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Hickory Flat, Mississippi

Hickory Flat is a town in Benton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 601 at the 2010 census.

History
Hickory Flat was named from a nearby grove of hickory trees.

Geography
Hickory Flat is located at 34.61583°N, -89.18833°W (34.6159, -89.1884). U.S. Route 78, a freeway, serves the town via Exit 48. Mississippi Highway 178, following the former route of US 78, runs through the center of the town. Via US 78, it is 20 mi northwest to Holly Springs, 65 mi northwest to Memphis, 14 mi southeast to New Albany, and 42 mi southeast to Tupelo.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town of Hickory Flat has a total area of 2.5 km2, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 496 people, 234 households, and 146 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 565 people, 221 households, and 161 families residing in the town. The population density was 611.5 PD/sqmi. There were 242 housing units at an average density of 261.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 86.19% White, 12.74% African American, 0.71% Native American, and 0.35% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.18% of the population.

There were 221 households, out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.8% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 25.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.2% under the age of 18, 12.4% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 17.7% from 45 to 64, and 13.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 78.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,141, and the median income for a family was $30,385. Males had a median income of $27,321 versus $18,438 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,392. About 18.4% of families and 17.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.2% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Hickory Flat is served by the Benton County School District.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hickory Flat has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Notable native

 * Elder Roma Wilson, gospel singer and harmonicist.
 * Thomas Frederick Wicker, judge and Mississippi state senator.

title: Hickory Flat, Mississippi


text:
Snow Lake Shores, Mississippi

Snow Lake Shores is a town in Benton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 319 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Snow Lake Shores is located at 34.82389°N, -89.24167°W (34.823963, -89.241555) along Mississippi Highway 4 in west-central Benton County, approximately 4 mi west of Ashland and 14 mi northeast of Holly Springs.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.3 km2, of which 1.8 sqkm is land and 0.6 km2, or 24.13%, is water. The town consists of homes built around Snow Lake, an impoundment on Big Snow Creek, a tributary of the Tippah River and ultimately the Tallahatchie River.

History
The first Anglo settlers in the area were John M. Ferrell and his wife, who moved from Tennessee to a site west of present-day Snow Lake Shores in 1839. One of their ten children, Emaline, married an Englishman – Joe Shone. They built a house two miles east of the Ferrell homestead that became known as Shone's Pond. The area around Shone's Pond consisted mostly of marsh and cypress swamps. The names Shone's Mill and Shone's Mill Pond were sometimes applied to the area in its early years.

In 1947, New Yorker Walter Utley moved to neighboring Marshall County with plans to build a resort-style development in the area. Big Snow Creek with its three forks looked to be a good prospect. Around 1956, a partnership of three men – including Utley – organized to develop a residential subdivision that became known as Snow Lake Shores. In 1957, Big Snow Lake was created by building a dam on a local stream. Snow Lake Shores was established in 1958 as a private, restricted resort community. It was marketed as a safe, family-friendly place for people to both vacation and live year-round. A volunteer fire department was created in 1974.

After 38 years of existence, Snow Lake Shores was incorporated as a town in 1996. Incorporation meant that the town would be eligible to receive grants for paving roads and installing a new water system. Eddie Koen was appointed as the first mayor of Snow Lake Shores along with five aldermen who served as the new town's governing body until municipal elections were held in October 1996.

Although the permanent resident population of Snow Lake Shores stands at around 300, that figure can grow to over 900 during the summer months as seasonal residents and vacationers come to the community.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 306 people, 192 households, and 98 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 300 people, 147 households, and 105 families residing in the town. The population density was 438.7 PD/sqmi. There were 297 housing units at an average density of 434.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 97.00% White, 2.00% African American, 0.67% from other races, and 0.33% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.33% of the population.

There were 147 households, out of which 12.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.3% were married couples living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.04 and the average family size was 2.39.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 10.0% under the age of 18, 2.3% from 18 to 24, 19.7% from 25 to 44, 40.3% from 45 to 64, and 27.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 55 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $30,625, and the median income for a family was $33,750. Males had a median income of $28,250 versus $20,556 for females. The per capita income for the town was $19,603. About 6.8% of families and 6.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.

