According to the United States Census Bureau, Slayden has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.5 km2), all land.

Slayden's growth was spurred by the existence of a railroad line (the "Mineral Branch" of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad) which was built in the late 19th century largely to assist the movement of iron from the nearby works at Cumberland Furnace to market.

In the early 20th century Slayden was home to a department store and was considered a major community of Dickson County.

As the area declined from the loss of the furnace works, nearby Nashville and Clarksville offered more non-farming opportunities.

In the 1980s the former railroad depot was removed to Hickman County to become an attraction at a proposed amusement park honoring Minnie Pearl that never actually came into operation.

In 2003 the town's future as an incorporated community seemed endangered when only six voters (out of 127 registered) participated in a municipal election and only two candidates qualified for the four unpaid positions on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

This was prevented when the vacancies were filled by persons who had received write-in votes; participation in the 2005 municipal elections was considerably higher.

Most other lines of this family (cousinage proven by DNA) now use "Slayton" or "Slaton" as name spelling, though a few "Slayden"s are still found in parts of Tennessee and Florida.