Milan, Tennessee | |
|---|---|
 Looking southeast along Main Street, May 2013 | |
 Location of Milan in Gibson County, Tennessee. | |
| Coordinates:35°54′57″N88°45′29″W / 35.91583°N 88.75806°W /35.91583; -88.75806 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Gibson |
| Founded | 1858[1] |
| Incorporated | 1866[2] |
| Named after | Milan, Italy[3] |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Billy Warren Beasley |
| • Vice Mayor | James Fountain |
| Area | |
• Total | 8.93 sq mi (23.14 km2) |
| • Land | 8.93 sq mi (23.13 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 424 ft (129 m) |
| Population | |
• Total | 8,171 |
| • Density | 915.01/sq mi (353.28/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 38358 |
| Area code | 731 |
| FIPS code | 47-48660[6] |
| GNIS feature ID | 1326833[7] |
| Website | http://www.cityofmilantn.com/ |
Milan (/ˈmaɪlɪn/MY-lin)[8] is the largest city inGibson County, Tennessee. It is home to theMilan Army Ammunition Plant, the West Tennessee Agricultural Museum and several historical sites listed on theNational Register of Historic Places (NRHP).[9] The city was the first in Tennessee to beginno-till farming and tofluoridate its drinking water.[10][11] The Milan Endowment for Growth in Academics (MEGA) was the first private communityfinancial endowment for public schools in Tennessee.[12]
Pronounced like "My-lunn", the local story is that the source for the name comes from an event in the 1850s. ALouisville & Nashville railroad surveyor asked Beverly A. Williamson: "Who owned the land?" and Williamson replied, "It's my land."[13]
Residents of Milan are usually referred to as Milanites.[citation needed]
Milan is approximately 100 miles (160 km) Northeast ofMemphis and 140 miles (230 km) West ofNashville, at an elevation of 424 feet (129 m) above sea level.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 8.9 square miles (23 km2), all land.
According to theKöppen climate classification, Milan has ahumid subtropical climate, abbreviated as "Cfa". This is characterized by precipitation that is evenly distributed throughout the year and temperatures that are relatively high.[14]
| Climate data for Milan, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1883–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) | 81 (27) | 90 (32) | 98 (37) | 98 (37) | 105 (41) | 108 (42) | 110 (43) | 109 (43) | 96 (36) | 87 (31) | 78 (26) | 110 (43) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 69.6 (20.9) | 73.1 (22.8) | 80.6 (27.0) | 86.2 (30.1) | 90.3 (32.4) | 95.3 (35.2) | 97.3 (36.3) | 97.8 (36.6) | 94.2 (34.6) | 87.7 (30.9) | 79.0 (26.1) | 71.1 (21.7) | 99.0 (37.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 48.1 (8.9) | 52.6 (11.4) | 61.8 (16.6) | 72.1 (22.3) | 80.1 (26.7) | 87.4 (30.8) | 90.2 (32.3) | 90.0 (32.2) | 84.2 (29.0) | 73.7 (23.2) | 61.1 (16.2) | 51.2 (10.7) | 71.0 (21.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 37.9 (3.3) | 41.8 (5.4) | 50.2 (10.1) | 59.8 (15.4) | 68.9 (20.5) | 76.7 (24.8) | 79.9 (26.6) | 78.4 (25.8) | 71.7 (22.1) | 60.4 (15.8) | 49.1 (9.5) | 41.1 (5.1) | 59.7 (15.4) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 27.7 (−2.4) | 31.1 (−0.5) | 38.7 (3.7) | 47.4 (8.6) | 57.8 (14.3) | 66.0 (18.9) | 69.6 (20.9) | 66.9 (19.4) | 59.3 (15.2) | 47.2 (8.4) | 37.0 (2.8) | 30.9 (−0.6) | 48.3 (9.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 9.1 (−12.7) | 12.9 (−10.6) | 19.6 (−6.9) | 29.8 (−1.2) | 40.9 (4.9) | 52.4 (11.3) | 57.8 (14.3) | 55.1 (12.8) | 42.6 (5.9) | 29.3 (−1.5) | 19.7 (−6.8) | 13.6 (−10.2) | 6.0 (−14.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −20 (−29) | −23 (−31) | 2 (−17) | 19 (−7) | 32 (0) | 40 (4) | 47 (8) | 43 (6) | 31 (−1) | 18 (−8) | 1 (−17) | −14 (−26) | −23 (−31) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.16 (106) | 4.70 (119) | 5.32 (135) | 5.27 (134) | 6.24 (158) | 4.39 (112) | 4.30 (109) | 3.70 (94) | 4.20 (107) | 3.68 (93) | 4.79 (122) | 5.43 (138) | 56.18 (1,427) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 1.5 (3.8) | 0.9 (2.3) | 0.3 (0.76) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.1 (0.25) | 0.2 (0.51) | 3.0 (7.6) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 11.0 | 10.5 | 11.9 | 11.1 | 11.7 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 7.9 | 6.8 | 8.1 | 10.2 | 11.6 | 120.0 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 1.1 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 2.7 |
| Source:NOAA[15][16] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 1,600 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,546 | −3.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,682 | 8.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,605 | −4.6% | |
| 1920 | 2,057 | 28.2% | |
| 1930 | 3,156 | 53.4% | |
| 1940 | 3,035 | −3.8% | |
| 1950 | 4,938 | 62.7% | |
| 1960 | 5,208 | 5.5% | |
| 1970 | 7,313 | 40.4% | |
| 1980 | 8,083 | 10.5% | |
| 1990 | 7,512 | −7.1% | |
| 2000 | 7,664 | 2.0% | |
| 2010 | 7,851 | 2.4% | |
| 2020 | 8,171 | 4.1% | |
| Sources:[17][18][19][5] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,578 | 68.27% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,968 | 24.09% |
| Native American | 19 | 0.23% |
| Asian | 37 | 0.45% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 320 | 3.92% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 247 | 3.02% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 8,171 people, 3,031 households, and 1,955 families residing in the city.
