Millington, Tennessee
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Millington is a city in
Shelby County, Tennessee Shelby County is the westernmost county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 929,744. It is the largest of the state's List of counties in Tennessee, 95 counties, both in terms of p ...
, United States, and is a part of the Memphis metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 10,176. Millington was granted the title "Flag City Tennessee" by the Tennessee State Legislature. The
Naval Support Activity Mid-South Naval Support Activity Mid-South (NSA Mid-South, NAVSUPPACT Mid-South, NSAMS), in Millington, Tennessee, is a base of the United States Navy. A part of the Navy Region Southeast and the Navy Installations Command, NSA Mid-South serves as the Navy ...
is located at the former Memphis Naval Air Station, whose function was changed in 1993 from a training base to an administrative one. There is also a general aviation airport that features the third longest runway in Tennessee.


Geography

Millington is at (35.336566, -89.902132). According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which , or 0.13%, is water. The city is located in the Memphis Metropolitan Area, about north of
Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...
. The metropolitan area of Memphis has a population of approximately 1.2 million people. Millington is close to the
Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park Meeman-Shelby Forest State Park is a state park in Shelby County, Tennessee near Memphis, located in the Southeastern United States. The park borders the Mississippi River and contains two lakes— Poplar Tree Lake and Lake Piersol. The Meem ...
,
Fort Pillow State Park Fort Pillow State Historic Park is a state park in western Tennessee that preserves the American Civil War site of the Battle of Fort Pillow. The 1,642 acre (6.6 km²) Fort Pillow, located in Lauderdale County on the Chickasaw Bluffs over ...
, and the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
.


History

The book ''Millington, the First Hundred Years'' by Faye Ellis Osteen (compiled of many stories that can not be proven fact or fictions, relies on individual witnesses and stories handed down by local families) and published by the Millington Centennial Committee outlines the history of Millington from its beginnings to the present. In 1878, Mr. and Mrs. George Millington donated a large area of land to a group of settlers for the purpose of starting a town.Mr. Millington requested that the new town be named in his honor. In 1888, the First Baptist Church was founded.It has over 5000 members. Its church is one of the largest buildings in Millington. In 1890, the first industry came to town. Since that time, job growth has been sporadic and unfocused. Millington was officially chartered by the State of
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
in 1903. In 1917 the US military began its initial presence in Millington. Park Field was established as a pilot training facility. With the conclusion of World War I in 1918, military pilot training ceased. It was not until 1942, with the outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
that the military would renew its interest in Millington. In 1928 Millington Telephone was established.This business brought modern communications to Millington and the surrounding region. At the outset of World War II the
US Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...
established the current airport as a training facility for Navy pilots. Consistently for many decades over 15,000 military personnel were assigned to Millington. The Navy brought prosperity to the community on an ongoing basis. In the 1980s the Base Realignment and Closure Commission began the process of downsizing the Millington Navy facility. Flight training was moved out of Millington. However, all US Navy personnel functions were relocated to the community. At present the military and associated private contracting creates a $335 million annual economic benefit to the region. In 1986 USA Stadium was developed by Mr. W. S. "Babe" Howard. This sporting facility brought recognition to Millington. International baseball was played here. The Stadium continues to be an economic asset for the community. In 1993 the
Millington Regional Jetport The Millington-Memphis Airport (formerly known as Millington Municipal Airport or Millington Regional Jetport) is a public airport in the city of Millington, Tennessee, in Shelby County, United States. The airport is located north of Memphis. ...
was opened as a general aviation airport. It currently is the backup airport for Federal Express(
FedEx FedEx Corporation, formerly Federal Express Corporation and later FDX Corporation, is an American multinational conglomerate holding company focused on transportation, e-commerce and business services based in Memphis, Tennessee. The name "Fe ...
).


Demographics


2020 census

As of the
2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 10,582 people, 4,136 households, and 2,716 families residing in the city.


2010 census

As of the
census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 10,176 people, 3,814 households, and 2,699 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,408 housing units at an average housing density of 258.2 per square mile (99.7/2). The racial makeup of the city was 65.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 25.6%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.6% Native American, 2.4%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.2%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...
, and 2.35% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 5.9% of the population. The average household size is 2.5 persons. Age breakdowns are as follows: 6.8% under the age of 5, 24.2% under the age of 18 and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. There was 51.9% of the population that was female. The median income for a household in the city was $43,779. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the city was $22,696. About 13% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
.


