Dickson was named for Congressman William Dickson, as was Dickson County.[6] The City started as a stop on the railroad line between Nashville and the Tennessee River. When Union Troops had finished the supply line during the Civil War, the area was known as Mile 42 post.[7]
It is disputed on what the community was known as prior to being named Dickson.[7] Dr. Robert Corlew's book A History of Dickson County makes the claim that the community was named Sneedsville in honor of a railroad engineer named Sneed who helped complete the tracks under the orders of Gen. Ulysses Grant.[8] Various other sources also state that the city was at one point named Sneedsville.[7][9][10] Other sources claim that the community was named Smeedsville rather than Sneedsville. One claim comes from a series of writings for the Dickson Free Press by former mayor Robert S. ClementFrom Mile Post 42… To City of Dickson 1980. In article 7 "Was it called Sneedsville or Smeedsville?" Clement writes about a 1867 Chancery Court decree that was brought to his attention by historian Henry Ragan that refers to the land as "Smeedsville, Dickson County, Tennessee.", and that Ragan interviewed various locals who remembered the town being named Smeedsville.[11][7] Corlew claimed that he had found Chancery Court documents from the same year that incorporated the area as Sneedsville or Smeedsville, and that it's hard to interpret it being an "n" or an "m" due to the handwriting.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Dickson has a total area of 20.0 square miles (51.9 km2), of which 20.0 square miles (51.7 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.41%, is water. The city center sits on the Tennessee Valley Divide, with the southwest side of the city draining via the East Piney River to the Piney River, then to the Duck River, and then to the Tennessee River, while the northeast side drains via Turnbull Creek or Jones Creek to the Harpeth River and thence to the Cumberland River.
Climate
Climate data for Dickson, Tennessee (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1900–present)
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,058 people, 5,842 households, and 3,690 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,244 people, 4,934 households, and 3,300 families residing in the city.[3] There were 24,325 people in the 37055 zip code. The population density was 743.4 inhabitants per square mile (287.0/km2). There were 5,280 housing units at an average density of 320.6 per square mile (123.8/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 87.86% White, 8.83% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.56% Asian, 0.77% from other races, and 1.54% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.94% of the population.
The 1922 Dickson County High School basketball team
There were 4,934 households, out of which 34.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.5% were married couples living together, 16.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.1% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out, with 27.2% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $34,549, and the median income for a family was $42,632. Males had a median income of $32,733 versus $23,138 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,654. About 12.6% of families and 15.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.3% of those under age 18 and 14.2% of those age 65 or over.
Government
Mayor
The City of Dickson is governed by a mayor and City Council. Mayor Don Weiss, Jr., has served in office since 1993, making him the longest-serving mayor of Dickson.[18]
City Council
The City of Dickson is divided into four wards, each of which elects two members to the City Council. Councillors are elected to staggered four-year terms, with one councillor from each ward being elected every two years.[19]
City Administrator
As the Mayor of Dickson is only a part-time job, a City Administrator is also appointed to oversee the day-to-day operations of the city government and its budget.[20]
Parks and Recreation
The City of Dickson Parks and Recreation Department maintains and operates various green spaces in Dickson, including sports areas, playgrounds, lake areas, and community centers.[21]
^"Station: Dickson, TN". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved October 2, 2021.
^Frizzell, Scott (Spring 2011). "Not Just a Matter of Black and White: The Nashville Riot of 1967". Tennessee Historical Quarterly. 70 (1): 26–51. JSTOR42628733. Perhaps, with great skill and deference, his students could reach the coveted middle-class status that he had attained, owning a ranch in nearby Dickson in addition to his president's residence on campus, provided by the university.
