It was renamed in 1853 for railroad official John Edgar Thomson and incorporated February 15, 1854 as a town and in 1870 as a city.

Thomson is also the birthplace of Populist leader and two-time presidential candidate Thomas E. Watson.

Playing home games at The Brickyard, Thomson led the league in attendance and qualified for the playoffs.

[10] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.95 square miles (5.1 km2), all land.

Thomson is considered part of the Central Savannah River Area geographical designation.