The History of Dyer, Tennessee — A Gibson County Town (Not Dyer County)

Dyer, Tennessee is a town inside Gibson County — distinct from Dyer County, Tennessee, which lies elsewhere in West Tennessee and has its own dedicated section in this archive. The two share a namesake but are otherwise unrelated places, and this page covers the Gibson County town specifically.

The town began as a small business community called Bobbittsville, named for Benjamin F. Bobbitt. In 1858, Bobbitt laid off a section of his land into business and residential lots, and the following year he and his brother-in-law, James L. Berry, opened the Berry and Bobbitt General Merchandise Store. Several churches followed in the decades after, including Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church in 1848, Clear Creek Baptist Church and New Bethlehem Baptist Church in 1851, and Mt. Carmel C.P. Church in 1852.

Dyer was formally incorporated as a town on April 21, 1899, with Robert McDaniel serving as its first mayor and J. A. Mount as recorder. Banking followed close behind: Farmers and Merchants Bank opened in 1895, and the Bank of Dyer followed in 1904. The town still holds Dyer Station Days each summer, a name that recalls the settlement's earlier identity before incorporation.