Editing Camden, Tennessee

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                     = Camden
|official_name            = 
|settlement_type          = [[City]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Downtown Camden TN 2012-07-27 016.jpg
|imagesize                = 250px
|image_caption            = Downtown Camden
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map                = File:Benton County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Camden Highlighted 4710560.svg
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location of Camden in Benton County, Tennessee.
|image_map1               = 
|mapsize1                 = 
|map_caption1             =

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Tennessee]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Tennessee|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Benton County, Tennessee|Benton]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Mayor
|leader_name              = Roger Pafford
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1836<ref name=citywebsite>[http://www.cityofcamdentn.com/ Camden city website].  Retrieved: January 17, 2013.</ref>
|established_title2       = Incorporated
|established_date2        = 1838<ref>''[http://www.state.tn.us/sos/bluebook/05-06/48-data.pdf Tennessee Blue Book]'', 2005-2006, pp. 618-625.</ref>
|named_for                = [[Camden, South Carolina]]<ref name=citywebsite />

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref  = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/5/query?where=STATE='47'&outFields=NAME,STATE,PLACE,AREALAND,AREAWATER,LSADC,CENTLAT,CENTLON&orderByFields=PLACE&returnGeometry=false&returnTrueCurves=false&f=json|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 14.70
|area_land_km2            = 14.70
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 5.68
|area_land_sq_mi          = 5.68
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
|population_total         = 3674
|population_density_km2   = 249.88
|population_density_sq_mi = 647.17

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 137
|elevation_ft             = 449
|coordinates              = {{coord|36|2|47|N|88|5|9|W|region:US-TN|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 38320
|area_code                = [[Area code 731|731]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 47-10560<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 31, 2008 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1305616<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|www.cityofcamdentn.com}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}
'''Camden''' is a city in and the [[county seat]]<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> of [[Benton County, Tennessee]]. The population was 3,674 at the 2020 census.<ref>Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, [https://www.tn.gov/ecd/pdf/StateProfile/2011certpop.pdf Certified Population of Tennessee Incorporated Municipalities and Counties] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140630192652/https://www.tn.gov/ecd/pdf/StateProfile/2011certpop.pdf |date=June 30, 2014 }}, State of Tennessee official website, July 14, 2011. Retrieved: December 6, 2013.</ref>

==History==
Native Americans were living in the Camden area as early as the [[Archaic period in North America|Archaic period]] (8000-1000 BC). A significant [[Eva Site|archaeological site]] has been excavated at nearby [[Eva, Tennessee|Eva]] (the actual site is now submerged under [[Kentucky Lake]]), uncovering evidence of semi-permanent habitation dating back 7000 years.<ref>Charles Faulkner, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=443 Eva Site]."  ''The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', 2009.  Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref>

The first European settlers arrived in the Benton County area around 1818, shortly after (and probably before) the county was purchased from the [[Chickasaw]]. Camden has its roots as a stopover along the stage coach route between [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]] and [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis]]. Initially known as "Tranquility", the community had attained the name "Camden" by the 1830s, a name influenced by the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]]-era [[Battle of Camden]].<ref>Jonathan Smith, "[http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/entry.php?rec=81 Benton County]." ''The Tennessee Encyclopedia of History and Culture'', 2009.  Retrieved: February 11, 2013.</ref> When Benton County was created in 1835, Camden was chosen as the county seat. The City of Camden was officially incorporated in 1838.<ref>Jonathan Kennon Smith, ''A History of Benton County, Tennessee to 1900'' (Memphis, Tenn.: J. Edge Co., 1970), 32, 100-101.</ref>

On October 20, 1922, [[Lynching of George and Ed Hartley|George and Ed Hartley were lynched]] by a large mob outside Camden County Jail after being convicted of manslaughter.{{sfn|''The Camden Chronicle'', October 27,|1922|p=1}}

==Geography==
Camden is situated along Cypress Creek, near the creek's modern confluence with the [[Kentucky Lake]] impoundment of the [[Tennessee River]] (the original lower {{convert|10|mi|0}} of the creek were entirely engulfed by the lake with the completion of [[Kentucky Dam]] in 1944). The area is characterized by low hills to the north and west and wetlands to the east, the latter of which are largely protected by the Camden Wildlife Management Area.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|14.7|km2|disp=flip}}, all of it land.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4710560| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212201707/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US4710560| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Camden city, Tennessee| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=April 8, 2014}}</ref>