Naval Support Activity Mid-South

Millington is home to the
Naval Support Activity Mid-South Naval Support Activity Mid-South (NSA Mid-South, NAVSUPPACT Mid-South, NSAMS), in Millington, Tennessee, is a base of the United States Navy. A part of the Navy Region Southeast and the Navy Installations Command, NSA Mid-South serves as the Navy ...
(NAVSUPPACT) naval station, one of the largest single employers in the state of
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
, with more than 7,500 military, civilian, and contractor employees on . The naval base hosts many tenant organizations, notably the
Bureau of Naval Personnel The Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS) in the United States Department of the Navy is similar to the human resources department of a corporation. The bureau provides administrative leadership and policy planning for the Office of the Chief of Nava ...
(BUPERS). Formerly known as the Naval Air Station (NAS)
Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...
, a major technical training center for the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and Marine Corps comprising over , the 1993
Base Realignment and Closure Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) is a process by a United States federal government commission to increase United States Department of Defense efficiency by coordinating the realignment and closure of military installations following the end o ...
Commission report resulted in significant changes to the base's mission and its re-designation in 1995 as the Naval Support Activity Memphis. The airfield, which is now the
Millington Regional Jetport The Millington-Memphis Airport (formerly known as Millington Municipal Airport or Millington Regional Jetport) is a public airport in the city of Millington, Tennessee, in Shelby County, United States. The airport is located north of Memphis. ...
, was turned over to the city of Millington. In 1998, the name of the naval station was changed to Naval Support Activity Mid-South to better reflect its current mission and the Navy's approach to regionalization. Many military retirees, who live in and around Millington in order to have access to base facilities, contribute to the local economy. This site was originally established in November 1917 as Park Field, an Army Signal Corps Aviation School used to train pilots for service with the Allied Forces during
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. By February 1918, flight operations were in full swing, but only until November of that year when the
Armistice An armistice is a formal agreement of warring parties to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, as it may constitute only a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace. It is derived from the La ...
was signed. Two days after the signing, training operations were ceased. At that time the airfield began pioneering
airmail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be the ...
routes throughout Tennessee and the surrounding states. In March 1920, the government officially purchased Park Field. However, the airfield continued to decline until it was little more than a storage area for aircraft and parts. Ironically, the
Stock Market Crash of 1929 The Wall Street Crash of 1929, also known as the Great Crash, was a major American stock market crash that occurred in the autumn of 1929. It started in September and ended late in October, when share prices on the New York Stock Exchange colla ...
breathed new life into Park Field. During the 1930s the field served as a transient camp for unemployed workers. In 1937 the
Resettlement Administration The Resettlement Administration (RA) was a New Deal U.S. federal agency created May 1, 1935. It relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities planned by the federal government. On September 1, 1937, it was succeeded by the Farm Se ...
took over the land and developed model farms used to demonstrate what could be achieved with correctly managed land. Park Field remained under this agency's jurisdiction until the outbreak of
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. Just as the onset of World War I had given Park Field its birth in 1917, the declaration of war on December 8, 1941, had similar results, heralding the arrival of naval aviation to the Memphis area. In February 1942, the Navy Shore Station Development Board recommended approval of a reserve aviation base on the former site of Park Field. The Naval Training Station was commissioned along with the Naval Reserve Aviation Base in 1942. On January 1, 1943 the name was changed from Naval Reserve Aviation Base to Naval Air Station Memphis. The main role of Naval Air Station Memphis was to provide aviation maintenance and pilot training. During this period of time more than 20,000 students were trained annually. Pilot training for Student
Naval Aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-based a ...
s was discontinued after
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, but NAS Memphis continued to thrive as home of Naval Air Technical Training Center Memphis (NATTC Memphis), providing initial and advanced technical training to various aviation operations, aviation maintenance and aviation support specialities coded under Navy enlisted aviation ratings and Marine Corps enlisted aviation Military Occupational Specialities. Training activities by these "A" Schools and "C" Schools at NATTC Memphis continued until 1993 when BRAC (Base Realignment and Closure Commission) recommended that the training schools under NATTC transfer to
NAS Pensacola Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola (formerly NAS/KNAS until changed circa 1970 to allow Nassau International Airport, now Lynden Pindling International Airport, to have IATA code NAS), "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United State ...
, Florida and occupy spaces being vacated by the former Naval Aviation Depot Pensacola (NADEP Pensacola) that was also being closed by BRAC action. During the same time period BRAC also recommended that BUPERS (Bureau of Naval Personnel) move from
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
to Millington. ; Annual events * Flag City Freedom Celebration ** Draws more than 30,000 visitors to the city ** July 4 **
USA Stadium The USA Stadium is a baseball stadium in Millington, Tennessee, in the United States. It is located at 4351 Babe Howard Boulevard in Millington. Between 1986 and 1996, it was the training ground for the USA Olympic Baseball team and once hosted the ...
* Air show ** Sponsored by Mid-South Airshow Foundation ** 1999 to 2007 ** was held every two years ** US Blue Angels


Local government

Millington is chartered by the State of Tennessee under a City Manager form of government. This city has a mayor and seven aldermen, each of whom each serves a four-year term. The current mayor is Terry Jones, and the aldermen, are Bethany Huffman, Al Bell, Jon Crisp, Larry Dagen, Thomas McGhee, Don Lowry and Mike Carruthers. The current City manager is Ed Haley. The current Public Safety Director is Gary Graves.


Education

The city is served by Millington Municipal Schools and Shelby County Schools. Millington Primary School, Millington Intermediate School, and Millington Central Middle High School are in the Millington Municipal School District. Lucy Elementary, Woodstock Middle School, and E.E Jeter School operates in the Shelby County Schools. Prior to the establishment of the municipal school district, Millington was mostly apart of the Shelby County Board of Education.


