Altamont, Tennessee
Altamont is a town of 1,322 people in Grundy County, Tennessee, founded in 1848.
Why visit Altamont
Townapedia lists 3 places to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 83°F; January lows average 26°F.
Weather in Altamont
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Altamont
Altamont is a town in and the county seat of Grundy County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,117 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Altamont, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Where to stay3
Churches and places of worship4
Northcutts Cove Chapel
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.5 mi
Chapel in Tennessee, United States of America
Schools, colleges and libraries4
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History
Altamont was established in 1848 as a county seat for Grundy County, which had been created in 1844. General Adrian Northcutt, a prominent local farmer and military officer, was the prime advocate for the site's selection. The town's name comes from combining alto (meaning "altitude") and mont (meaning "mountain"). Although the Civil War somewhat stunted the town's growth, by 1870 Altamont's population had grown to 217.
Altamont has one of the oldest Mormon congregations in the southeastern United States. The congregation was formed in the 1890s, and a Mormon chapel was built in Northcutt Cove just north of Altamont in 1909. Shortly thereafter, several members of the congregation migrated to Altamont. A Mormon chapel was completed along Main Street in 1947, and a newer chapel was completed just off Viola Road in 1981.
In 1988, Altamont's school building was renovated and now houses the Altamont City Hall and the Altamont Library and Museum. The building was renamed the "Florence R. Scruggs Municipal Building" in 1996, after a long-time teacher at the school.
From the History section of Altamont, Tennessee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Map of Altamont
13 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 26°F | 5.8 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 28°F | 5.5 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 34°F | 6.1 in |
| Apr | 66°F | 42°F | 6.2 in |
| May | 74°F | 52°F | 5.1 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 60°F | 5.3 in |
| Jul | 83°F | 63°F | 6.1 in |
| Aug | 83°F | 62°F | 4.3 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 55°F | 4.2 in |
| Oct | 68°F | 43°F | 3.5 in |
| Nov | 57°F | 34°F | 4.8 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 29°F | 6.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Coalmont (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Grundy County has had 12 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for severe storms.
- 2026-02-06: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2026-01-24: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2025-06-19: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2023-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornado (Severe Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Franklin County Airport (UOS) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 18 miles away.
- McMinnville 18 mi north, about 28 min by car
- Manchester 19 mi west, about 30 min by car
- Tullahoma 27 mi west, about 44 min by car
- Red Bank 33 mi southeast, about 54 min by car
- Bridgeport 33 mi south, about 54 min by car
- Soddy-Daisy 34 mi east, about 55 min by car
- Middle Valley 35 mi southeast, about 56 min by car
- Chattanooga 38 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
- Shelbyville 40 mi west, about 1 h by car
- East Ridge 42 mi southeast, about 1 h by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Grundy-County-Courthouse-Altamont-tn3, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Northcutts Cove Chapel, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greeter Falls, Savage Gulf, TN, Sharon Mollerus from Minneapolis, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Greeter Falls, Savage Gulf, TN 9 5 21 (51489326301), Sharon Mollerus, CC BY 2.0
- H.B. Northcutt House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- L.V. Woodlee House, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Firescald Creek Stone Arch Bridge, Skye Marthaler, CC BY-SA 3.0
- A Tennessee Swimming Hole (188278349), Brent Moore from Smyrna, TN, USA, CC BY 2.0
- The Largest Millipede I have ever seen (187095531), Brent Moore from Smyrna, TN, USA, CC BY 2.0
- ISS065-E-15438 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS041-E-17592 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-15437 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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