Carthage, Tennessee
Carthage is a town of 2,327 people in Smith County, Tennessee, founded in 1789.
Why visit Carthage
Townapedia lists 7 museums and landmarks, 12 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 2 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cordell Hull Bridge, Battery Knob, Cullum Mansion and Davis-Hull House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 89°F; January lows average 27°F.
Weather in Carthage
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Carthage
Carthage is a town in and the county seat of Smith County, Tennessee, United States; it is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, Carthage had a population of 2,291. It is located on the Cumberland River, which was important to its early development. It is best known as the hometown of former U.S.
From the Wikipedia article Carthage, Tennessee (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do2
Cordell Hull Bridge
Bridge · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Road bridge in Carthage, United States of America
Museums and landmarks7
Cullum Mansion
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
House in Carthage, Tennessee
Davis-Hull House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Historic house located at 1004 North Main Street in Carthage, Tennessee
Fite-Williams-Ligon House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic mansion in Carthage, Tennessee
Smith County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Courthouse in Tennessee, United States
Restaurants and cafes12
Acapulco Grill
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.0 mi
67 Dixon Springs Highway, Carthage
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.9 mi
131 Myer Street, Carthage
Mo-Th 06:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-23:00; Su 07:00-22:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 1.0 mi
64 Dixon Springs Highway, Carthage
Mo-Sa 08:00-21:30; Su 09:00-20:30
Where to stay1
History
The earliest known European-American settler in what is now Carthage was William Walton (1760–1816), who arrived in the late 1780s after the United States achieved independence in the American Revolutionary War. Circa 1800, Walton directed the construction of the Walton Road (Cumberland Turnpike), an early stagecoach route connecting the Knoxville area in the east with Middle Tennessee. The road, which was roughly paralleled later by the construction of what is now U.S. 70, was influential to the development and early settlement of the Cumberland region. Walton operated a ferry across the Cumberland River and a tavern nearby along the road, around which a small community developed. In 1804, Walton's community was chosen as the county seat of the newly formed Smith County after a heated election, and the town of Carthage was laid out shortly thereafter.
From the History section of Carthage, Tennessee on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship11
Carthage United Methodist Church
Church · Methodist · National Register of Historic Places · 0.5 mi
Christ Church Fellowship
Church · Nondenominational · 0.7 mi
209 3rd Avenue West, Carthage
The Refuge Assembly of God
Church · Assemblies Of God · 0.8 mi
208 Upper Ferry Road, Carthage
South Carthage Missionary Bapatist Church
Church · 1.2 mi
125 South Davis Street, Carthage
Shopping6
Cumberland Supply Co.
Hardware store · 1.6 mi
212 Old State Hwy 53, South Carthage
Gas and EV charging2
Schools, colleges and libraries11
Gordonsville Elementary School
School · 5.9 mi
104 Main Street East, Gordonsville
Smith County Middle School
School · 2.1 mi
134 Smith County Middle School Ln, Carthage
Smith County Elementary;Carthage Elementary School
School · 0.4 mi
149 Skyline Drive, Carthage
Healthcare1
Map of Carthage
53 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 48°F | 27°F | 4.5 in | 0.5 in |
| Feb | 52°F | 30°F | 4.9 in | 0.7 in |
| Mar | 61°F | 36°F | 5.0 in | 0.2 in |
| Apr | 71°F | 44°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 79°F | 54°F | 4.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 86°F | 63°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 89°F | 67°F | 5.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 88°F | 65°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 84°F | 59°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 73°F | 46°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 62°F | 36°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 52°F | 30°F | 4.9 in | 0.1 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Carthage (1 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
Smith County has had 16 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)
- 2025-04-02: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2024-06-17: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2021-05-08: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Tornado)
- 2021-04-21: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Smyrna Airport (MQY) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 37 miles away.
- Hartsville/Trousdale County 15 mi northwest, about 24 min by car
- Baxter 19 mi east, about 30 min by car
- Lebanon 23 mi west, about 37 min by car
- Cookeville 25 mi east, about 40 min by car
- Algood 28 mi east, about 45 min by car
- Gallatin 30 mi west, about 49 min by car
- Mount Juliet 32 mi west, about 51 min by car
- Hendersonville 37 mi west, about 59 min by car
- Smyrna 38 mi southwest, about 1 h by car
- Murfreesboro 39 mi southwest, 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
- Smith-county-courthouse-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Carthage-united-methodist-church-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Cordell-hull-bridge-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Davis-hull-house-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Fite-williams-ligon-house-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
- Cullum-mansion-tn1, Brian Stansberry, CC BY 3.0
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