Smyrna, Tennessee facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Smyrna, Tennessee
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Smyrna Town Hall, July 2014
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Location of Smyrna in Rutherford County, Tennessee.
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Tennessee | ||
| County | Rutherford | ||
| Founded | 1855 | ||
| Incorporated | 1869 | ||
| Named for | Ancient Smyrna | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 34.01 sq mi (88.09 km2) | ||
| • Land | 33.91 sq mi (87.83 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 545 ft (166 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 53,070 | ||
| • Density | 1,564.98/sq mi (604.24/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
37167
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| Area code(s) | 615 | ||
| FIPS code | 47-69420 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 1270735 | ||
| Website | Town of Smyrna | ||
Smyrna is a town located in Rutherford County, Tennessee. In 2020, its population was 53,070 people. This made Smyrna the largest town in Tennessee based on its population in that year. In 2007, U.S. News & World Report magazine said Smyrna was one of the best places in the United States for people to retire. Smyrna is also part of the larger Nashville metropolitan area.
Contents
History of Smyrna
The town of Smyrna started in the early 1800s. It was first a farming community. Smyrna was very important during the American Civil War because its train station was located between Nashville and Chattanooga.
A famous event from the war involved a hero from the Confederate States named Sam Davis. He was accused of being a spy. Sam Davis chose to give up his life rather than share any information with the Union Army. He was captured on November 20, 1863, and was hanged by Union forces on November 27 of that year. The Sam Davis Plantation is a historical site in Smyrna. It covers about 160 acres (0.65 km2) of farmland.
Smyrna officially became a town in 1869. However, the state later took away its town status. In 1915, Smyrna became a town again. It started using a commission-mayor type of government.
During World War II in 1941, Sewart Air Force Base was built in Smyrna. It was used to train pilots for large planes like the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-24 Liberator. In the 1950s and 1960s, more than 10,000 military people and their families lived at the base. The base was planned to close in 1971. Most of the land was then given to the State of Tennessee, Rutherford County, and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority.
The state of Tennessee opened a Tennessee Army National Guard base and a Tennessee Rehabilitation Center on its part of the land. Much of the other land became the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority in 1990.
In the 1970s, many new businesses came to Smyrna. The town started to grow a lot. Companies like Better Built Aluminum, Cumberland Swan (now Vi-Jon, Inc.), and Square D built factories there. In the early 1980s, plans began for a Nissan Motors car factory. The first car was made there in 1983.
Today, the Nissan plant employs about 8,400 people. It can make 640,000 vehicles each year. The factory covers a huge area of 5,200,000 square feet (480,000 m2). In 2012, Smyrna started making Nissan's electric car, the Nissan Leaf.
On March 14, 2000, the mayor and town leaders approved a new way of running the town. Smyrna now uses a city manager form of government. This means the town leaders hire a city manager to handle the daily operations of the town.
Geography of Smyrna
Smyrna covers a total area of about 23.0 square miles (59.6 km2). Most of this area, about 22.8 square miles (59.1 km2), is land. A small part, about 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2), is water.
Some parts of the Percy Priest Lake reservoir are within the town's borders. The two main rivers in the area are Stones River and Stewarts Creek.
Population and People
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1880 | 215 | — | |
| 1920 | 463 | — | |
| 1930 | 531 | 14.7% | |
| 1940 | 493 | −7.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,544 | 213.2% | |
| 1960 | 3,612 | 133.9% | |
| 1970 | 5,698 | 57.8% | |
| 1980 | 8,839 | 55.1% | |
| 1990 | 13,647 | 54.4% | |
| 2000 | 25,569 | 87.4% | |
| 2010 | 39,974 | 56.3% | |
| 2020 | 53,070 | 32.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census |
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2020 Census Information
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 29,728 | 56.02% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 8,554 | 16.12% |
| Native American | 80 | 0.15% |
| Asian | 3,062 | 5.77% |
| Pacific Islander | 55 | 0.1% |
| Other/Mixed | 2,603 | 4.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8,988 | 16.94% |
Based on the 2020 United States census, Smyrna had 53,070 people. There were 18,059 households and 12,282 families living in the town.
2010 Census Information
In the 2010 United States Census, Smyrna had 39,974 people. There were 14,807 households and 10,509 families. About 37.23% of households had children under 18. About 50.46% were married couples living together.
The average household size was 2.68 people. The average family size was 3.15 people. About 27.89% of the people were under 18 years old. About 63.50% were between 18 and 64 years old. About 8.60% were 65 years or older. The average age in Smyrna was 33.0 years.
Economy and Jobs
The Nissan Smyrna Assembly Plant is the largest car factory in the United States. It makes 640,000 cars each year. The plant started in 1983 and has made over 10 million cars since then. In 2012, the plant also started making batteries for the Nissan Leaf electric car. Nissan hopes the Smyrna plant will eventually make 150,000 electric cars and 200,000 electric car batteries every year. Besides the Leaf, the plant also puts together five other car models.
Here are some of the biggest employers in Smyrna:
- Nissan (car manufacturing): 8,400 employees
- Asurion (communications): 1,165 employees
- Vi-Jon (personal care products): 737 employees
- Stonecrest Medical Center (hospital): 550 employees
- Taylor Farms (produce): 550 employees
- Square D/Schneider Electric (electrical products): 474 employees
Before they closed, the airlines RegionsAir (formerly Corporate Airlines) and Capitol Air also had their main offices in Smyrna.
Parks and Fun Activities
Smyrna has many places for outdoor fun! The town has 10 parks. There is also a public golf course. You can enjoy 7 miles (11 km) of greenway trails for walking or biking. Smyrna also has an outdoor water park.
Schools in Smyrna
Smyrna is part of the Rutherford County Schools district.
Public Schools
- Cedar Grove Elementary (Timberwolves)
- David Youree Elementary School (Eagles)
- John Colemon Elementary School (Cougars)
- Smyrna Elementary School (Eagles)
- Smyrna Primary School (Huskies)
- Stewartsboro Elementary School (Stallions)
- Stewarts Creek Elementary School (Cardinals)
- Rock Springs Middle School (Knights)
- Rocky Fork Elementary School (Thunder)
- Rocky Fork Middle School (Storm)
- Rutherford County Virtual School (Trailblazers)
- Smyrna Middle School (Panthers)
- Stewarts Creek Middle School (Falcons)
- Smyrna High School (Bulldogs)
- Stewarts Creek High School (Redhawks)
- Smyrna West Alternative School
- Thurman Francis Arts Academy (Rams)
Private Schools
- Community Christian Day School
- Lancaster Christian Academy
Famous People from Smyrna
- William Barksdale: A Confederate general and politician from Mississippi. He was born in Smyrna in 1821 and died in the Battle of Gettysburg.
- Chad Chaffin: A racing car driver.
- Sam Davis: A Confederate spy. He was born in 1842. His historic home is located in Smyrna.
- Johnny Gooch: A Major League Baseball player, coach, and scout. He was born in Smyrna in 1897.
- Sonny Gray: A Major League pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was born in 1989.
- Ben H. Guill: A former U.S. Representative from Texas. He was born in Smyrna in 1909.
- Jalen Ramsey: An NFL cornerback for the Miami Dolphins. He was born in Nashville in 1994 but lived in Smyrna.
- Townes Van Zandt (1944–1997): A musician.
- Patricia McKissack: A well-known African American children's writer. She was born in Smyrna on August 9, 1944.
Sister City
See also
In Spanish: Smyrna (Tennessee) para niños