Education
Snow Lake Shores is served by the Benton County School District.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Snow Lake Shores, Mississippi


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Benoit, Mississippi

Benoit is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 365.

History
The 1956 movie Baby Doll was shot on location at the Burrus House in Benoit; many local residents played in minor roles.

Geography
Benoit is located at 33.65056°N, -91.00861°W (33.650500, -91.008560).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.6 km2, of which 0.03 km2, or 1.23%, is water.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 611 people, 193 households, and 153 families residing in the town. The population density was 627.2 PD/sqmi. There were 211 housing units at an average density of 216.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 21.28% White, 76.27% African American, 0.98% from other races, and 1.47% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.29% of the population.

There were 193 households, out of which 38.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.6% were married couples living together, 42.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.7% were non-families. 19.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.17 and the average family size was 3.57.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 37.0% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 24.2% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $18,750, and the median income for a family was $18,929. Males had a median income of $30,357 versus $20,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $7,813. About 43.1% of families and 49.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 64.0% of those under age 18 and 18.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Benoit is served by the West Bolivar Consolidated School District.

Formerly the area had its own school, Ray Brooks School (formerly Nugent Center School), a K-12 school. It was at first a part of the Benoit School District, until July 1, 2014, when that district was consolidated into West Bolivar Consolidated. In 1986 students were moved to West Bolivar High School for high school classes, but they were moved back to Ray Brooks in 2000. Ray Brooks closed in 2020. Tamara Lopez of Delta News TV stated "Residents in Benoit had mixed reactions to the announcement, some angry others sad."

Notable people

 * Lavarus Lakeith Giles, professional American and Canadian football running back
 * Archie Moore, light heavyweight world champion boxer (1952–1962)
 * Robert Powell, composer, organist, and choir director
 * Eddie Taylor, electric blues guitarist and singer

title: Benoit, Mississippi


text:
Beulah, Mississippi

Beulah is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 242.

Beulah is served by Mississippi Highway 1. Lake Beulah, an oxbow lake formerly connected to the Mississippi River, is west of the town. The Illinois Central Railroad had a station in Beulah, but the line is now abandoned.

Beulah is named after the Christian hymn Beulah Land, a favorite of Frank A. Montgomery, an early settler to western Bolivar County.

History
The land southwest of Beulah was owned by a Choctaw family in the 1830s. A series of lawsuits caused them to lose their land, and Charles Clark took ownership. Clark established the Doro Plantation during the late 1840s and early 1850s, which grew to over 5000 acre and became the most prosperous slave-owning plantation in the region. It continued to operate after the end of slavery until 1913. During that time, the Mississippi River flowed next to Beulah along "Beulah Bend" (now Lake Beulah), and Clark was often visited by Mark Twain while writing Life on the Mississippi.

In 1858, Frank A. Montgomery purchased a tract of land along the river north of the Doro Plantation and established a plantation. Beulah was one of its villages.

Mississippi River boats landed at points in the community, and there was a noted river trade. Freshwater clam harvesting – "clammin" – enabled a thriving pearl button industry.

In 1863, Union soldiers altered the course of the river by constructing a channel to avoid Beulah Bend, and the town became shut off from river commerce. The pearl button industry declined, as freshwater clams tend to concentrate in the bends of rivers, though many families still participate in clam harvesting at places they can access the river. Altering the river's course also destroyed the nearby towns of Prentiss and Napoleon.

In 1866, Montgomery donated the village of Beulah to the county, and gave $1,600 to build a courthouse. A two-room log jail was also built. Beulah became the first county seat, and had a Masonic Lodge, church, school, bank, stores, and post office. The Bolivar Times newspaper was also edited there. In 1872, the county seat was moved to Floreyville (now called Rosedale).

After the Civil War, numerous freedmen bought and cleared land in the bottomlands away from the river. By 1910, declining financial and social conditions had caused most to lose their land, forcing them to work as sharecroppers and laborers. Beginning in the early 1900s, thousands of blacks left Mississippi as part of the Great Migration north by railroad to Chicago and other northern industrial cities, but others remained, with strong local ties.