Culture


Sports

USA Stadium The USA Stadium is a baseball stadium in Millington, Tennessee, in the United States. It is located at 4351 Babe Howard Boulevard in Millington. Between 1986 and 1996, it was the training ground for the USA Olympic Baseball team and once hosted the ...
was the home for USA Baseball from 1986 to 1996. Since then it has hosted numerous other events at the stadium like 171 International Games, 18 Service Academy Spring Classics, 8 Gulf South Conference Baseball Championships, 17 USA Classic National High School Tournaments, 16 NJCAA Division I World Series, 11 USA Teams, 4 TSSAA High School State Championships, and 18 foreign countries: Argentina, Aruba, Canada, China, Cuba, Italy, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Mongolia, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Peru, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, USSR (Russia), and Venezuela.


Recreation

The Millington Family YMCA is notable for its 25-yard, 8-lane indoor pool and outdoor water park. The Baker Community Center is located at 7942 Church Street. It was built in 1960, and contains a curtained stage, large auditorium, five meeting rooms, and a fully equipped kitchen. Millington golf courses include Glen Eagle Golf Course, Edmund Orgill Park Golf Course, and the Mirimichi Golf Course, the last of which was owned by
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
. Oak Park, Miles Park, Lions Park, and Aycock Park are all parks found in Millington. Oak Park is located at 7930 Church Street and sits on . Miles Park is located at 4724 Biloxi Street and sits on . Lions Park is located at Hickory Meadow Road and sits on . Aycock Park is located at 7330 Renda Street and sits on .


Local festivals

Goat Days is an annual Millington event. This September event takes place at the USA Stadium grounds. It includes many local home town events such as tractor pulls, an ice cream making, and a
goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...
chariot race. Goat Days does not have a specific date of origin recorded, but the event was founded by William S. "Babe" Howard, the first president of the Millington Chamber of Commerce. The event is community supported and is administered by many volunteers.


Media

The ''Millington Star'' is the local community newspaper. Founded in 1951, it is published once a week, and currently has a circulation of about 20,000. The paper's office is located on Easley Street. It is owned by West 10 Media, LLC.


Transportation

The completion of Veterans Parkway has resulted in a major multi lane roadway linking US Highway 51 to
Interstate 269 Interstate 269 (I-269) is a beltway around the city of Memphis, Tennessee, and its adjacent suburban areas in southwestern Tennessee and northern Mississippi, completed in October 2018. I-269 was planned and built to serve as an outer bypas ...
, formerly part of Tennessee Highway 385. The Canadian National Railroad serves many industrial properties. The city is served by
Millington Regional Jetport The Millington-Memphis Airport (formerly known as Millington Municipal Airport or Millington Regional Jetport) is a public airport in the city of Millington, Tennessee, in Shelby County, United States. The airport is located north of Memphis. ...
, which has the third largest runway in the State of Tennessee. The airport has a full-time fire and rescue facility on its grounds, an instrument landing system, full-time control tower, and Automated Weather Observation System.


Disasters

On December 25, 1987, Millington experienced a flood of a 4.1 magnitude. The flood did not recede until December 29. It killed three people and displaced over 6,000 residents resulting in the construction of the current levee system. On May 1 and May 2, 2010, a similar flood ensued, causing a massive displacement to residents in the Shady Oaks Mobile Home Community and other parts of Millington. Throughout the city, an estimated 1,500 people were evacuated from their homes when a nearby levee broke, causing a record-setting flood. One hundred forty six of those people were residents of the Millington Navy Base. Shelters for displaced residents were set up at the Baker Community Center and the United Methodist church. No injuries or fatalities were reported. The National Weather Service in Memphis estimated of rain over the two-day period for Millington.


Notable people

* Nick Chastain, actor *
Tony Dumas Tony Dumas (born August 25, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. College career Born in Chicago, Illinois, Dumas played collegiately at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), whose athletic program is now known as t ...
, basketball player *
Roger Fanning Roger Fanning (born 1962 in Millington, Tennessee) is an American poet. Life He teaches in the low-residency Warren Wilson MFA program out of Goddard College. He lives in Seattle with his wife and son. His work is noted for its ironic sincerit ...
, poet *
Sylvester Gray Sylvester Gray (born July 8, 1967) is an American former professional basketball player. He was selected by the Miami Heat in the second round (35th overall) of the 1988 NBA draft. A 6'6" small forward from Memphis State University, Gray played i ...
, basketball player *
Beverly Oden Beverly ("Bev") Oden (born March 19, 1971 in Millington, Tennessee) is a volleyball player from the United States. She played middle blocker for the U.S women's volleyball team in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Oden played volleybal ...
, volleyball player * Phyllis Tickle, author *
Justin Timberlake Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
, actor, musician *
David Wilkerson David Ray Wilkerson (May 19, 1931 – April 27, 2011) was an American Christian evangelist, best known for his book ''The Cross and the Switchblade''. He was the founder of the addiction recovery program Teen Challenge, and founding pastor of th ...
, evangelist * George Odum, football player with San Francisco 49ers


References


External links


City of Millington official website

Millington Public Library
{{authority control Cities in Shelby County, Tennessee Millington Memphis metropolitan area