Lebanon, Tennessee

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lebanon, Tennessee
settlement_type = City
nickname =
motto =

imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Lebanon's Town Square


image_

mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Location of Lebanon, Tennessee


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Tennessee
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Wilson

government_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 = 75.8
area_land_km2 = 75.7
area_water_km2 = 0.0
area_total_sq_mi = 29.3
area_land_sq_mi = 29.2
area_water_sq_mi = 0.0

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 20235
population_density_km2 = 267.2
population_density_sq_mi = 692.0

timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
elevation_footnotes =
elevation_m = 161
elevation_ft = 528
latd = 36 |latm = 12 |lats = 29 |latNS = N
longd = 86 |longm = 19 |longs = 35 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 37087, 37088, 37090
area_code = 615
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 47-41520GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 1290901GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Lebanon is a city in Wilson County, Tennessee, in the United States. The population was 20,235 at the 2000 census. It serves as the county seat of Wilson CountyGR|6. Lebanon is located in middle Tennessee, east of Nashville. Among Middle Tennesseans, Lebanon is pronounced "LEB-uh-nun", as opposed to the Middle Eastern nation, "LEB-uh-non." A more country accent, used mostly by natives of the town, sometimes produces "LEB-nun".

Notable facts

*Nashville Superspeedway is located outside of Lebanon.

*Wilson County - Home to Country Music Stars - Curly Putman, Reba McEntire, Charlie Daniels, Tracy Lawrence, Gretchen Wilson & Ricky Van Shelton.

*Lebanon is home to Cumberland University, a small, private, 4-year liberal arts institution.

*Lebanon is host to the annual Wilson County Fair, which is considered, by those organizations that rate State and County Fairs, to be the best County Fair in Tennessee (and better than the Tennessee State Fair in Nashville), and one of the top County Fairs in the country. Fact|date=April 2008

*Rock/folk music performer Ron Sexsmith wrote and recorded a song Lebanon, Tennessee on his Ron Sexsmith album.

*Lebanon Special School District has three elementary schools Byars Dowdy, Sam Houston, and Coles Ferry. LSSD has one upper elementary, Castle Heights, and one middle school, Walter J. Baird. The high school, operating under Wilson County School System, is Lebanon High School (Blue Devils).A new high school is soon going to be built on South Hartmann Drive. Once the new high school opens the old high school will become East Central Middle.

Geography

Lebanon is located at coor dms|36|12|29|N|86|19|35|W|city (36.207991, -86.326300)GR|1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 29.2 square miles (75.8 km²), of which, 29.2 square miles (75.7 km²) of it is land and 0.03% is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 20,235 people, 7,987 households, and 5,319 families residing in the city. The population density was 692.0 people per square mile (267.2/km²). There were 8,693 housing units at an average density of 297.3/sq mi (114.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.89% White, 13.78% African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.82% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.00% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.26% of the population.

There were 7,987 households out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.7% were married couples living together, 15.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.4% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.94.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.9% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 14.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $35,118, and the median income for a family was $45,094. Males had a median income of $31,207 versus $24,420 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,366. About 9.3% of families and 13.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.0% of those under age 18 and 16.4% of those age 65 or over.

Transportation

Interstate 40 runs just south of the city, which is the major road corridor between Nashville and Knoxville. Railroad freight service is provided by the Nashville and Eastern Railroad short line. Begun in 2006, Lebanon is the eastern terminus of the new Music City Star commuter rail service to Nashville.

Rail service began in 1871 with the now defunct Tennessee & Pacific Railroad, which ran to Nashville. The last original passenger train departed Lebanon in 1935.

Media

Newspapers

* [http://www.lebanondemocrat.com/ Lebanon Democrat] , published Monday through Saturday
* [http://www.wilsonpost.com/ Wilson Post] , published two times weekly (W,F)

Radio

* WANT 98.9 FM [http://www.wantfm.com/] , country music/local sports and affairs
* WCOR 1490 AM (simulcast of WANT)

Another radio station, WRVW 107.5 FM [http://www.1075theriver.com/] , is licensed to Lebanon, but primarily serves Nashville.

Television

* WJFB 66, 24-hour home shopping feed
* WKRP 6, General/Local Programming

Industry

Banking

Lebanon is considered a banking center for regional banks. It is home to the corporate headquarters of at least three. Most of the larger state and national banks have only a minimal presence in Lebanon.

Corporations

Cracker Barrel was founded in Lebanon, and has its corporate headquarters based there. The 550+ restaurant chain offers comfort food and nostalgia as an alternative to the hordes of fast-food options clogging the highways. However, Cracker Barrel has been embroiled in controversy through the years, first with gay rights groups and then with claims of racial discrimination and sexual harassment. [ [http://money.aol.com/investing/small-towns-big-companies?icid=200100397x1204579478x1200195022 Small Towns, Big Companies - AOL Money & Finance ] ]

Film production

Lebanon is featured in "Death Proof", directed by Quentin Tarantino, as the setting for the second half of the film, although none of the scenes were actually filmed in Lebanon. In the theatrical release (as part of the double feature "Grindhouse"), only the newspaper held and referenced by the character "Zoe" gives away the location. In the September 2007 DVD release, the action's location is revealed by a title card and multiple references by several characters. Tarantino was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, and has referenced his home state in other films.

Other movies were filmed in Lebanon are:Fact|date=April 2008
*"All The Kind Strangers" shot in 1974 on Old Rome Pike.
*"Charlie's War" shot in 2003 on Old Rome Pike.
*"Happiness Is..." shot in 1975 unknown location.
*"Perry's Wait" shot in 2007 unknown location.

ee also

* Lebanon (Music City Star station)
* Cedars of Lebanon State Park

References

External links

* [http://www.lebanontn.org/default.aspx City Government of Lebanon]