Milan, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Milan, Tennessee
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Looking southeast along Main Street, May 2013
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Location of Milan in Gibson County, Tennessee.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Gibson |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Incorporated | 1866 |
| Named for | Milan, Italy |
| Area | |
| • Total | 8.93 sq mi (23.14 km2) |
| • Land | 8.93 sq mi (23.13 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 424 ft (129 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 8,171 |
| • Density | 915.01/sq mi (353.28/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
38358
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| Area code(s) | 731 |
| FIPS code | 47-48660 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1326833 |
| Website | http://www.cityofmilantn.com/ |
Milan (pronounced MY-lin) is the biggest city in Gibson County, Tennessee. It's known for the Milan Army Ammunition Plant, the West Tennessee Agricultural Museum, and several historic places. These places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Milan was the first city in Tennessee to start a special way of farming called no-till farming. It was also the first to add fluoride to its drinking water. The Milan Endowment for Growth in Academics (MEGA) was the first private fund for public schools in Tennessee.
Contents
About the Name of Milan
The name "Milan" is pronounced like "My-lunn." A local story says the name came from something that happened in the 1850s. A railroad surveyor asked Beverly A. Williamson, "Who owns this land?" Williamson replied, "It's my land."
People who live in Milan are often called Milanites.
Milan's Location and Weather
Milan is about 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Memphis. It is also about 140 miles (225 km) west of Nashville. The city is 424 feet (129 meters) above sea level.
The United States Census Bureau says Milan covers about 8.9 square miles (23.1 square kilometers) of land.
Milan has a humid subtropical climate. This means it gets rain all year long, and temperatures are usually warm.
| Climate data for Milan, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1883–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) |
81 (27) |
90 (32) |
98 (37) |
98 (37) |
105 (41) |
108 (42) |
110 (43) |
109 (43) |
96 (36) |
87 (31) |
78 (26) |
110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 69.6 (20.9) |
73.1 (22.8) |
80.6 (27.0) |
86.2 (30.1) |
90.3 (32.4) |
95.3 (35.2) |
97.3 (36.3) |
97.8 (36.6) |
94.2 (34.6) |
87.7 (30.9) |
79.0 (26.1) |
71.1 (21.7) |
99.0 (37.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 48.1 (8.9) |
52.6 (11.4) |
61.8 (16.6) |
72.1 (22.3) |
80.1 (26.7) |
87.4 (30.8) |
90.2 (32.3) |
90.0 (32.2) |
84.2 (29.0) |
73.7 (23.2) |
61.1 (16.2) |
51.2 (10.7) |
71.0 (21.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 37.9 (3.3) |
41.8 (5.4) |
50.2 (10.1) |
59.8 (15.4) |
68.9 (20.5) |
76.7 (24.8) |
79.9 (26.6) |
78.4 (25.8) |
71.7 (22.1) |
60.4 (15.8) |
49.1 (9.5) |
41.1 (5.1) |
59.7 (15.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.7 (−2.4) |
31.1 (−0.5) |
38.7 (3.7) |
47.4 (8.6) |
57.8 (14.3) |
66.0 (18.9) |
69.6 (20.9) |
66.9 (19.4) |
59.3 (15.2) |
47.2 (8.4) |
37.0 (2.8) |
30.9 (−0.6) |
48.3 (9.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 9.1 (−12.7) |
12.9 (−10.6) |
19.6 (−6.9) |
29.8 (−1.2) |
40.9 (4.9) |
52.4 (11.3) |
57.8 (14.3) |
55.1 (12.8) |
42.6 (5.9) |
29.3 (−1.5) |
19.7 (−6.8) |
13.6 (−10.2) |
6.0 (−14.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) |
−23 (−31) |
2 (−17) |
19 (−7) |
32 (0) |
40 (4) |
47 (8) |
43 (6) |
31 (−1) |
18 (−8) |
1 (−17) |
−14 (−26) |
−23 (−31) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 4.16 (106) |
4.70 (119) |
5.32 (135) |
5.27 (134) |
6.24 (158) |
4.39 (112) |
4.30 (109) |
3.70 (94) |
4.20 (107) |
3.68 (93) |
4.79 (122) |
5.43 (138) |
56.18 (1,427) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.5 (3.8) |
0.9 (2.3) |
0.3 (0.76) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.2 (0.51) |
3.0 (7.6) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 11.0 | 10.5 | 11.9 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 6.8 | 8.1 | 10.2 | 11.6 | 120.0 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 2.7 |
| Source: NOAA | |||||||||||||
People Living in Milan
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 1,600 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,546 | −3.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,682 | 8.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,605 | −4.6% | |
| 1920 | 2,057 | 28.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,156 | 53.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,035 | −3.8% | |
| 1950 | 4,938 | 62.7% | |
| 1960 | 5,208 | 5.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,313 | 40.4% | |
| 1980 | 8,083 | 10.5% | |
| 1990 | 7,512 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 7,664 | 2.0% | |
| 2010 | 7,851 | 2.4% | |
| 2020 | 8,171 | 4.1% | |
| Sources: | |||
2020 Population Count
In 2020, the 2020 United States census counted 8,171 people living in Milan. There were 3,031 households and 1,955 families.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,578 | 68.27% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,968 | 24.09% |
| Native American | 19 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 37 | 0.45% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 320 | 3.92% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 247 | 3.02% |
2010 Population Count
In 2010, there were 7,851 people living in Milan. About 73.5% were White, and 22.8% were African American.