===Climate===
{{Weather box   <!-- Infobox begins -->
| single line = Y
| location    = Camden, Tennessee, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1997&ndash;present

|Jan record high F = 79
|Feb record high F = 80
|Mar record high F = 87
|Apr record high F = 90
|May record high F = 94
|Jun record high F = 104
|Jul record high F = 104
|Aug record high F = 107
|Sep record high F = 102
|Oct record high F = 98
|Nov record high F = 87
|Dec record high F = 78

|Jan avg record high F = 68.7
|Feb avg record high F = 72.3
|Mar avg record high F = 80.6
|Apr avg record high F = 85.9
|May avg record high F = 89.0
|Jun avg record high F = 94.4
|Jul avg record high F = 96.3
|Aug avg record high F = 97.5
|Sep avg record high F = 93.3
|Oct avg record high F = 87.5
|Nov avg record high F = 77.5
|Dec avg record high F = 70.7
|year avg record high F = 98.9

<!-- Average high temperatures -->
| Jan high F  =48.6
| Feb high F  =53.5
| Mar high F  =62.5
| Apr high F  =72.1
| May high F  =79.2
| Jun high F  =86.2
| Jul high F  =89.5
| Aug high F  =89.5
| Sep high F  =83.6
| Oct high F  =73.3
| Nov high F  =61.3
| Dec high F  =51.6
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean F  =38.5
| Feb mean F  =42.8
| Mar mean F  =50.8
| Apr mean F  =60.1
| May mean F  =68.5
| Jun mean F  =76.2
| Jul mean F  =79.8
| Aug mean F  =78.8
| Sep mean F  =72.0
| Oct mean F  =60.7
| Nov mean F  =49.7
| Dec mean F  =42.1
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low F  =28.3
| Feb low F  =32.1
| Mar low F  =39.2
| Apr low F  =48.0
| May low F  =57.7
| Jun low F  =66.3
| Jul low F  =70.1
| Aug low F  =68.1
| Sep low F  =60.4
| Oct low F  =48.1
| Nov low F  =38.1
| Dec low F  =32.5

|Jan avg record low F = 11.2
|Feb avg record low F = 14.6
|Mar avg record low F = 22.6
|Apr avg record low F = 31.7
|May avg record low F = 40.9
|Jun avg record low F = 54.5
|Jul avg record low F = 60.3
|Aug avg record low F = 57.9
|Sep avg record low F = 47.5
|Oct avg record low F = 32.7
|Nov avg record low F = 22.7
|Dec avg record low F = 17.1
|year avg record low F = 9.3

|Jan record low F = -1
|Feb record low F = 4
|Mar record low F = 4
|Apr record low F = 22
|May record low F = 35
|Jun record low F = 45
|Jul record low F = 55
|Aug record low F = 49
|Sep record low F = 35
|Oct record low F = 27
|Nov record low F = 15
|Dec record low F = 7

<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
| precipitation colour    =  green
| Jan precipitation inch  =4.10
| Feb precipitation inch  =4.41
| Mar precipitation inch  =4.50
| Apr precipitation inch  =4.39
| May precipitation inch  =5.40
| Jun precipitation inch  =4.57
| Jul precipitation inch  =4.05
| Aug precipitation inch  =3.82
| Sep precipitation inch  =3.43
| Oct precipitation inch  =4.13
| Nov precipitation inch  =4.02
| Dec precipitation inch  =4.82

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 9.3
|Feb precipitation days = 9.4
|Mar precipitation days = 10.5
|Apr precipitation days = 10.3
|May precipitation days = 10.3
|Jun precipitation days = 9.0
|Jul precipitation days = 8.8
|Aug precipitation days = 7.7
|Sep precipitation days = 6.1
|Oct precipitation days = 6.8
|Nov precipitation days = 8.6
|Dec precipitation days = 9.7

<!-- Snowfall -->
| Jan snow inch  =1.0
| Feb snow inch  =0.7
| Mar snow inch  =0.6
| Apr snow inch  =0.0
| May snow inch  =0.0
| Jun snow inch  =0.0
| Jul snow inch  =0.0
| Aug snow inch  =0.0
| Sep snow inch  =0.0
| Oct snow inch  =0.0
| Nov snow inch  =0.1
| Dec snow inch  =0.3

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.6
|Feb snow days = 0.6
|Mar snow days = 0.2
|Apr snow days = 0.0
|May snow days = 0.0
|Jun snow days = 0.0
|Jul snow days = 0.0
|Aug snow days = 0.0
|Sep snow days = 0.0
|Oct snow days = 0.0
|Nov snow days = 0.0
|Dec snow days = 0.2

|source 1 = NOAA<ref name = NOAA>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00401352&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|title = U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: Camden, TN
|access-date = March 5, 2023
}}
</ref>
|source 2 = National Weather Service (mean maxima/minima 2006&ndash;2020)<ref name = NOWData>
{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/climate?wfo=meg
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Memphis
|access-date = March 5, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==