Blues musician W. C. Handy once invited Charley Patton to watch his band perform in Beulah. Patton got in free, and when he observed that Handy's musicians were all strict score-reading performers, he gave up all ambition of playing with their band.

Beulah was mentioned in Eudora Welty's Death of a Traveling Salesman:"Bowman had wanted to reach Beulah by dark, to go to bed and sleep off his fatigue. As he remembered, Beulah was fifty miles away from the last town, on a graveled road. This was only a cow trail. How had he ever come to such a place? One hand wiped the sweat from his face, and he drove on."

In 1970, Beulah was chosen as the site for a large event by the Southern Female Rights Union.

Part of the movie Crossroads was filmed in Beulah.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.5 sqmi, all land.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Beulah has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 473 people, 139 households, and 108 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,027.5 PD/sqmi. There were 151 housing units at an average density of 328.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 2.54% White, 95.98% African American, 0.85% Asian, 0.21% Pacific Islander, and 0.42% from two or more races.

There were 139 households, out of which 46.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.1% were married couples living together, 38.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.6% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.40 and the average family size was 3.83.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 38.9% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 12.7% from 45 to 64, and 7.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,861, and the median income for a family was $25,341. Males had a median income of $22,500 versus $19,205 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,631. About 31.8% of families and 33.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.3% of those under age 18 and 44.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Beulah is served by the West Bolivar School District.

title: Beulah, Mississippi


text:
Boyle, Mississippi

Boyle is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 650 at the 2010 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.8 km2, of which 3.6 sqkm is land and 0.2 sqkm, or 4.87%, is water.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 532 people, 329 households, and 213 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 720 people, 268 households, and 191 families residing in the town. The population density was 712.8 PD/sqmi. There were 290 housing units at an average density of 287.1 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 52.78% White, 45.14% African American, 0.14% Asian, 0.14% Pacific Islander, 1.11% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.39% of the population.

There were 268 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.0% were married couples living together, 23.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 25.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.69 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.3% under the age of 18, 7.5% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 22.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,429, and the median income for a family was $28,500. Males had a median income of $25,625 versus $30,104 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,181. About 19.5% of families and 27.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 43.2% of those under age 18 and 6.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Boyle is served by the Cleveland School District. There is one school in Boyle, B.L. Bell Academy for Math, Science and Health Education. Secondary students attend Cleveland Central Middle School and Cleveland Central High School.

Historic marker
The Mississippi Blues Commission placed a historic marker at the Peavine Railroad site intersection with Highway 446 in Boyle, designating it as a site on the Mississippi Blues Trail. The marker commemorates the original lyrics of famed blues artist Charlie Patton's "Peavine Blues", which describes the railway branch of the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad which ran west from Dockery Plantation to Boyle. A common theme of blues songs was riding on the railroad, which was a metaphor for travel and escape.

Notable people

 * Stanley F. Gaines, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1916 to 1920
 * Jim Pittman, former head football coach for Tulane University and Texas Christian University
 * Tommy Taylor, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 2012 to 2016

title: Boyle, Mississippi


text:
Duncan, Mississippi

Duncan is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 276.

History
Duncan is named for an early "leading citizen."

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.9 sqmi, all land.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 578 people, 177 households, and 124 families residing in the town. The population density was 620.7 PD/sqmi. There were 186 housing units at an average density of 199.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 19.55% White, 77.51% African American, 2.25% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.11% of the population.

There were 177 households, out of which 42.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 26.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 24.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.95 and the average family size was 3.47.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 33.4% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 18.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $14,286, and the median income for a family was $16,875. Males had a median income of $24,750 versus $11,429 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,329. About 51.1% of families and 58.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 75.4% of those under age 18 and 29.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Duncan is served by the North Bolivar Consolidated School District, formerly known as the North Bolivar School District until it consolidated in 2014.

Students are zoned to Brooks Elementary School in Duncan, as it belonged to the pre-consolidation North Bolivar School District, and Northside High School (the only secondary school in the district) in Shelby.

Northside High opened in 2018 after Broad Street High School in Shelby consolidated into it. Shelby Middle School closed in 2018.

