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Trenton, Tennessee
Gibson County Courthouse
Gibson County Courthouse
Motto(s): 
A tea-rrific place to live!
Location of Trenton in Gibson County, Tennessee.
Location of Trenton in Gibson County, Tennessee.
Country United States
State Tennessee
County Gibson
Established 1824
Incorporated 1847
Named for Trenton, New Jersey
Area
 • Total 8.09 sq mi (20.95 km2)
 • Land 8.04 sq mi (20.81 km2)
 • Water 0.05 sq mi (0.14 km2)
Elevation
331 ft (101 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 4,264
 • Estimate 
(2019)
4,180
 • Density 520.09/sq mi (200.82/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
38382
Area code(s) 731
FIPS code 47-75000
GNIS feature ID 1304159

Trenton is the county seat and fourth largest city of Gibson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 4,264 at the 2010 census, down from 4,683 in 2000.

Geography

Trenton is located in central Gibson County at 35°58′25″N 88°56′30″W / 35.97361°N 88.94167°W / 35.97361; -88.94167 (35.973627, -88.941569). U.S. Route 45W passes through the east side of the city, bypassing downtown. It leads north 33 miles (53 km) to Union City and south 30 miles (48 km) to Jackson. Milan is 12 miles (19 km) to the southeast via Tennessee State Route 77, Bradford is 10 miles (16 km) to the northeast via State Route 54, Alamo is 18 miles (29 km) to the southwest, also via State Route 54, and Dyersburg is 26 miles (42 km) to the west via State Route 104.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Trenton has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.2 km2), of which 8.1 square miles (21.1 km2) are land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km2), or 0.64%, are water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 694
1860 1,908 174.9%
1870 1,900 −0.4%
1880 1,383 −27.2%
1890 1,693 22.4%
1900 2,328 37.5%
1910 2,402 3.2%
1920 2,751 14.5%
1930 2,892 5.1%
1940 3,400 17.6%
1950 3,868 13.8%
1960 4,225 9.2%
1970 4,226 0.0%
1980 4,601 8.9%
1990 4,836 5.1%
2000 4,683 −3.2%
2010 4,264 −8.9%
2019 (est.) 4,180 −2.0%
Sources:

2020 census

Trenton racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 2,665 62.85%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 1,222 28.82%
Native American 10 0.24%
Asian 18 0.42%
Pacific Islander 2 0.05%
Other/Mixed 146 3.44%
Hispanic or Latino 177 4.17%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 4,240 people, 1,688 households, and 910 families residing in the city.

Culture

Gibson County Electric Membership Corporation - NARA - 280204 cropped
The Gibson County Electric Membership Corporation which still serves Trenton, in 1940

Trenton is most famous for its collection of rare antique porcelain veilleuses, donated by the late Dr. Frederick C. Freed in 1955. The teapots are unique because the candle's glow illuminates the pot's exterior, thus serving as a night light. None of the 525 teapots in this collection are alike, and some are designed as palaces or people in unique still-life castings. The town celebrates its collection with an annual "Teapot Festival" held each spring since 1981.

31mph
A 31 mph speed limit sign in Trenton

Trenton is also known for its unusual speed limit of 31 miles per hour (50 km/h), established by the city in the 1950s and posted by signs throughout the town.

Nite Lite Theatre of Gibson County is a non-profit community theatre project based in Trenton, and established in 1980 with the intent of bringing theatrical presentations to Gibson and the surrounding counties. All work, with the exception of some production staff, is done on a volunteer basis. With most performances at Peabody High School, the history of Nite Lite Theatre includes performances of The Man Who Came to Dinner, The Sound of Music, Dearly Departed, and You Can't Take It with You.

Trenton is also the home of the Gibson County Saddle Club, providing emphasis to the agricultural and equestrian history of Gibson County. This non-profit organization allows for Western and English-style horsemanship, both in fellowship and training.

Notable people

  • Robert M. Bond, United States Air Force general
  • Dave Brown, meteorologist and weatherman for Memphis TV station WMC channel 5, an NBC affiliate
  • Eugenia Winwood (nee Crafton), wife of Steve Winwood
  • John Wesley Crockett, member of the United States House of Representatives who was born in Trenton
  • Gene Hickerson, Hall of Fame offensive lineman for the Cleveland Browns was born in Trenton
  • Lew Jetton, known as a blues guitarist/singer, while also spending many years as a meteorologist and local television personality, was raised near Trenton
  • Ben H. Love, eighth Chief Scout Executive of the Boy Scouts of America
  • Peter Matthew Hillsman Taylor, author of the novel A Summons to Memphis, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1987
  • Wallace Wade, college football coach
  • Bailey Walsh, politician

Sports

The Trenton Reds, a Minor League Baseball team of the Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League, played in Trenton in 1922. The city shared the same league's Milan-Trenton Twins with nearby Milan in 1923.

Education

Trenton Special School District operates Trenton's K-12 public schools. Peabody High School in Trenton was established in 1877. Dyersburg State Community College has a campus adjacent to Peabody High School.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Trenton (Tennessee) para niños

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