Quality of Life
A COMMUNITY OF RESOURCES.
With an affordable cost of living, mild climate and low crime rate, Benton County is a great place to visit and an even better place to live. A community steeped in history and natural resources, Benton County invites visitors to explore the natural beauty and consider it as a place to call home.
Boasting more water frontage than any other county in Tennessee, Benton County is considered #2 in the nation by Crappie Masters for the crappie fishing in the Big Sandy area. Kentucky Lake flows into the Tennessee River along Benton County, making it an outdoor adventure paradise.
OUTDOOR ADVENTURE
Benton County, home to Kentucky Lake and with the most water frontage in Tennessee, is an amazing place for boating, fishing and just about any watersport. Outdoor Life magazine named Kentucky Lake #12 in the nation for fishing. Crappie Masters named Benton County #2 in the nation for crappie fishing in the Big Sandy area. Benton County hosts many different fishing tournaments each year and is also a popular spot for duck hunting. Most of the riverfront in Benton County is undeveloped land, designed specifically for outdoor recreation.
HISTORY AND HERITAGE
Named in honor of early settler David Benton, a member of the Tennessee Militia in the Creek War, Benton County is home to many historic sites. Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park, a major Civil War site, is home to the Tennessee River Folklife Center. Part of the Trail of Tears runs through Benton County and is still walkable. In the 1940s, archaeologists uncovered a large site in Benton County from the Archaic period. Submerged by Kentucky Lake, the Eva site is memorialized by a monument that sits along the Tennessee River. Natchez Trace State Park is home to the Natchez Trace, an important wilderness path for early American settlers.
UNIQUE ATTRACTIONS
Located in Camden, the Freshwater Pearl Museum cultures Tennessee's official gem, the freshwater pearl. Nearby Birdsong Resort is home to the Tennessee River Freshwater Pearl Farm, where the pearls are actually grown and produced. This is the only freshwater pearl culturing farm in America. Also at Birdsong Resort is the Birdsong Drive-In, where guests can enjoy the movies outdoors. Up the river, travelers can ride the Benton-Houston Ferry, which connects Benton and Houston counties via the Tennessee River.