As of the2010 United States Census[update], there were 7,851 people, 3,183 households and 2,057 families residing in the city. Thepopulation density was 881.7 per square mile. There were 3,581 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 73.50%White, 22.80%African American, 0.30%Native American, 0.40%Asian, 1.00% fromother races, and 2.00% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino of any race were 2.50% of the population.[6]
There were 3,183 households, of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% weremarried couples living together, 18.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.4% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.00.[6]
Age distribution was 26.5% under the age of 18, 55.7% from 18 to 64, and 17.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38.9 years. 45.6% of the population was male, while 54.4% was female.[6]
Milan is at the junction ofU.S. Routes 45E and79 (also known asU.S. Route 70A).State Route 104 also runs through the city. Unlike many cities in West Tennessee, there are no highway bypasses around the city.
Milan is connected to four Class I rail lines and is served by West Tennessee Railroad (formerlyIllinois Central, thenNorfolk Southern).[21] Milan's elevation of 424 feet (129 m) is the highest point between theGreat Lakes and theGulf of Mexico on the former Illinois Central Railroad.[13]
In 1858, the city of Milan was established on the lands of B. A. Williamson and John Sanford; a small house was erected and a grocery opened by John G. Shepherd. The following year, the U.S. Post Office in Shady Grove was transferred to Milan. The first physicians, W. R. Rooks and J. B. Hinson, arrived in 1860.[1]
In 1866, Milan was incorporated by an act of the Tennessee Legislature; John G. Shepherd was the first mayor. TheMilan Times, Milan's first newspaper, was established in 1869; it was only continued for a few months.[1][2]
In 1873, the completion of the Illinois Central Railroad brought importance to the town as a commercial point. The following year, W. A. Wade established theMilan Exchange newspaper. The Grand Pacific Hotel was erected at the railway junction in 1878.[1]
In 1941, Clemmer Clinic became the city's first acute care facility. In the same year, construction began on the Wolf Creek Ordinance Plant and the Milan Ordinance Depot; these facilities merged in 1945 to become the Milan Arsenal.[22][23] In 1949, Milan organized the firstlittle league team in themid-south.[24]
In 1950, the Milan National Guard became one of the first two in the nation to be federalized into active duty.[24] In 1951, led by Dr. Robert P. Denney, Milan became the first city in Tennessee, second in the Southeast, to fluoridate its drinking water.[11]
In 1965, theMilan Mirror newspaper was founded. The paper merged with theMilan Exchange in 1977 to become theMilan Mirror-Exchange.[25]
In 1981, the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experimentation Station in Milan became the birthplace of no-till farming in Tennessee.[10]
The City of Milan is home to several historical sites listed on the NRHP.[9]
Milan has amayor-board ofaldermen form of government. The mayor serves a four-year term. There are four wards, each of which elects two aldermen. The city's monthly meeting of mayor and board of aldermen is open to the public and held every second Tuesday in Milan's city hall, located downtown.
Water, sewer, and electricity are provided by the city through Milan Public Utilities. Drinking water is extracted from a well field. Electricity is obtained from theTennessee Valley Authority. Natural gas is provided by the Gibson County Utility District.
Milan provides its own Fire Department, Police Department, and Municipal Court.
Milan has a large, modern city park located on State Route 104. The park has a 10 station fitness course, several sports fields & courts, playgrounds, reservablepavilions and swimming pool, and a saddle club arena. The park is home to the Bobby RossAmphitheater.[26]
The Mildred G. Fields Library contains 35,000 volumes and is housed in a building on Van Hook Street.[27]
The city cemetery, Oakwood Cemetery, is located on South First Street near Highland Avenue and Ellington Drive.
The U.S. Post Office building is located on Main Street near city hall.
The city is served by Milan General Hospital, a 70-bed acute care facility located on Highland Avenue. Milan General Hospital became a wholly owned affiliate of West Tennessee Healthcare in 1998.[22]
Milan has a weekly newspaper, theMilan Mirror-Exchange.[25]
The B.D. Bryant Memorial Library, located on First Street, houses a collection of over 2000 historical religious books. This privately owned library is open to the public.[28]
Tworadio stations are licensed in Milan.WHHG (92.3 FM) is aclassic rock station. W256AD (99.1 FM) is anAmerican Family Radio station.[29]
AYMCA is located adjacent to the city park.[30]
The Milan Golf and Country Club, a private club, has an 18-hole course.[31]
Milan has no television station, but is within the reach of Jackson and Memphis stations. A cable television service is provided byCharter Communications.
