442 in
2005 (the latest year available). The work force in Sumner was 73,460 in 2005.
Its agricultural crops are chiefly soybeans, hay, wheat, corn and tobacco, according
to 2005 information.
Local industry includes these largest firms (according to latest information available
to us): Terex Utilities South (utility bucket assembly)2,
Timken/Latrobe2 (tool steel distributor),
Ingersall-Rand 2 (warehouse distribution for the company),
Leggett and Platt2 (plastic cables for automobiles),
Oshkosh B'Gosh2 (distribution center for childrens outerwear),
Tate Ornamental, Inc.2 (ornamental stairs and railings),
Lowes Millwork2 (doors and windows manufacturer), and
Thunderheart Performance2 (motorcycle parts).
Oshkosh B'Gosh is the largest employer in White House, with 375 employees2.
Ingersall-Rand is the second largest employer, with 200 employees. Of course,
there are a lot of businesses in White House beyond these major employers. Restaurants,
service industry businesses and retail businesses fill the main drags through town
(from clothing to jewelry).
The Word on White House, the city's quarterly newsletter, informs citizens of the
latest happenings regarding the city and services such as police and fire protection.
It typically highlights events at the city's recreational sites for the benefit
of city residents.
As far as local information goes, the only local newspaper is The Bargain Browser,
which is a longstanding, popular classified and display advertising publication that also
notes community activities, horoscopes and interesting facts. Since it is within two counties,
White House turns to a few Sumner County papers- the Gallatin News Examiner and the
Hendersonville Star News- and the Robertson County Times for information
about their area.
White House was recently in the national news when one of its most famous citizens,
Jim Varney, died. Known for his off-beat character, Ernest, from commercials and title
character in several comedy movies, Varney was eulogized at an upbeat memorial service
in Nashville recently. Varney died after struggling for years with cancer.
White House's name is representative of a gorgeous, historic white house that serves
today as the city's library and as the office for the White House Area Chamber of
Commerce. It is on the city's main drag as you arrive from I-65.
The Position Executive Director of the White House Chamber of Commerce is Julie Bolton. The Chamber
maintains a membership of approximately 200 currently.
White House is about 24 miles from Nashville, and a mere 10 miles from the Kentucky
border. And it's not far at all from Goodlettsville.
-- Jenny Cordle is a freshman journalism student at MTSU in Murfreesboro, Tenn.
She was assistant editor at the Gazette during the summer of 1999. She returns
home often, and sometimes helps her hometown paper and favorite editor (okay,
those are my words, not hers) as she did in writing this article. She is a graduate
of Hunters Lane High School.-- JRO
(Note: This article was excerpted from the Feb. 25, 2000 issue of the Gazette
and reproduced here with permission from the Editor. New data has been added to this article
over the years to keep the information as up-to-date as possible.)
1 2005-2006 Fact Book for Robertson County, Tennessee, and local resources
2 Middle Tennessee Industrial Development Association 2006 Community Data Profile
for White House (both Robertson County and Sumner County editions)
3 Robertson County 2005 (published by the Robertson County Chamber of Commerc)
4 Transportation in Sumner County, The News Examiner, March 24, 2006
(this page last updated 03/30/06)
whlib@viafamily.com
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