- Camden, Tennessee
Infobox Settlement
official_name = Camden, Tennessee
settlement_type =City
nickname =
motto =
imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Benton County Courthouse in Camden
image_
mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Camden, Tennessee
mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name =United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 =Tennessee
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Bentongovernment_footnotes =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title =
established_date =unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 58.5
area_land_km2 = 28.7
area_water_km2 = 29.8
area_total_sq_mi = 22.6
area_land_sq_mi = 11.1
area_water_sq_mi = 11.5population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 3828
population_density_km2 = 133.2
population_density_sq_mi = 344.9timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 137
elevation_ft = 449
latd = 36 |latm = 2 |lats = 47 |latNS = N
longd = 88 |longm = 5 |longs = 9 |longEW = Wpostal_code_type =
ZIP code
postal_code = 38320
area_code = 731
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 47-10560GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1305616GR|3
website =
footnotes =Camden is a city in Benton County,
Tennessee ,United States . The population was 3,828 at the 2000 census. It is thecounty seat of Benton CountyGR|6.Geography
Camden is positioned at coor dms|36|2|47|N|88|5|9|W|city (36.046344, -88.085944)GR|1. The city is situated along Cypress Creek, near the creek's modern confluence with the
Kentucky Lake impoundment of theTennessee River (the original lower convert|10|mi|km of the creek were entirely engulfed by Tennessee River with the completion ofKentucky Dam in 1944). The area is characterized by low hills to the north and west and wetlands to the east, the latter of which is largely protected by the Camden Wildlife Management Area.Camden is centered around the junction of
U.S. Route 70 , which connects Camden to Nashville to the east and Memphis to the west, and Tennessee State Route 191, which connects Camden to Eva andNathan Bedford Forrest State Park to the northeast andInterstate 40 to the southeast.U.S. Route 641 , which intersects US-70 in the western half of Camden, connects the area with Paris and Kentucky to the north.According to the
United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 22.6square mile s (58.5km² ), of which, 11.1 square miles (28.7 km²) of it is land and 11.5 square miles (29.8 km²) of it (50.88%) is water.Demographics
As of the
census GR|2 of 2000, there were 3,828 people, 1,631 households, and 1,014 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 344.9 people per square mile (133.2/km²). There were 1,840 housing units at an average density of 165.8/sq mi (64.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 93.08% White, 5.33% African American, 0.26% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.31% from other races, and 0.78% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.There were 1,631 households out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.
In the city the population was spread out with 20.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,348, and the median income for a family was $31,667. Males had a median income of $27,413 versus $20,142 for females. The
per capita income for the city was $15,271. About 11.6% of families and 16.6% of the population were below thepoverty line , including 26.1% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.Economy
Camden and Benton County function on primarily an agrarian economy, and Camden serves as a bedroom community for the
Tennessee Valley Authority facility and theDuPont titanium dioxide production plant inNew Johnsonville, TN , five miles to the east and on the other side of the Tennessee River.In the past, Camden and Benton County were known for
sorghum production, however, the last sorghum production facility shut down in summer 2001. Tourism, however, is quickly supplanting it, with the well-promoted Tennessee Freshwater Pearl Museum at Birdsong Resort & Marina providing an influx of out-of-town dollars. Pearls, both farmed and harvested in the wild, have been a staple of Benton County for years. The Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Farm is the only one of its kind in North America. Birdsong Resort, Marina and Lakeside RV and Tent Campgrounds offers tours of the farm and museum daily located off Interstate 40 at the Birdsong Exit # 133 which is halfway between Nashville and Memphis. Another notable event in Camden is the Bargain Highway, where parts of U.S. Highway 641 and U.S. Highway 70 are transformed into a 30-mile yardsale during Labor Day Weekend.Media
Radio Stations
*WAKQ-FM 105.5 "Today's Best Music with Ace & TJ in the Morning"
*WTPR-AM 710 "The Greatest Hits of All Time"
*WTPR-FM 101.7 "The Greatest Hits of All Time"History
Native Americans were living and camping in the Camden area as early as Archaic period (8000-1000 B.C.). A substantial Archaic site has been excavated at nearby Eva (the actual site is now submerged), uncovering evidence of semi-permanent habitation dating back 7000 years. [Charles Faulkner, " [http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=E028 Eva Site] ." "The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture", 2002. Retrieved: 12 February 2008.]
The first Euro-American settlers arrived in the Benton County area around 1818, shortly after (and probably before) the county was purchased from the
Chickasaw . Camden has its roots as a stopover along the stage coach route between Nashville and Memphis. Initially known as "Tranquility," the community had attained the name "Camden" by the 1830s, a name influenced by the Revolutionary War-eraBattle of Camden . [Jonathan Smith, " [http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=B033 Benton County] ." "The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture", 2002. Retrieved: 12 February 2008.] When Benton County was created in 1835, Camden was chosen as the county seat. The city of Camden was officially incorporated in 1838. [Jonathan Kennon Smith, "A History of Benton County, Tennessee to 1900" (Memphis, Tenn.: J. Edge Co., 1970), 32, 100-101.]People associated with Camden
*
Patsy Cline - She died in a plane crash at Camden. [Brenda Colladay, " [http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=C109 Patsy Cline] ." "The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture", 2002. Retrieved: 23 April 2008.]
*Frank P. Lashlee - Former member of theTennessee House of Representatives who was born here.Fact|date=April 2008
*Nyman Furr - Fiddle player, bassist, singer, songwriter with Nyman Furr & The Little Juice Band. Also played with Maggie Lee & The Percussions.Fact|date=April 2008References
External links
* [http://www.bentoncountynet.com/ Benton County Chamber of Commerce]
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