Founded in 1823, Dyer County Tennessee is the place we call home. As of 2021, Dyer County, Tennessee had 36,615 community members. Dyersburg is a booming town with tons of small businesses, shops, restaurants, and anything else you may need. This town is constantly growing! With the constant growth, it makes me wonder… what was Dyer County like when it was founded?

Before the Private Act of Tennessee that was passed on October 16, 1823, this territory was legally recognized as the Chickasaw Native American’s land. Not to be confused with the Choctaw Native Americans. At one point, the two tribes were one but split off and were led by two brothers: Chiksa’ and Chahta. The split took place in 1856 in order to regain direct authority over their own government affairs.

Dyer County was named after Robert Henry Dyer, an army officer who served in the Creek War and the War of 1812. He was also a cavalry colonel in the First Seminole War of 1818. He later became a state senator and also contributed to the creation of Madison County.

After learning about the creation of Dyer County, I couldn’t help but wonder about what interesting things took place.

• Around 1823 Louis Phillippe I stopped at the mouth of the Obion River to kill a bald eagle. Today, that would’ve earned him a $100,000 fine and/or jail time for at least a year.
• In Mark Twain’s Life on the Mississippi, he reported seeing a boat wearing his name for the first time. This steamboat was located on the Obion River.
• On July 13, 1916, Julius Morgan was the first person to ever be sentenced to death by an electric chair in the state of Tennessee.
• On April 2, 2006, a severe weather outbreak conjured a tornado that would take 16 lives in Dyer County and 24 in Tennessee. The cross, located in Bogota, Tennessee, is a memorial for those lives lost.
• In 1942, the Dyersburg Army Airbase was established to facilitate, train, and support military bombers. At the end of World War II, the base was decommissioned.

Everything we do, no matter how unimportant it seems, unfolds our future. From 1823 to 2023, every little thing that everyone who has contributed to the county has done led us to this point. Who knows, maybe you’ll change the history of Dyer County next!