Editing Spring City, Tennessee

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Town of Spring City
| name                     = Spring City, Tennessee
| settlement_type          = [[Town]]
| nickname                 = 
| motto                    = 
<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline            = Spring-City-tn1.jpg
| imagesize                = 250px
| image_caption            = 
| image_flag               = 
| image_seal               = 
<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                = File:Rhea County Tennessee Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Spring City Highlighted 4770400.svg
| mapsize                  = 250px
| map_caption              = Location of Spring City in Rhea 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        = [[Rhea County, Tennessee|Rhea]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes     = 
| government_type          = 
| leader_title             = 
| leader_name              = 
| leader_title1            = 
| leader_name1             = 
| established_title        = 
| established_date         = 
<!-- 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|access-date=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude           = 
| area_total_km2           = 7.25
| area_land_km2            = 7.16
| area_water_km2           = 0.09
| area_total_sq_mi         = 2.80
| area_land_sq_mi          = 2.76
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.04

<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="USCensusDecennial2020CenPopScriptOnly"/>
| population_total         = 1949
| population_density_km2   = 272.27
| population_density_sq_mi = 705.14

<!-- General information -->
| timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
| utc_offset               = -5
| timezone_DST             = EDT
| utc_offset_DST           = -4
| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_m              = 
| elevation_ft             = 768
| coordinates              = {{coord|35|41|22|N|84|51|50|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]s
| postal_code              = 37337, 37381
| area_code                = [[Area code 423|423]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 47-70400<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              = 1303755<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1303755}}</ref>
| website                  = {{URL|www.townofspringcitytn.org}}
| footnotes                = 
| pop_est_as_of            = 
| pop_est_footnotes        = 
| population_est           = 
}}

'''Spring City''' is a town in [[Rhea County, Tennessee|Rhea County]], [[Tennessee]], United States. The population was 1,949 at the 2020 census and 1,981 at the 2010 census. The town is located along [[Watts Bar Lake]], and [[Watts Bar Dam]] and the [[Watts Bar Nuclear Generating Station]] are nearby.

==History==
Spring City began as a stop along the [[Cincinnati, New Orleans and Texas Pacific Railway|Cincinnati Southern Railroad]] in the 1870s. The town was originally named Sulphur Springs, because of the mass amount of sulphur in the water. Sometime later it became "Rheaville," and later became incorporated with nearby Rhea Springs, and took on the name Rhea Springs. Due to an explosion, much of the town flooded or burnt, and the town relocated to its current location and was renamed Spring City, in honor of the original settlement, Sulphur Springs. The original location now lies at the bottom of a nearby section of Watts Bar Lake. Spring City thrived as a railroad shipping hub during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its first railroad depot, a simple wooden building constructed in 1879, burned in 1892, and was replaced by a larger one.<ref name=guffey>Pat Guffey, "[http://www.rheaheraldnews.com/lifestyles/article_c5f59738-3527-11e4-b296-001a4bcf887a.html Historical Notes About Spring City]," ''Rhea Herald-News'', September 5, 2014.</ref>  This second depot was in turn replaced by the current depot, which was completed by the [[Southern Railway (US)|Southern Railway]] in 1909.<ref>Carroll Van West, ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=Fh11WlwYe9wC&dq Tennessee's Historic Landscapes]'' (University of Tennessee Press, 1995), p. 233.</ref>

[[File:Spring-City-Depot-tn1.jpg|left|210px|thumb|Spring City Depot, completed in 1909]]

The city received an economic boost in 1942 with the [[Tennessee Valley Authority]]'s completion of Watts Bar Dam and its associated reservoir southeast of the town. That same year saw the completion of the Watts Bar Fossil Plant, TVA's first [[Fossil-fuel power station|coal-fired plant]]. In 1973, TVA began building [[Watts Bar Nuclear Plant]]. Its first reactor, Watts Bar Unit 1, became active in 1996. The construction of the second reactor, Watts Bar Unit 2, was originally suspended in 1985, but resumed in 2007. It entered commercial operation in October 2016.

