the world as the site of the Scopes Trial, the landmark 1925 court case that tested the teaching of evolution in public schools and cemented Dayton’s place in history. Its local character, however, is shaped just as much by its foundation in agriculture and coal mining. The work ethic forged in fields and mines has carried forward into today’s manufacturing and service industries. It is a town where history is present, but the focus is firmly on what comes next. SPORTS, COLLEGE, AND A NEW 60-ACRE HUB What comes next is especially visible on a large, strategically chosen tract of land that Dayton and Ray County purchased together. The total parcel covers more than 80 acres; about 20 of those acres were given to the State of Tennessee and are now home to a new Chattanooga State community college campus under the Tennessee Board of Regents.That campus, slated to open in early 2026, will anchor the education and workforce side of the site. The remaining 60 acres are reserved for a major recreation and sports complex that the city is carefully planning with the county. The vision includes a soccer complex, an amphitheater, and a range of outdoor amenities that will take full advantage of the land’s natural beauty. It is a project that will serve residents, families, and visiting teams and tourists alike. The college and the recreation complex are not standalone projects.They are being designed as part of a broader network of greenways and blueways that is reshaping how people move through and experience Dayton. In practical terms, that means trails that connect neighborhoods, downtown, and parks; in strategic terms, it means building a lifestyle that encourages people to stay. CONNECTING RIVER, TRAIL, AND TOWN Dayton’s downtown sits right on Richland Creek, a tributary that flows into the Tennessee River. Around the creek, the city has assembled a generous expanse of land used for parks and trails, creating a green corridor that runs within a short walk of the courthouse square. The aim now is to stitch these pieces together into a seamless system. One of the most ambitious elements of that system is the city’s participation in the Tennessee RiverLine project, an effort led by the University of Tennessee and the Tennessee Valley Authority to link hundreds of miles of riverfront communities from Kentucky, through Tennessee and Alabama, and back up through Tennessee as a continuous “blueway” for paddling and water recreation. Dayton is a designated RiverLine community and sees the initiative as a way to bring visitors to its waterfront, while giving residents a more direct relationship with the river that defines their eastern horizon. At the same time, the city is looking westward toward the Cumberland Trail. A trailhead for this major hiking route lies just a few miles outside 211 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 07, ISSUE 01 DAYTON, TN
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTI5MjAx