Union City, Tennessee

Union City, Tennessee
City
Obion County Courthouse, downtown
Nickname(s): UC
Location of Union City, Tennessee
Coordinates: 36°25′28″N 89°3′3″W / 36.42444°N 89.05083°W / 36.42444; -89.05083Coordinates: 36°25′28″N 89°3′3″W / 36.42444°N 89.05083°W / 36.42444; -89.05083
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	Obion
Established	1854[1]
Incorporated	1867[2]
Named for	Local railroad junction[1]
Area
• Total	10.7 sq mi (27.6 km2)
• Land	10.7 sq mi (27.6 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	335 ft (102 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	10,895
• Density	1,020.1/sq mi (393.9/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
• Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	38261 & 38281
Area code(s)	731
FIPS code	47-75940[3]
GNIS feature ID	1273213[4]
Website	www.unioncitytn.gov

Union City is a city in and the county seat of Obion County, Tennessee, United States.^[5] The population was 10,895 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from its location at the junction of two railroads, one running roughly east-west and the other roughly north-south. Union City is best known for two things: It was the site of a minor battle in the American Civil War in March 1864, and it formerly had a Goodyear Tire plant.

Union City is the principal city of the Union City Micropolitan Area, which includes Obion County and Fulton County, Kentucky.

Geography

Union City is located at 36°25′28″N 89°3′3″W / 36.42444°N 89.05083°W / 36.42444; -89.05083 (36.424395, −89.050850)^[6].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.7 square miles (28 km²), all of it land. The current mayor is Terry Hailey.

Demographics

As of the census^[3] of 2000, there were 10,876 people, 4,568 households, and 2,905 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,020.1 people per square mile (393.9/km²). There were 5,013 housing units at an average density of 470.2 per square mile (181.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 75.44% White, 21.29% African American, 0.22% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.13% Pacific Islander, 1.59% from other races, and 1.04% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.41% of the population.

There were 4,568 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4% were non-families. 32.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.6% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 26.8% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 17.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every hundred females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,399, and the median income for a family was $40,737. Males had a median income of $35,801 versus $19,694 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,787. About 12.5% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.4% of those under age 18 and 14.6% of those age 65 or over.

Media

Union City is served by the newspaper The Messenger (Union City Daily Messenger),^[9][10] by the TV station WOBT, and by the following radio stations:

• WENK-AM 1240 – "The Greatest Hits of All Time"
• WWKF-FM 99.3 – "Today's Best Music with Ace & TJ in the Morning"
• WCMT-AM 1410 "Your Best Friend"
• WCMT-FM 101.3 "The Best Mix"
• WCDZ-FM 95.1 "Good Times Great Oldies"
• WQAK-FM 105.7 "The New Quake"
• KYTN-FM 104.9 "Real Country Variety"
• WJLI "Jelli 98.3"

Economy

Over the years many companies have located manufacturing or processing plants there. Currently, the city has several vital companies that operate plants in Union City.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company operated a plant in the city from 1969 to 2011. This plant was considered the largest employer in Union City as well as in Obion County. In the plant, workers produced passenger car and light-truck tires. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber plant in Union City was the only plant licensed to produce tires for the Chevrolet Corvette.^{[citation needed]} While most North American Goodyear Plants had slowed production during the recent years due to outsourcing of U.S. jobs overseas,^{[citation needed]} production was steady at the Union City plant. On February 10, 2011, Goodyear announced that the Union City plant would shut down by the end of the year. On June 11, 2011, first shift workers were informed that production had ceased.^[11] This plant closing affects over 1800 workers and may have a devastating effect on the economy of Union City and surrounding areas.

Late in 2011, Titan Tire Corporation, a subsidiary of Titan International, Inc., purchased the former Goodyear plant and announced plans to use the facility as a warehouse for farm and off-road tires, with further uses to be determined. In February, 2012, Titan announced a multi-year supply contract with Caterpillar for tires.

