RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Tennessee >> Rutherford County >> Compton >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Compton, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Compton and the surrounding area.

  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Compton:
    • 35.904735, -86.328924
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Compton
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Rutherford County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Rutherford County
    • Since Compton is near Wilson County and also Cannon County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Wilson County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Cannon County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Compton

Communities Also Named Compton ...

We found twenty communities that are also named Compton.

Within Tennessee, the name Compton is unique.

Beyond Tennessee, we know of twenty communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these twenty communities, nineteen are located in the United States and one is in Canada.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Blount County
      • This Compton is located in Blount County and lies 145 miles [233.4 km]<1> to the south of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Blount County community of Compton.
    • Arkansas
      • Hempstead County
      • This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Arkansas community of Compton [Hempstead County].
      • Newton County
      • This Compton is located in Newton County and lies 389 miles [626 km]<1> to the west of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Newton County community of Compton.
    • California
      • Los Angeles County
      • This Compton is located in Los Angeles County and lies 1,803 miles [2,901.6 km]<1> to the west of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Los Angeles County community of Compton.
    • Georgia
      • Jasper County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Compton [Jasper County].
      • Stewart County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Compton [Stewart County].
    • Illinois
      • Lee County
      • This Compton is located in Lee County and lies 426 miles [685.6 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lee County community of Compton.
    • Maryland
      • Charles County
      • This Compton is located in Charles County and lies 536 miles [862.6 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Charles County community of Compton.
      • Saint Mary's County
      • This Compton is located in Saint Mary's County and lies 555 miles [893.2 km] to the east northeast of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saint Mary's County community of Compton.
    • Michigan
      • Osceola County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Compton [Osceola County].
    • Minnesota
      • Itasca County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Minnesota community of Compton [Itasca County].
    • Missouri
      • Webster County
      • This community is historic<2> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Missouri community of Compton [Webster County].
    • Nebraska
      • Cherry County
      • This community is historic<2> and although located in Cherry County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cherry County community of Compton.
    • New Hampshire
      • Grafton County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New Hampshire community of Compton [Grafton County].
    • Oklahoma
      • Le Flore County
      • This Compton is located in Le Flore County and lies 495 miles [796.6 km]<1> to the west of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Le Flore County community of Compton.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Allegheny County
      • This Compton is located in Allegheny County and lies 483 miles [777.3 km]<1> to the northeast of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allegheny County community of Compton.
      • Somerset County
      • This Compton is located in Somerset County and lies 474 miles [762.8 km] to the northeast of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Somerset County community of Compton.
    • Quebec
      • This Compton lies 994 miles [1,599.7 km]<1> to the northeast of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
    • Texas
      • Rusk County
      • Although located in Rusk County, we don't know the location within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Rusk County community of Compton.
    • Virginia
      • Page County
      • This Compton is located in Page County and lies 479 miles [770.9 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Compton that is located in Rutherford County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Page County community of Compton.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Compton ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Double Springs
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Double Springs is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Double Springs
  • Fieldcrest
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Fieldcrest is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fieldcrest
  • Georgetown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Georgetown is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
  • Glaze
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Glaze is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glaze
  • Halls Hill
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Halls Hill is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halls Hill
  • Henry Lane
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Henry Lane is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry Lane
  • Indian Springs
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Indian Springs is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
  • Jamestown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Jamestown is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • Estimated population in 2014: 1,940 people
  • Quail Run
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Quail Run is located in Rutherford County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quail Run
  • Continue List   (6 more) ...
    • Ravenwood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ravenwood is located in Rutherford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravenwood
    • Regency Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Regency Park is located in Rutherford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regency Park
    • Riverbend
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Riverbend is located in Rutherford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverbend
    • Riverview
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Riverview is located in Rutherford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
    • Riverwood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Riverwood is located in Rutherford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverwood
    • Two Hills
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Two Hills is located in Rutherford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Two Hills

How Far From Compton to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers & Almanacs that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Compton to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Compton and extending to:

  • Murfreesboro, which is the Seat of Rutherford County, lies just to the Southwest.
  • Nashville, which is the State Capital of Tennessee, lies 30 miles [48.3 km]<1> to the northwest (NW). If you could walk a straight line from Compton to Nashville, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take most of two days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take just over a day.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 549 miles [883.5 km] to the east northeast (ENE). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take just over a day, a buggy would take 22 days and walking would take 32 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,418 miles [10,328.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 7,135 miles [11,482.7 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 5,010 miles [8,062.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Compton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Compton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Bird Creek to see Pete ... Bird Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Compton could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Compton to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Compton. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 35.9047, Longitude: -86.3289       In this case, the coordinates for Compton have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 313.507 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 309.424 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 309.558 degrees.