| Key Events in Smyrna's History | ||
| (Click on underlined events for more information or click on photos to see enlarged view) | ||
| 1803 - Constance Hardeman wrote a petition to create Rutherford County | ||
| 1811 - Murfreesboro became the county seat of Rutherford County | ||
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| 1819 - Murfreesboro served as the state capital from 1819 to 1826 | ||
| 1820 - Smyrna Presbyterian Church organized (town later named for Church) | ||
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Smyrna Presbyterian |
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| 1830 - Walnut Grove school operated until 1900 | ||
| 1851 - Railroad depot built on Nashville-Chattanooga line; Silas & John Tucker named it Smyrna in honor of their Church | ||
| 1852 - September 2, the first post office established in Smyrna, with Postmaster Ferguson Fleming | ||
| 1855 - Railroad company bought land on either side of the tracks to sell at auction & form downtown Smyrna | ||
| 1863 - Battle of Stones River took place just 8 miles from Smyrna | ||
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| 1869 - December 10, Smyrna incorporated for the first time with Joseph Engles as the mayor | ||
| 1881 - Smyrna incorporation revoked by the state of Tennessee | ||
| 1882 - Samuel Hager built cotton gin | ||
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Hager Cotton Gin |
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| 1893 - Smyrna Fitting School opened - originally private, but later Smyrna public school | ||
| 1890s - Late 1890s, first telephone line connected to Smyrna (only two phones initially connected) | ||
| 1905 - Telephone switchboard installed | ||
| 1905 - Beginning in 1905, the Sun Brothers circus came to town every fall until 1915 | ||
| 1908 - People's Bank of Smyrna (formerly Bank of Smyrna) created with John Gooch as President | ||
| 1913 - July 28, major fire struck downtown Smyrna destroying the bank, restaurant, livery stable, and other buildings | ||
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| 1914 - First annual fair held in Smyrna | ||
| 1915 - Electricity brought to Smyrna | ||
| 1915 - Smyrna incorporated for a second time with Dr. J.W. Engles as mayor (son of 1869 mayor) | ||
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Dr. J.W. Engles |
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| 1916 - John Hager, Sr. built first fire engine in Smyrna from a converted 1913 Studebaker | ||
| 1924 - Smyrna began assessing property tax to pay for city fire department; Ben Culbertson first official fire chief | ||
| 1927 - Stones River battlefield established as a national park & Sam Davis home purchased by the state | ||
| 1927 - Dixie Highway designated as U.S. route 41-70 (connecting Smyrna to Nashville with a paved road) | ||
| 1929 - Smyrna began paving city streets | ||
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| 1930 - Census figures show population at 531 total | ||
| 1931 - February, Smyrna School burned & classes were moved to local churches and homes | ||
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Smyrna School 1895 |
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| 1936 - Smyrna horse show held annually from 1936 to 1941 | ||
| 1937 - Water system, including fire hydrants, built in town | ||
| 1940 - Census figures show population at 493 total | ||
| 1941 - Smyrna purchased first official fire hall | ||
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| 1941 - land acquired for the creation of air base in Smyrna | ||
| 1942 - Construction of Smyrna air base began in January | ||
| 1947 - Sam Ridley elected mayor; served from 1947 to 1987 | ||
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Mayor Ridley |
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| 1950 - Census figures show population at 1,544 total | ||
| 1950 - Smyrna air base renamed Sewart on March 25th | ||
| 1951 - Dial Telephone System in place (replacing switchboard operators) | ||
| 1955 - Sewer/water sanitation system constructed | ||
| 1957 - New post office building dedicated on 105 North Front Street | ||
| 1957 - Natural gas lines connected to Smyrna | ||
| 1959 - First official police car bought by Smyrna officials | ||
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| 1960 - Census figures show population at 3,612 total | ||
| 1965 - Department of Defense announced the closing of Sewart Air Force Base | ||
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Sewart AFB |
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| 1970 - Sewart Air Force Base closed | ||
| 1970 - Census figures show population at 5,698 total | ||
| 1980 - Census figures show population at 8,839 total | ||
| 1980 - October 30, Officials of the Nissan Corporation announced the creation of a new plant in Smyrna | ||
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| 1981 - February 2, Nissan held groundbreaking ceremony for new plant | ||
| 1983 - June 16th, the first truck rolled off the Nissan assembly line | ||
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Nissan Construction |
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| 1983 - Post office moved to current location at 250 Mayfield drive | ||
| 1990 - Census figures show a population of 13,647 total | ||
| 2000 - Census figures show a population of 25,569 total | ||
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Click on the following topics for expanded information: |
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| Early History | ||
| Schools | ||
| Sewart Air Base | ||
| Home | Timeline | Educators | Links | ||
| ©2001 Albert Gore Research Center | ||
| For comment, suggestions, or questions email grcenter@mtsu.edu | ||
