Iron City is a census-designated place and former city in Lawrence County, Tennessee.
Iron City was incorporated as a city from 1887 to 1901, and again from 1962 until 2010, when its residents voted to disincorporate.
The United States Census treated Iron City as a census-designated place for both the 2010 and 2020 censuses. The population was 328 in 2010 and 274 in 2020.
History
Iron City gets its name from an iron foundry that operated in its vicinity in the late 19th century. While iron ore was mined in southwestern Lawrence County as early as the 1830s, the industry really began to thrive in 1886, when a branch railroad line to the area was completed. Iron City incorporated the following year.
At its founding, the community of Iron City developed on the boundary between Lawrence and Wayne Counties, with portions historically extending into both. However, the Tennessee General Assembly passed Acts of 1877, Chapter 157, which moved the county line to follow the Lawrenceburg, Wayland Springs, and Florence road. This legislative change moved all territory south and east of that road into Lawrence County, effectively placing the entirety of Iron City within Lawrence County before its official incorporation. The community has since remained in Lawrence County.
At its height, Iron City supported a population of about 1,000 and included two hotels and two banks.
Government
As of August 1, 1987, the town no longer had police officers of its own; law enforcement services defaulted to the county sheriff.
Notable people
Iron City is the hometown of 1960s country music star Melba Montgomery.
In popular culture
In 2008, the film, Iron City Blues was released. The film is about a biker/bluesman who travels to Iron City to write a song about the town's history.