Public education in Milan is provided by theMilan Special School District,[32] which was formed in the 1980s and includes territory immediately adjacent to the Milancity limits.[33] The district is the successor to the Milan City Schools, formed in the 1960s when the Milan schools left the Gibson County Board of Education and became independent. The system is accredited by theSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools. Presently, the position of Director of Schools is held by Mr. Jonathan Criswell.[34]
There are three schools: Milan High School (which contains the Milan Vo-Tech center) serving grades 9–12, Milan Middle, serving grades 5–8, and Milan Elementary, serving grades K-4. Historically, there were four schools - K.D. McKellar, grades 1–8, Park Avenue, also grades 1–8, Milan High School, 9–12, and Polk-Clark, which served black students in all twelve grades. The McKellar and Park Avenue buildings were demolished;[citation needed] Polk-Clark is now a community center.
Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) is one of the active CTE student organizations which is composed of students in Family and Consumer Science courses. There have been 4 state officers from Milan High and many state and national competitive event winners.[citation needed]
The Milan High School Alumni Association (MHSAA) holds Alumni Day on the third Saturday in June each year.[35] In 2012 the MHSAA presented 19scholarships totalling over $18,000, and hosted 14 scholarships totalling over $16,500 to graduating seniors that were the natural, adopted, or stepchildren of alumni.[36]
Established in 1989, the Milan Endowment for Growth in Academics (MEGA), is Tennessee's first private community financial endowment for public education. Proceeds provide public school students with opportunities not covered by the school budget. Only the income of the fund is spent. The principal is kept intact to yield proceeds for future years. During the period of 1990–2012, MEGA has disbursed 663 grants totalling $455,439. In 2012, the total amount of the endowment reached $580,000.[12]
Milan is the site of the West Tennessee Agricultural Museum which is a part of the University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station located in Milan. The museum contains more than 2,600 artifacts and farm tools from the local agrarian culture.[37]
The University of Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station conducts crop research, crop management and erosion control experiments.[38] The no-till method of farming in Tennessee originated at the Milan facility.[10]
The station is host of the Milan No Till-Field Day, an agricultural demonstration event held on the fourth Thursday of July in even-numbered years. This event draws visitors from around the world.[10]
The Buford Ellington4-H Club Training Center was located at the station until the center was closed in 2009.[39]
In 1945, the Wolf Creek Ordinance Plant and the Milan Ordance Depot combined to become the Milan Arsenal, renamed the Milan Army Ammunition Plant in the 1960s. The combined facility included 88 miles of railroad track and 231 miles of roadway across a 36 square miles (93 km2) tract of land.[23]
In 2008, American Ordnance, the private contractor operating the plant, began the process of moving operations toIowa and commercializing the Milan Army Ammunition Plant. By March 2013, employment had fallen to 110.[40]
The Milan Army Ammunition Plant is nicknamed "Bullet Town" by locals.[41]
The Milan Army Ammunition Plant employed over 10,000 duringWorld War II, dropping to 1,500 in 1947. Employment rose again to over 8,000 during theKorean War before falling to less than 500 in 1959. By 1968, employment had risen again to 7,000. During the period 1940–1971 the population of Milan had increased from 3,000 to 7,000. The growth was largely attributed to the Milan Army Ammunition Plant.[23]
In a 1944 article, theSaturday Evening Post, in discussing the boom created by the Milan Arsenal during World War II, predicted Milan would become a "ghost town" when the war was over.[citation needed]
In 1987, theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA) placed the Milan Army Ammunition Plant on theNational Priorities List.Contamination of the city'sgroundwater in the Memphis Sand Aquifer of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) andRDX was of particular concern.[42]
In 1989, the EPA, United States Army andTennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) signed a Federal Facilities Agreement (FFA) for the site. The FFA ensures that the parties would fully investigateenvironmental impacts associated with past and present activities at the installation and complete appropriate cleanup actions through established schedules and enforceable milestones.[42]
In the early 1990s, the United States Army financed the relocation of the city's drinking water well field. The United States Army implemented institutional controls to prohibit groundwater use in contaminated areas.[42][43]
In 2010, the third Five-Year Review found that the cleanup activities were protecting people and the environment.[42]
In 2013, the United States Army submitted its Site-wide Feasibility Study to the EPA for approval.[44] The cleanup of affected soil was completed leaving the cleanup and long-term care of the groundwater contaminationplume. Thevelocities of the plume vary, but the direction is primarily North towards the Rutherford Fork of theObion River and from the Northwest boundary towards the city.[42][43][44]
The long-term care of the groundwater contamination plume is expected to last through 2075 when contamination is expected to be below the EPA required twoparts per billion.[44]
In 1923, Milan shared theMilan-Trenton Twins, aMinor League Baseball team of theKentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League, with nearbyTrenton.[45]
Municipalities and communities ofGibson County, Tennessee,United States | ||
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| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Geographic | |