After the departure of Goodyear, Tyson Foods is the largest industrial employer in Union City. Tyson Foods—Obion County Complex operates in multiple locations around Obion County. These facilities comprise the Union City Processing Plant, Hatchery, and Wastewater Plant. Tyson Foods also operates a rather large feedmill just inside the city limits of South Fulton, Tennessee.

The Kohler Company, best known for plumbing products, operates a plant in Union City's Industrial Park. It is now the second largest industry in the city. At the Union City plant, workers produce shower doors.

Just outside the city limits of Union City, Darling International operates a rendering plant that it acquired in the 2010 purchase of Griffin Industries, which in turn had acquired Duncan Tankage Corporation in 1988.^[12] The plant is now considered to be a state-of-the-art facility by many. However, the odors produced by the plant are repulsive to many nearby residents.^{[citation needed]}

Union City is also home to a fireplace production plant located on Reelfoot Avenue. The plant produces fireplaces and fireplace products. It has been sold a number of times and undergone multiple name changes. The current name is Lennox Hearth Products. The name prior was Superior Fireplace. It was recently announced that Lennox is planning to expand this plant. Union City Council members have approved an agreement which will help Lennox expand its facilities.

City manager Don Thornton informed the council that 6 acres (24,000 m²) behind Lennox and property for right-of-way from there to Highway 45 can be acquired from Pate Properties East if the city will expand Home and Nelson streets and provide water, sewer, curbs and gutters at the city’s expense. Thornton said the business expansion will bring 188 jobs over the next five years to Union City at an investment of $15 million to the community.^{[citation needed]}

Jiffy Steamer Company, LLC is the world's largest manufacturer of garment steamers^{[citation needed]} and is headquartered in Union City. Operating since 1940, Jiffy Steamer serves the commercial, residential and travel industries with its innovative steamers used to remove wrinkles from any type of fabric.

The Kirkland Foundation announced that it will bring the Discovery Park of America Union City.^[13] Its address is 830 North Everett Boulevard. There will be a world class museum, an aquarium, a convention center, and a green space, complete with walking trails and botanical gardens. Groundbreaking was July 2008, and is expected to be complete by the Spring of 2013.^[14]

Today, the town makes a great income from being one of the biggest speed traps in the United States, mailing out tens of thousands of automated speeding tickets to tourists and motorists in the town, where the speed limit dips to 50 mph from the neighboring 65 mph^[15]

Sports

Union City was the home of the Union City Greyhounds, a minor league baseball team in the collegiate woodbat KIT League, which has teams in Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, and Tennessee. The Greyhounds played a 50-game season in June and July of each year. Union City is also home to the Union City FC, a Mexican-oriented soccer team, which plays in Jackson, TN to represent the city of Union City.

Historic Landmarks

Union City is the home of the Masquerade Theatre, headquartered in the former Capital Theater on South First Street. It is known for producing theatrical productions for 16 years including musicals, comedies, dramas, children's plays, workshops, and concerts. Masquerade Theatre has already presented many successful and sold out productions including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and Annie (musical). This theatre is a historic landmark and has been standing since the early 1900s.

Union City is also the home of the first monument ever dedicated to an "Unknown Soldier" as well as the first monument to a Confederate soldier in the South. It was erected in 1869. Only two graves in the cemetery surrounding the monument are occupied by the remains of known persons. The rest of the graves are the remains of unknown soldiers gathered from around the county and reburied in the Confederate cemetery.

Notable people

• Bruce Fleisher – professional golfer
• John S. Tanner – U.S. Congressman, born in Halls, Tennessee, but grew up in Union City
• Koko B. Ware – Professional wrestler
• Derrick Turnbow – MLB pitcher
• Steve Finley - MLB/World Series Champion OF for Arizona Dimondbacks
• Jerry Gurien - Inventor of the stonewashed blue jean process

References

History of Obion County, assembled and edited by E.H. Marshall, 1941

v t e Municipalities and communities of Obion County, Tennessee, United States County seat: Union City Cities South Fulton Union City Woodland Mills Towns Hornbeak Kenton‡ Obion Rives Samburg Trimble‡ Troy Unincorporated communities Cunningham Midway Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties