Lebanon, Tennessee

Lebanon ( LEB-ən-ən) is a city in and the county seat of Wilson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 38,431 at the 2020 census and has an estimated population of 51,501 as of 2024. Lebanon is located in Middle Tennessee, approximately 25 miles (40 km) east of downtown Nashville. Lebanon is part of the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History of Lebanon

The city was incorporated in 1801, and was named after the biblical cedars of Lebanon (Cedrus libani). Local residents have called Lebanon "Cedar City", mostly a reference to the abundance of "cedar" (Juniperus virginiana) trees in the area. The city is home to Cumberland University, a small, private four-year liberal arts institution, and the Nashville Superspeedway, which hosts NASCAR and IndyCar races.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 38.63 square miles (100.1 km2), of which 38.5 square miles (100 km2) is land and 0.03% is water. Lebanon is located at Latitude: 36° 12' 17.40" N Longitude: −86° 19' 21.00" W

Lebanon has a humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa) climate with mild winters and hot summers. Under the Trewartha climate classification, it is a temperate oceanic (Do) climate due to only 7 months having a mean 50 °F (10 °C) or higher.

Arts & culture

Lebanon hosts the annual Tennessee State / Wilson County Fair.

Economy

Cracker Barrel was founded in Lebanon by Dan Evins in 1969 and has its corporate headquarters there.

Lochinvar Corporation, a water products manufacturer, is based in Lebanon.

The city threatened to sue Dell Inc. for eliminating 700 of the 1,000 jobs the company proffered as part of a tax deal on which the company later reneged.

In 2015, Chinese tile company Wonderful Group invested $150 million to build their company's first manufacturing location in North America.

The fraternity Sigma Pi was headquartered in Lebanon from 2013 until 2019, when it sold the historic Mitchell House to the city of Lebanon.

In 2022, Tritium DCFC Limited opened a EV fast charger manufacturing plant.

Education

The Lebanon Special School District, which includes most of Lebanon, encompasses four elementary schools and two middle schools. Wilson County Schools operates several additional primary and secondary schools in and around Lebanon, including Wilson Central High School and the newly reconstructed Lebanon High School. Small portions of Lebanon are in the Wilson County Schools for all years K–12. Schools serving those portions for K–8 include Carroll-Oakland School and Southside Elementary School. All of Lebanon is zoned to Wilson County Schools for grades 9–12.

Lebanon also has one private school, Friendship Christian School.

Lebanon is also home to Cumberland University, which was founded in 1842. The university has a rich heritage and has produced over eighty representatives and senators, such as Albert Gore Sr. and Thomas Gore. The institution has also produced a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Cordell Hull, who served as Secretary of State from March 1933 to November 1944.

Notable people

John Ray Clemmons (born 1977), member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, representing the 55th district, in West Nashville

Charlie Daniels (1936–2020), country music performer

Jimmy Duncan (born 1947), U.S. Representative from Tennessee

Finis Farr (1904–1982), writer and CIA agent

Ben Hayslip (born 1970), Grammy-nominated country music songwriter

Haystak (born 1973), rapper

George Huddleston (1869–1960), U.S. Representative from Alabama, 1915–1937

Albert Johnson (1930s–1984), first black mayor in New Mexico

Coco Jones (born 1998), actress

Thomas Kilby (1865–1943), 36th Governor of Alabama

Marcellus Neal (1868–1939), first African-American graduate of Indiana University, Bloomington

Morgan Price (born 2005), gymnast

Dawson Sutton (born 2006), racing driver

A C Wharton (born 1944), Mayor of Memphis, 2009–2015

Kenny Winfree (born 1954), folk music singer-songwriter

Hunter Wright (born 2001), racing driver