On August 22, 1955, 11 schoolchildren were killed, and many others injured, when their school bus was struck by a 103-car freight train at a track crossing in Spring City.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/45169|title=Interstate Commerce {{sic|Comm|ision|nolink=y}}, Report of the Accident Investigation {{sic|Occ|uring|nolink=y}} on the CINCINNATI, NEW ORLEANS AND TEXAS PACIFIC, SOUTHERN RAILWAY SYSTEM, SPRING CITY, TENN |publisher=[[Interstate Commerce Commission]]|date=August 22, 1955|access-date=July 31, 2023}} - [https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/45169/dot_45169_DS1.pdf PDF file]</ref>

On July 28, 2016, a train hauling coal derailed by the train depot and museum due to a faulty wheel on one of the privately owned coal cars. There were no casualties. A lengthy cleanup followed, where both track crossings in town had to be closed while repairs were made and debris cleared.

==Geography==
Spring City is located at {{coord|35|41|22|N|84|51|50|W|type:city}} (35.689422, -84.863885).<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|2.5|sqmi|km2}}, of which, {{convert|2.4|sqmi|km2}} of it is land and {{convert|0.04|sqmi|km2}} of it (1.21%) is water.

===Climate===
{{Weather box   <!-- Infobox begins -->
| single line = Y
| location    = Spring City, Tennessee, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 2003&ndash;present

|Jan record high F = 75
|Feb record high F = 81
|Mar record high F = 85
|Apr record high F = 88
|May record high F = 92
|Jun record high F = 103
|Jul record high F = 104
|Aug record high F = 103
|Sep record high F = 96
|Oct record high F = 96
|Nov record high F = 85
|Dec record high F = 76

|Jan avg record high F = 65.7
|Feb avg record high F = 71.1
|Mar avg record high F = 79.5
|Apr avg record high F = 84.5
|May avg record high F = 87.3
|Jun avg record high F = 92.5
|Jul avg record high F = 94.1
|Aug avg record high F = 94.0
|Sep avg record high F = 90.5
|Oct avg record high F = 84.3
|Nov avg record high F = 73.4
|Dec avg record high F = 67.9
|year avg record high F = 95.8

<!-- Average high temperatures -->
| Jan high F  =47.5
| Feb high F  =51.7
| Mar high F  =60.4
| Apr high F  =70.6
| May high F  =77.2
| Jun high F  =83.9
| Jul high F  =86.9
| Aug high F  =86.7
| Sep high F  =81.0
| Oct high F  =70.8
| Nov high F  =58.8
| Dec high F  =50.3
<!-- Mean daily temperature -->
| Jan mean F  =36.9
| Feb mean F  =40.5
| Mar mean F  =47.8
| Apr mean F  =57.0
| May mean F  =65.3
| Jun mean F  =73.0
| Jul mean F  =76.7
| Aug mean F  =75.9
| Sep mean F  =69.7
| Oct mean F  =58.2
| Nov mean F  =46.8
| Dec mean F  =39.9
<!-- Average low temperatures -->
| Jan low F  =26.2
| Feb low F  =29.2
| Mar low F  =35.2
| Apr low F  =43.5
| May low F  =53.5
| Jun low F  =62.2
| Jul low F  =66.5
| Aug low F  =65.2
| Sep low F  =58.4
| Oct low F  =45.5
| Nov low F  =34.8
| Dec low F  =29.5

|Jan avg record low F = 9.9
|Feb avg record low F = 14.9
|Mar avg record low F = 20.0
|Apr avg record low F = 29.2
|May avg record low F = 37.1
|Jun avg record low F = 53.0
|Jul avg record low F = 58.2
|Aug avg record low F = 57.3
|Sep avg record low F = 46.5
|Oct avg record low F = 31.0
|Nov avg record low F = 21.3
|Dec avg record low F = 16.8
|year avg record low F = 8.1

|Jan record low F = -5
|Feb record low F = 0
|Mar record low F = 15
|Apr record low F = 20
|May record low F = 24
|Jun record low F = 47
|Jul record low F = 51
|Aug record low F = 47
|Sep record low F = 40
|Oct record low F = 25
|Nov record low F = 12
|Dec record low F = 3

<!-- Total precipitation, this should include rain and snow. -->
| precipitation colour    =  green
| Jan precipitation inch  =5.71
| Feb precipitation inch  =5.24
| Mar precipitation inch  =5.46
| Apr precipitation inch  =5.60
| May precipitation inch  =4.13
| Jun precipitation inch  =5.06
| Jul precipitation inch  =5.61
| Aug precipitation inch  =3.07
| Sep precipitation inch  =4.77
| Oct precipitation inch  =3.63
| Nov precipitation inch  =5.11
| Dec precipitation inch  =6.01
|year precipitation inch = 59.40

|unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
|Jan precipitation days = 11.5
|Feb precipitation days = 12.6
|Mar precipitation days = 10.6
|Apr precipitation days = 10.1
|May precipitation days = 11.4
|Jun precipitation days = 11.3
|Jul precipitation days = 13.1
|Aug precipitation days = 9.6
|Sep precipitation days = 7.9
|Oct precipitation days = 8.2
|Nov precipitation days = 8.9
|Dec precipitation days = 11.9

<!-- Snowfall -->
| Jan snow inch  =0.4
| Feb snow inch  =0.7
| Mar snow inch  =0.1
| 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  =0.0
| Dec snow inch  =0.1

|unit snow days = 0.1 in
|Jan snow days = 0.5
|Feb snow days = 0.5
|Mar snow days = 0.1
|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=USC00408540&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: Spring City, TN
|access-date = March 4, 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=mrx
|publisher = National Weather Service
|title = NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Knoxville
|access-date = March 4, 2023
}}
</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1890= 598
|1900= 640
|1910= 1039
|1920= 1001
|1930= 1090
|1940= 1569
|1950= 1725
|1960= 1800
|1970= 1756
|1980= 1951
|1990= 2199
|2000= 2025
|2010= 1981
|2020= 1949
|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|df=}}</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|access-date=October 15, 2022}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Spring City racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4770400&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 27, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 1,745
| 89.53%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 53
| 2.72%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 5
| 0.26%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 13
| 0.67%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 80
| 4.1%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 53
| 2.72%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,949 people, 935 households, and 537 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 2,025 people, 861 households, and 533 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|829.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 974 housing units at an average density of {{convert|399.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 94.52% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 4.49% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.40% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.05% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], and 0.54% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.49% of the population.

There were 861 households, out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 33.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 23.9% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 24.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $27,009, and the median income for a family was $31,894. Males had a median income of $27,692 versus $22,050 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $14,506. About 15.5% of families and 21.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 32.7% of those under age 18 and 18.8% of those age 65 or over.
[[Image:Springlakeview.jpg|thumb|View of Watts Bar Lake]]

==Education==
[[Rhea County Schools]] is the local school district.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st47_tn/schooldistrict_maps/c47143_rhea/DC20SD_C47143.pdf|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Rhea County, TN|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|access-date=June 7, 2022}}</ref> The elementary and middle schools are Spring City Elementary School and Spring City Middle School.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://sces.rheacounty.org/|title=Home|publisher=Spring City Elementary School|access-date=June 7, 2022|quote=270 East Jackson Avenue Spring City, TN 37381}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://scms.rheacounty.org/|title=Home|publisher=Spring City Middle School|access-date=June 7, 2022|quote=751 Wassom Memorial Highway, Spring City, TN 37381}}</ref> The district's sole high school is [[Rhea County High School]].
{{clear}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://www.townofspringcitytn.org/ Official site]

{{Rhea County, Tennessee}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Rhea County, Tennessee]]
[[Category:Towns in Tennessee]]