Benton, Tennessee

Benton, Tennessee
Town
Polk County Courthouse in Benton
Location of Benton, Tennessee
Coordinates: 35°10′23″N 84°39′0″W / 35.17306°N 84.65000°W / 35.17306; -84.65000
Country	United States
State	Tennessee
County	Polk
Founded	1840
Incorporated	1915
Named for	Thomas Hart Benton
Area
• Total	2.3 sq mi (5.9 km2)
• Land	2.3 sq mi (5.9 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	741 ft (226 m)
Population (2010)
• Total	1,385
• Density	502.1/sq mi (193.8/km2)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	37307
Area code(s)	423
FIPS code	47-05040
GNIS feature ID	1327567

Benton is a town in Polk County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,385 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Polk County.

Benton is included in the Cleveland Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Benton was founded in 1840 as a county seat for Polk County, which had been established the previous year. The town, originally a trading post known as McKamy's stock stand, was named in honor of Thomas Hart Benton.

The Benton fireworks disaster was an industrial disaster which occurred on May 27, 1983 on a farm southeast of Benton. An explosion at a secret illegal fireworks operation killed eleven, injured one, caused damage within a radius of several miles, and revealed the operation. The operation was by far the largest and most successful known illegal fireworks operation and the blast, having been heard over 20 miles away, was arguably the largest and most powerful explosion involving firework explosives.

Benton is located at 35°10′23″N 84°39′0″W / 35.17306°N 84.65000°W / 35.17306; -84.65000 (35.173185, -84.650000). The town is situated just southeast of the confluence of the Ocoee River and the Hiwassee River, roughly 34 miles (55 km) upstream from the latter's mouth along the Chickamauga Lake impoundment of the Tennessee River. The Unicoi Mountains rise prominently to the east of Benton.