Eaton, Tennessee facts for kids

Eaton is a small, quiet place in Gibson County, Tennessee. It's called an unincorporated community, which means it's not officially a city or town with its own local government. Instead, it's part of the larger county.

Where is Eaton?

Eaton is located on the right side of the Middle Fork of the Forked Deer River. This river flows through the area. It's about 11 miles (18 km) west of a bigger town called Trenton.

Eaton has its own post office, and its zip code is 38331. A road called State Route 188 (also known as Riverside-Yorkville Road) goes right through Eaton.

A Look at Eaton's History

How Eaton Began

Eaton was first settled in the 1820s. This was after a big land deal called the Jackson Purchase. This deal opened up West Tennessee for European-American settlers to move in.

The community was first known as Buckner's Bluff. This name came from an early settler named J.W. Buckner. But in 1827, its name was changed to Eaton. It was named after John H. Eaton. He was a very important person from Tennessee. John H. Eaton was a United States Senator and later became the United States Secretary of War. This means he was in charge of the army for President Andrew Jackson.

Eaton's Early Government

Eaton became an official town with its own local government in the 1830s. This is called being incorporated. However, it later lost this official status. It became incorporated again around 1875 to 1880, but then lost its official status once more. A post office was first set up in Eaton in 1830.

Eaton's Busy Past

The busiest time for Eaton was in the 1830s. Before trains became common, Eaton was a very important place for shipping goods. Boats like keelboats, flatboats, and even small steamboats traveled on the Forked Deer River. They would stop in Eaton to pick up or drop off goods. This made Eaton a lively trading spot for a while.