45 Underrated Religious College Towns Across America You'll Fall in Love With

27. Dayton, Tennessee: The Scopes Trial's Enduring Echoes

Dayton, Tennessee, a small town in the Appalachian foothills, holds a unique and profound place in American religious history as the site of the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial. This landmark legal battle over the teaching of evolution starkly highlighted the tension between science and religious fundamentalism. Today, the Rhea County Courthouse where the trial took place is a National Historic Landmark. Dayton offers a fascinating, albeit sometimes unsettling, glimpse into the historical intersection of faith, law, and public education in rural America, inviting reflection on enduring cultural debates.