Notable people

 * Eddie C. Campbell, musician
 * Bobby Crespino, former tight end for the Cleveland Browns and New York Giants
 * Willie Love, musician

title: Duncan, Mississippi


text:
Gunnison, Mississippi

Gunnison is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 295.

The mayor is Frances L. Ward.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.6 km2, of which 0.05 km2, or 1.84%, is water.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 633 people, 202 households, and 146 families residing in the town. The population density was 651.1 PD/sqmi. There were 217 housing units at an average density of 223.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 12.64% White, 86.73% African American, 0.16% Native American, and 0.47% from two or more races.

There were 202 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 25.7% were married couples living together, 41.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.7% were non-families. 26.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.13 and the average family size was 3.79.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 37.3% under the age of 18, 11.4% from 18 to 24, 22.1% from 25 to 44, 16.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 66.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $19,432, and the median income for a family was $21,875. Males had a median income of $27,679 versus $15,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $8,395. About 39.3% of families and 47.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 60.4% of those under age 18 and 34.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Gunnison is served by the West Bolivar Consolidated School District (formerly the West Bolivar School District), which operates West Bolivar High School.

Notable people
Cousins Tim Barnett and Fred Barnett both played in the NFL.

title: Gunnison, Mississippi


text:
Merigold, Mississippi

Merigold (sometimes misspelled as Marigold or Merrigold) is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 379.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 sqmi, all land.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 664 people, 268 households, and 191 families residing in the town. The population density was 686.1 PD/sqmi. There were 280 housing units at an average density of 289.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 42.62% White, 56.93% African American, 0.15% Asian, 0.15% from other races, and 0.15% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.

There were 268 households, out of which 28.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 23.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 24.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 23.8% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 24.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,375, and the median income for a family was $27,500. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $21,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $16,185. About 21.4% of families and 23.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.6% of those under age 18 and 18.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Merigold is served by the Cleveland School District. The district operates the Hayes Cooper Center for Math and Science, located on old Highway 61. Secondary students are zoned to Cleveland Central Middle School and Cleveland Central High School.

As of 2002 some children in Merigold attended the North Sunflower Academy in unincorporated Sunflower County.

Entertainment
Po' Monkey's is a juke joint located approximately 1 mi west of Merigold. The Mississippi Blues Commission placed a historic marker at the Po Monkey's Lounge in 2009 designating it as a site on the Mississippi Blues Trail for its contribution to the development of the blues (and one of the few authentic juke joints that is still operating today).

Notable people

 * Charlie Capps, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1972 to 2005
 * Esther Golar, Illinois state representative, was born in Merigold.
 * Walter B. Parks, member of the Mississippi Legislature from 1912 to 1920
 * Larry Speakes, acting press secretary in the Ronald Reagan administration, grew up in Merigold.

title: Merigold, Mississippi


text:
Mound Bayou, Mississippi

Mound Bayou is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,533 at the 2010 census, down from 2,102 in 2000. It was founded as an independent black community in 1887 by former slaves led by Isaiah Montgomery. Mound Bayou Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mound Bayou has a 96.8% African-American majority population in 2020, one of the largest of any community in the United States. The current mayor of Mound Bayou is Leighton Aldridge.

History
Mound Bayou traces its origin to freed African Americans from the community of Davis Bend, Mississippi. Davis Bend was started in the 1820s by planter Joseph E. Davis (elder brother of former Confederate president Jefferson Davis), who intended to create a model slave community on his plantation. Davis was influenced by the utopian ideas of Robert Owen. He encouraged self-leadership in the slave community, provided a higher standard of nutrition and health and dental care, and allowed slaves to become merchants. In the aftermath of the Civil War, Davis Bend became an autonomous free community when Davis sold his property to former slave Benjamin Montgomery, who had run a store and been a prominent leader at Davis Bend. The prolonged agricultural depression, falling cotton prices, flooding by the Mississippi River, and white hostility in the region contributed to the economic failure of Davis Bend.

