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Samburg-Lakeview-tnPhoto: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
–Not graded
History · Samburg

Samburg’s post office opened in 1890

Most of Samburg was built recently: 3% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1985. Below: maps from 1925 on and the census since 1910.

1890first post office
0on the National Register
3%homes built before 1940
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Photo: Brian Stansberry · CC BY 4.0
Quick answers

How Samburg began

When was Samburg founded?

1890

The Samburg post office opened in 1890, the earliest record of the town by name.

First census: 111 in 19102020 census: 210136 years
Founding year: the first Samburg post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0).The full story ↓

What stands out about Samburg’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 Samburg are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Boom and bustPeaked at 465 in 1980; 210 people lived here in 2020.On the map since 19255 editions of the USGS map, 1925 to 1981. Watch Samburg change.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Samburg’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Samburg’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

Samburg, census by census

0100200300400500192019401960198020002020Peak: 465

Peaked at 465 in 1980; 210 people lived here in 2020.

9 censuses, 1910–2020.

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

On the map

Samburg on the map, 1925 to 1981

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

Samburg on the 1925 USGS mapSamburg on the 1939 USGS mapSamburg on the 1956 USGS mapSamburg on the 1964 USGS mapSamburg on the 1981 USGS map1925Reelfoot Lake sheet · 1:62,500

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

The story

How Samburg came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Samburg.

Read it all →

The town was initially known as "Wheeling" before changing its name to "Samburg" in honour of a local merchant.

On the night of December 10 and morning of December 11, 2021, a devastating EF4 tornado destroyed much of the town.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Samburg, 1890 to 1980

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

  1. 19th century
  2. 1890Post officeThe Samburg post office opens
  3. 20th century
  4. 1925On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  5. 1980CensusPopulation peaks at 465
By decade

Samburg, decade by decade

Today12 recent
Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0152013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 015Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0142013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 014Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0132013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0122013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 012Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0112013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 011Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0102013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 010Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0062013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 006Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0052013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 005Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0042013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 004Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0032013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 003Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0022013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 002Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 0012013Samburg Obion County TN 2013-04-06 001
Famous people

Famous people close to Samburg

Nobody well known was born in Samburg itself, so here are the best known from just nearby.

See all →
Carl PerkinsAmerican guitarist · b. 1932
George WoodsAmerican shot putter · b. 1943
Donna HightowerAmerican soul singer · b. 1926
Eddie AcuffAmerican actor · b. 1903
Koko B. WareAmerican professional wrestler · b. 1957
Clifton Bledsoe CatesUnited States Marine Corps · b. 1893

Questions about Samburg’s history

What year was Samburg founded?

The Samburg post office opened in 1890, 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 (12), Wikipedia, 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.