thumb|Mount Pleasant Grille & Phosphate Museum February 2022

thumb|The First Presbyterian Church in Mount Pleasant, TN

Mount Pleasant is a city in Maury County, Tennessee, United States. Mount Pleasant was the birthplace of 19th-century writer and humorist Samuel R. Watkins and formerly titled "The Phosphate Capital of the World." The population was 4,561 at the 2010 census, and 4,784 in 2020.

History

Settlement of Mount Pleasant began in the early 19th century, and increased following the construction of the Military Road connecting Nashville and Madisonville, Louisiana, in 1817. By the time Mount Pleasant incorporated as a city in 1824, it was home to a store, tavern, and several churches.

In 1895, brown phosphate rock was discovered in Mount Pleasant, leading to a mining boom, and giving the city its nickname. Within a few years, ten phosphate mining companies were operating in Mount Pleasant, producing over 25,000 tons per year. The city's population grew from 466 in 1890 to 2,007 in 1900. Phosphate mining remained a major part of the city's economy into the latter half of the 20th century. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.18%) is water. Mount Pleasant is situated in a relatively broad plain surrounded by low hills to the east, south, and west. U.S. Route 43 connects the city with Columbia to the northeast and Lawrenceburg to the south.

Climate

Demographics

2022 Special Census

In 2022, the City of Mount Pleasant conducted a special census to account for additional population growth that was not accounted for in the federal 2020 census. The result of this census reported a population increase to 5,093 residents inside the city limits.

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, Mount Pleasant had a population of 4,784 people and 1,318 families. The median age was 38.9 years, 24.4% of residents were under the age of 18, and 17.5% were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 83.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 79.2 males.

85.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 14.4% lived in rural areas.

There were 1,899 households in Mount Pleasant, of which 32.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 39.6% were married-couple households, 15.9% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 37.3% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

! Race !! Number !! Percent

|-

| White || 3,474 || 72.6%

|-

| Black or African American || 897 || 18.8%

|-

| American Indian and Alaska Native || 17 || 0.4%

|-

| Asian || 31 || 0.6%

|-

| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander || 2 || 0.0%

|-

| Some other race || 67 || 1.4%

|-

| Two or more races || 296 || 6.2%

|-

| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) || 135 || 2.8%

|}

2000 census

As of the census || Dec 31, 1985 || Jul 18, 1989

|-

| Willie Boyd || Jul 18, 1989 || Mar 30, 2006

|-

| Willie B. Baker || Mar 30, 2006 || Jul 17, 2007

|-

| Richard A. Hendrix || Jul 17, 2007 || Jul 19, 2011

|-

| Maury Colvett || November 8, 2011 || Nov 18, 2014

|-

| Robert R. (Bob) Shackelford || Nov 18, 2014 || Nov 22, 2016

|-

| James L. (Jim) Bailey, Jr.|| Nov 22, 2016 || Dec 18, 2018

|-

| Bill White|| Dec 18, 2018 || Present

|}

Police Department

The Mount Pleasant Police Department was established in 1824.

  • 2014 - Present - Michael Hay

Fire Department

The Mount Pleasant Fire Department is a career fire department consisting of full-time and part time firefighters. The fire department was established in 1899.

  • 1988 - 2001 - M. H. "Cotton" Massey
  • 2001 - 2017 - Tim Smith
  • 2017 - 2025 - Phillip Grooms
  • 2025 - Present - Todd Stewart

Transportation

Mount Pleasant is located on U.S. Route 43, as well as State Routes 243 and 166.

Mount Pleasant is also home to the Maury County Regional Airport.

Public transportation was provided by the Mule Town Trolley Service. The Mule Town Trolley connected people all across Maury County. The routes extend from Mount Pleasant to Columbia and on to Spring Hill. The fare was $1.00 each way and riders could request a stop anywhere along the trolley route.

In May 2025, the Mule Town Trolley switched to a reservation based system due to lack of funding.

The trolley service is managed by the South Central Tennessee Development District (SCATS).

See also

  • List of cities in Tennessee

References

  • Municipal Technical Advisory Service entry for Mount Pleasant — information on local government, elections, and link to charter