Native Americans were living in the Camden area as early as the Archaic period (8000-1000 BC). A significant archaeological site has been excavated at nearby Eva (the actual site is now submerged under Kentucky Lake), uncovering evidence of semi-permanent habitation dating back 7000 years.^[9]

The first European settlers arrived in the Benton County area around 1818, shortly after (and probably before) the county was purchased from the Chickasaw. Camden has its roots as a stopover along the stage coach route between Nashville and Memphis. Initially known as "Tranquility", the community had attained the name "Camden" by the 1830s, a name influenced by the Revolutionary War-era Battle of Camden.^[10] When Benton County was created in 1835, Camden was chosen as the county seat. The City of Camden was officially incorporated in 1838.^[11]

On October 20, 1922, George and Ed Hartley were lynched by a large mob outside Camden County Jail after being convicted of manslaughter.^[12]

Birdsong Trail Ride

Camden Speedway

Camden Elementary

Camden Junior High School

Camden Central High School

Camden is served by the Benton County School System. Schools include:

"Magic 95.9 the Valley"

WRJB-FM 95.9

connects Camden to Nashville to the east and Memphis to the west. It has a business route (US 70 Business) that runs through the center of town while the mainline bypasses Camden to the south.

U.S. Route 70

connects Camden to Eva and to Nathan Bedford Forrest State Park to the northeast and Interstate 40 to the southeast.

Tennessee State Route 191

which intersects US 70 Business in the western half of Camden and US 70 south of Camden, connects the area with Paris and Kentucky to the north and with I-40 and Parsons to the south.

U.S. Route 641

begins in Camden at the intersection of US 70 Business and TN 191 and runs north to Big Sandy.

Tennessee State Route 69A

musician known as "The Tennessee Fiddler"

Nyman Furr

NFL tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals

Tanner Hudson

member of Tennessee General Assembly

Frank P. Lashlee

fashion designer

Col. Littleton

awarded a Medal of Honor for his actions in the Korean War

Charles F. Pendleton

. The Camden Chronicle. Camden, Benton, Tennessee: Travis Bros. October 27, 1922. pp. 1–4. ISSN 2374-8591. OCLC 18998985. Retrieved March 6, 2022.

Camden, Tennessee

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