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History · Gadsden

Gadsden’s post office opened in 1859

Most of Gadsden was built recently: 5% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1971. Below: maps from 1959 on and the census since 1880.

1859first post office
0on the National Register
5%homes built before 1940
2famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Quick answers

How Gadsden began, and where its name came from

When was Gadsden founded?

1859

The Gadsden post office opened in 1859, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 231 in 18802020 census: 469167 years

How did Gadsden get its name?

Gadsden was named for prominent U.S. diplomat James Gadsden (1788–1858), who was responsible for the Gadsden Purchase.

Founding year: the first Gadsden post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Name: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.The full story ↓

What stands out about Gadsden’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Gadsden are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 683 in 1980; 469 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Gadsden’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Gadsden’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
People over time

Gadsden, census by census

010020030040050060070018801900192019401960198020002020Peak: 683

Peaked at 683 in 1980; 469 people lived here in 2020.

11 censuses, 1880–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Gadsden’s Wikipedia page.

The story

How Gadsden came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Gadsden.

Read it all →

Gadsden was established in the mid-19th century as a stop along the Memphis, Clarksville and Louisville Railroad. It was named for prominent U.S. diplomat James Gadsden (1788–1858), who was responsible for the Gadsden Purchase.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Gadsden, 1859 to 1980

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1859Post officeThe Gadsden post office opens
  3. 1890Born hereClint Young is born here
  4. 20th century
  5. 1931Born hereScotty Moore is born here
  6. 1959On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 683
By decade

Gadsden, decade by decade

Today4 recent
Gadsden-sign-221-tn2018Gadsden-sign-221-tnGadsden-farm-field-tn2018Gadsden-farm-field-tnGadsden-Poplar-St-block-tn2018Gadsden-Poplar-St-block-tnGadsden-City-Hall-fd-tn2018Gadsden-City-Hall-fd-tn
On the map

Gadsden on the map, 1959 to 1981

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Gadsden. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Gadsden on the 1959 USGS mapGadsden on the 1981 USGS map1959Humboldt sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Gadsden.

Famous people

2 famous people were born in Gadsden

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Scotty MooreAmerican guitarist · b. 1931
C
Clint YoungAmerican football coach · b. 1890

Questions about Gadsden’s history

What year was Gadsden founded?

The Gadsden post office opened in 1859, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records).

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →

From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.