County of town: Fayette County
Location of town: Almost center in county; crossroads of US-64 & TN-76
County is SW corner of the state
Courthouse location: Courthouse Square (Market St, Court St. & Fayette St.), Somerville
Elevation: 397 ft (121 m)
Population: 3,115 (2013)
"Somerville is the county seat of Fayette County, which is located near the southwestern
corner of the state. The Somerville Historic District contains 101 buildings. The
majority of these are located around the court square and along South Main Street. All
of the commercial buildings around the court square were constructed after 1880 with the
exception of three: Wilder and Associates Building built ca. 1850, Walter's
Grocery built ca. 1870, and Minor's Market-Smith Dry Goods built ca. 1875.
Dr. Josiah Higgason's house, "Frogmore," built ca. 1829 is the oldest building in
town. Eleven other structures which remain in excellent condition were built between
1835 and 1865. Greek Revival Period influences are reflected in most of these buildings.
The exceptions to this are found in the Cooper House which was influenced by both
the Greek Revival, in shape and massing, and the Gothic Revival in exterior decoration;
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, which conforms stylistically to the Gothic Revival
Period; and the W. H. Blake House, which is characteristic of the regional style
most often called Tennessee Vernacular.
"The Fayette County Courthouse, located in the center of the town square, is the only
governmental building located within the historic district. Built in 1925, this is
the fourth courthouse to serve Fayette County.
"Somerville, established on the Loosa Hatchie River, prospered as the most populated
social, governmental, and business center in rural agrarian Fayette County. Incorporated
in 1826, Somerville was developed on land donated by George Bowers and James Brown who
each gave 25 acres. The town was established as the seat of Fayette County, which had
been created by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly in 1824, and named in honor of
Lieutenant Robert M. Somerville who was killed in 1814 at the Battle of the Horse Shoe
during the Creek War.
"During the early decades Somerville developed as the core of a cotton, slave labor
farming community feeling the large scale, fast immigration into the county of "a respectable
class, bringing no small portion of wealth" (as commented in the November 26,
1825, issue of the "Jackson Gazette"). In 1828, Somerville had "400 inhabitants,
100 houses, 20 mechanics, 7 professional men, 8 stores, 2 groceries, 3 taverns, a
courthouse, and a jail." Money for building the first courthouse and jail came from the
town lots that were sold at auction. Three separate courthouses, all at the same location,
have since served Fayette County. The first, a one-story log building erected in 1825
as a temporary structure, was replaced in 1833 with a two-story brick building. The third
courthouse, constructed in 1876 of bricks with a slate roof, burned on February 10, 1925
and was replaced by the present structure, designed by prominent Memphis architect
George Mahan, Jr." ~ NRHP Nomination Form