Tennessee Colony, Texas
| Tennessee Colony | |
|---|---|
| Unincorporated community | |
 Tennessee Colony
Tennessee Colony
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| Coordinates: 31°50′8″N 95°50′20″W / 31.83556°N 95.83889°WCoordinates: 31°50′8″N 95°50′20″W / 31.83556°N 95.83889°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Anderson |
| Elevation | 364 ft (111 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 150 |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP codes | 75861, 75880, 75884, and 75886 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1348366 |
Tennessee Colony is an unincorporated community in western Anderson County, Texas, United States. It lies just off U.S. Highway 287 northwest of the city of Palestine, the county seat of Anderson County. Its elevation is 364 feet (111 m).
Tennessee Colony was established in 1847 by settlers from Tennessee and Alabama, who named their settlement for one of their home states. Cotton plantations were established, including the Jackson Plantation, which was at one time among the largest plantations in East Texas.
As of 1884 Tennessee Colony boasted a population of 200 and three churches, a school, a steam-powered gristmill, and a cotton gin. Population declined to just 100 people by 1914, rose again to 300 in 1927, but again declined during the 1930s. In 1941 there were 150 people in Tennessee Colony. Beginning in 1965 when the Coffield Unit was started, the construction and operation of state prisons have increased the local population, which was 300 in 2000.
On November 15, 2015, a deadly mass shooting took place at a campsite in Tennessee Colony, where six people were shot and killed. The shooter has been apprehended and charged.
Three major Texas Department of Criminal Justice correctional facilities, the George Beto Unit, the Coffield Unit, and the Mark W. Michael Unit, are located near Tennessee Colony and use the community's name in their mailing addresses. They are all co-located with the Louis C. Powledge Unit and the Gurney Unit, which use Palestine, Texas mailing addresses.
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