Case Notes

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Town file

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee

Lawrenceburg, Tennessee (Lawrence County, Tennessee) is the town in one episode of Small Town Murder, the comedy true-crime podcast: episode 427, "... & Crazy ..." (28 September 2023).

Town
Lawrenceburg
County
Lawrence County
State
Tennessee
Country
USA
Episodes
427
Approximate location
35.250, -87.333
N ↑Public placePublic placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Episode 427 / 28 September 2023 / 170 min / full

& Crazy

"Going on down to Tennessee this week... Lawrenceburg, Tennessee... in southwestern Tennessee... This is in Lawrence County, so Lawrenceburg of Lawrence County." about 0:05:03

The case: Kidnapping and murder of Monte Hudson (1982); Murder of Sam John '' Passarella (May 18, 2015). Read the case file.

The figures, as told in 2023

Population
11,460
Median household income
$33,463 a year
Median home value
$186,600
Two-bedroom rent
$780 a month
Cost of living
76
Religious
62.5%
Property crime
▲ more than double the national average
Violent crime
▲ almost double the national average

History, in brief

  • The area is said to be where Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto's expedition wintered in 1540 and 1541. about 0:06:50
  • The Chickasaw Nation sold the area to the US government in 1816. about 0:07:14
  • Davy Crockett moved here from East Tennessee around 1817 and served as Justice of the Peace, colonel of the militia and a state representative. about 0:07:20
  • Crockett established a powder mill on Shoal Creek, then called the Sicomo River; the site is now David Crockett State Park. about 0:07:32
  • After the Second World War the Murray Ohio Manufacturing Company, makers of bicycles and outdoor equipment, moved here and built a factory and assembly plant. about 0:08:19
  • The town calls itself the birthplace of southern gospel music. about 0:08:25
  • Downtown has a statue of Davy Crockett, a replica of Crockett's office, and one of only two Mexican-American War monuments in the United States. about 0:08:33

The reviews read out

5 stars

"A beautiful place to live and grow, and an amazing place to grow up as a child and go on to a good future in Tennessee."
about 0:09:23

3 stars

"Very encouraging schools and teachers, but the population has little to no education; the reviewer promises more training, education and entertainment, and more family-friendly activity."
about 0:09:40

3 stars

"An average town in Tennessee with a Walmart and a hospital."
about 0:10:22

"Lawrenceburg is the used car capital of the world."
about 0:10:34

1 star

"Hated growing up here; no opportunities, almost nothing to do, rampant bigotry and no intellectual or adventurous outlets; cannot get out fast enough."
about 0:10:46

Open the episode file

Nearest Small Town Murder towns

Everything here is as told in the episode, on the date it went out; figures and places may have changed since. Endings are covered: open an episode and use the spoiler switch to read them.