About 34.5% of households had children under 18. The average age of people in Milan was 38.9 years.
Getting Around Milan
Milan is where two main roads meet: U.S. Route 45E and U.S. Route 79. State Route 104 also goes through the city.
Milan is connected to four major train lines. The West Tennessee Railroad serves the city. Milan is the highest point between the Great Lakes and the Gulf of Mexico on the old Illinois Central Railroad line.
Milan's History
In 1858, the city of Milan was started on land owned by B. A. Williamson and John Sanford. A small house and a grocery store were opened. The next year, the U.S. Post Office moved to Milan.
In 1866, Milan officially became a city. John G. Shepherd was the first mayor. The first newspaper, the Milan Times, started in 1869.
The Illinois Central Railroad was finished in 1873. This made Milan an important place for business. In 1941, the Clemmer Clinic became the city's first hospital.
Also in 1941, work began on the Wolf Creek Ordinance Plant and the Milan Ordinance Depot. These two places joined in 1945 to become the Milan Arsenal. In 1949, Milan started the first Little League team in the Mid-South.
In 1951, Milan was the first city in Tennessee to add fluoride to its drinking water. This helps keep teeth healthy.
In 1981, a special farming method called no-till farming began in Tennessee at the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experimentation Station in Milan.
Historic Places to See
Milan has several historic places listed on the National Register of Historic Places:
- The Browning House, located on the Milan Army Ammunition Plant, was added in 1974.
- Union Central School, on Union Central Rd., was added in 1985.
- The Milan Post Office, at 382 S. Main St., was added in 1987.
- The Gibson County Training School, at 1041 S. Harris St., was added in 2012.
Schools in Milan
Public schools in Milan are part of the Milan Special School District. This district was created in the 1980s.
There are three schools in Milan:
- Milan High School (grades 9–12)
- Milan Middle School (grades 5–8)
- Milan Elementary School (grades K-4)
The Milan High School Alumni Association gives out scholarships to graduating seniors.
The Milan Endowment for Growth in Academics (MEGA) was started in 1989. It was the first private fund in Tennessee to support public education. MEGA uses the money it earns to give students opportunities that the school budget might not cover.
West Tennessee Agricultural Museum
Milan is home to the West Tennessee Agricultural Museum. This museum is part of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station. It has more than 2,600 old farm tools and items from the area's farming past.
The University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station studies crops and how to prevent soil erosion. The no-till farming method, which helps protect soil, started here in Milan.
The station also hosts the Milan No Till-Field Day. This event shows off new farming methods and brings visitors from all over the world.
Milan Army Ammunition Plant
In 1945, two facilities joined to become the Milan Arsenal. It was later renamed the Milan Army Ammunition Plant in the 1960s. This large facility had many miles of railroad tracks and roads.
The Milan Army Ammunition Plant is sometimes called "Bullet Town" by people who live nearby.
Growth of Milan's Population
The Milan Army Ammunition Plant brought many jobs to Milan. During World War II, over 10,000 people worked there. This caused Milan's population to grow from 3,000 to 7,000 people between 1940 and 1971.
Environmental Cleanup Efforts
In 1987, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) listed the Milan Army Ammunition Plant for cleanup. This was to make sure the area was safe for people and the environment.
The EPA, the United States Army, and the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) worked together. They made a plan to investigate and clean up any environmental impacts from past activities.
In the early 1990s, the Army helped move the city's drinking water wells to a safer location. They also put rules in place to stop people from using groundwater in areas that needed cleaning.
By 2010, reviews showed that the cleanup was protecting people and the environment. The cleanup of affected soil is finished. Work continues on cleaning the groundwater, which is expected to be completed by 2075.
Sports in Milan
In 1923, Milan shared a Minor League Baseball team, the Milan-Trenton Twins, with nearby Trenton.
Famous People from Milan
Sports Stars
- Benjamin Caldwell Cantwell, a major league baseball pitcher, was born in Milan in 1902.
- Burnis 'Wild Bill' Wright, a Negro league baseball player, was born in Milan in 1914.
- Tyrus Turner Barber, a major league baseball player, passed away in Milan in 1968.
- Avery Williamson, a football player, graduated from Milan High School in 2010. He plays inside linebacker for the Tennessee Titans.
Entertainment Personalities
- Joe Staton, a comic book illustrator and writer, graduated from Milan High School in 1966.
- Kellye Cash-Sheppard, who was Miss Tennessee in 1986 and Miss America in 1987, lives in Milan.
See also
In Spanish: Milan (Tennessee) para niños