{{US Census population
|1850= 176
|1860= 159
|1870= 148
|1880= 200
|1890= 330
|1900= 399
|1910= 692
|1920= 800
|1930= 955
|1940= 992
|1950= 2029
|1960= 2774
|1970= 3052
|1980= 3279
|1990= 3643
|2000= 3828
|2010= 3582
|2020= 3674
|footnote=Sources:<ref name="GR9">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=March 4, 2012|title=Census of Population and Housing: Decennial Censuses}}</ref><ref name=CensusPopEst>{{cite web|title=Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions Datasets: Subcounty Resident Population Estimates: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2012|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|work=Population Estimates|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=December 11, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130611010502/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2012/SUB-EST2012.html|archive-date=June 11, 2013}}</ref><ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly">{{cite web|url=https://api.census.gov/data/2020/dec/pl?get=P1_001N,NAME&for=place:*&in=state:47&key=5ccd0821c15d9f4520e2dcc0f8d92b2ec9336108|title=Census Population API|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Camden racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4710560&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 8, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
|3,168
|86.23%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
|158
|4.3%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|10
|0.27%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|49
|1.33%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|149
|4.06%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|140
|3.81%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 3,674 people, 1,516 households, and 759 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 3,828 people, 1,631 households, and 1,014 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|344.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 1,840 housing units at an average density of {{convert|165.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 93.08% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 5.33% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.26% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.24% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.31% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.78% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 1,631 households, out of which 24.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.8% were non-families. 35.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.81.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 20.1% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 26.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 81.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $26,348, and the median income for a family was $31,667. Males had a median income of $27,413 versus $20,142 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,271. About 11.6% of families and 16.6% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 26.1% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
{{unreferenced section|date=March 2022}}
Agriculture is important to the economy of Camden and Benton County. [[Sorghum]] was once a key crop; the last sorghum processing facility closed in 2001.

Jones Plastic and Engineering operates a {{convert|60000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} facility in Camden.

Camden is a [[Commuter town|bedroom community]] for employees of the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]], and the [[DuPont]] titanium dioxide production plant in nearby [[New Johnsonville, Tennessee|New Johnsonville]].

==Parks and recreation==
* Birdsong Trail Ride
* [[List of dirt track ovals in the United States#Tennessee|Camden Speedway]]

==Education==
Camden is served by the Benton County School System.  Schools include:
* Camden Elementary
* Camden Junior High School
* [[Central High School (Camden, Tennessee)|Camden Central High School]]

==Media==
===Radio stations===
*[[WRJB|WRJB-FM 95.9]] "Magic 95.9 the Valley"

===Newspapers===
* ''The Camden Chronicle''
* ''The Marketplace''
* ''Tennessee Magnet Publications''

==Infrastructure==
===Transportation===
* [[U.S. Route 70]] connects Camden to Nashville to the east and Memphis to the west. It has a business route (US 70 Business) that runs through the center of town while the mainline bypasses Camden to the south.
* [[Tennessee State Route 191]] connects Camden to Eva and to [[Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park]] to the northeast and [[Interstate 40 in Tennessee|Interstate 40]] to the southeast.
* [[U.S. Route 641]], which intersects US 70 Business in the western half of Camden and US 70 south of Camden, connects the area with [[Paris, Tennessee|Paris]] and Kentucky to the north and with [[Interstate 40 in Tennessee|I-40]] and [[Parsons, Tennessee|Parsons]] to the south.
*[[Tennessee State Route 69A]] begins in Camden at the intersection of US 70 Business and TN 191 and runs north to Big Sandy.

==Notable people==
* [[Nyman Furr]], musician known as "The Tennessee Fiddler"
* [[Tanner Hudson]], NFL tight end for the [[Cincinnati Bengals]]
* [[Frank P. Lashlee]], member of [[Tennessee General Assembly]]
* [[Col. Littleton]], fashion designer
* [[Charles F. Pendleton]], awarded a [[Medal of Honor]] for his actions in the Korean War

==References==
{{reflist}}
*{{cite news |ref={{SfnRef|''The Camden Chronicle'', October 27,|1922}}|date= October 27, 1922|title= Ed Hartley and son George Hartley, are slain in raid by mob|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn89058013/1922-10-27/ed-1/seq-1/#|newspaper=The Camden Chronicle|publisher=Travis Bros.|location=Camden, Benton, Tennessee|issn=2374-8591|oclc=18998985|pages=1–4|accessdate= March 6, 2022 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [http://www.cityofcamdentn.com/ City of Camden official website]
* [http://www.bentoncountycamden.com/ Benton County/Camden Chamber of Commerce]

{{Benton County, Tennessee}}
{{Tennessee county seats}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Cities in Benton County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:County seats in Tennessee]]
[[Category:Tennessee populated places on the Tennessee River]]