Isaiah T. Montgomery led the founding of Mound Bayou in 1887 in wilderness in northwest Mississippi. The bottomlands of the Delta were a relatively undeveloped frontier, and blacks had a chance to make money by clearing land and use the profits to buy lands in such frontier areas. In 1892, the Mound Bayou Normal Institute, a black school was founded by the American Missionary Association.

African Americans throughout the United States celebrated the Mound Bayou example. In 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered his train to make a special stop in the town. From the platform, he proclaimed that he was witnessing “an object lesson full of hope for the colored people and therefore full of hope for the white people, too.” Four years later, Washington, in a speech to a crowd of thousands, hailed Mound Bayou as a “place where a Negro may get inspiration by seeing what other members of his race have accomplished...[and] where he has an opportunity to learn some of the fundamental duties and responsibilities of social and civic life.”

By 1900 two-thirds of the owners of land in the bottomlands were black farmers. With the loss of political power due to state disenfranchisement, high debt and continuing agricultural problems, most of them lost their land and by 1920 were landless sharecroppers. As cotton prices fell, the town suffered a severe economic decline in the 1920s and 1930s.

Shortly after a fire destroyed much of the business district, Mound Bayou began to revive in 1942 after the opening of the Taborian Hospital by the International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor, a fraternal organization. For more than two decades, under its Chief Grand Mentor Perry M. Smith, the hospital provided low-cost health care to thousands of blacks in the Mississippi Delta. The chief surgeon was T.R.M. Howard, who eventually became one of the wealthiest black men in the state. Howard owned a plantation of more than 1000 acre, a home-construction firm, and a small zoo, and he built the first swimming pool for blacks in Mississippi.

In 1952, Medgar Evers moved to Mound Bayou to sell insurance for Howard's Magnolia Mutual Life Insurance Company. Howard introduced Evers to civil rights activism through the Regional Council of Negro Leadership which organized a boycott against service stations that refused to provide restrooms for blacks. The RCNL's annual rallies in Mound Bayou between 1952 and 1955 drew crowds of ten thousand or more. During the trial of Emmett Till's killers, black reporters and witnesses stayed in Howard's Mound Bayou home, and Howard gave them an armed escort to the courthouse in Sumner.

Author Michael Premo wrote: Mound Bayou was an oasis in turbulent times. While the rest of Mississippi was violently segregated, inside the city there were no racial codes ... At a time when blacks faced repercussions as severe as death for registering to vote, Mound Bayou residents were casting ballots in every election. The city has a proud history of credit unions, insurance companies, a hospital, five newspapers, and a variety of businesses owned, operated, and patronized by black residents. Mound Bayou is a crowning achievement in the struggle for self-determination and economic empowerment.

Geography
U.S. Routes 61 and 278 bypass Mound Bayou to the west and lead south 9 mi to Cleveland, the largest city in Bolivar County, and north 27 mi to Clarksdale.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city of Mound Bayou has a total area of 0.9 sqmi, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,534 people, 641 households, and 376 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,533 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 98.0% Black, 0.9% White, 0.1% Asian and 0.1% from two or more races. 0.9% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,102 people, 687 households, and 504 families living in the city. The population density was 2,395.1 PD/sqmi. There were 723 housing units at an average density of 823.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 98.43% African American, 0.05% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.81% White, 0.05% from other races, and 0.43% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.38% of the population.

There were 687 households, out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 24.7% were married couples living together, 43.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.5% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.06 and the average family size was 3.66.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.7% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 19.1% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 67.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $17,972, and the median income for a family was $19,770. Males had a median income of $21,700 versus $18,988 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,227. About 41.9% of families and 45.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.5% of those under age 18 and 34.5% of those age 65 or over.

Primary and secondary schools
The city of Mound Bayou is served by the North Bolivar Consolidated School District, which operates I.T. Montgomery Elementary School in Mound Bayou and Northside High School in Shelby. The elementary school is named after Mound Bayou cofounder Isaiah T. Montgomery.

From its earliest years, Mound Bayou has struggled with inadequate educational infrastructure. According to a 1915 report in the Cincinnati Labor Advocate, Mound Bayou's school was attended by more than 300 students who were forced to make use of equipment held to be "inadequate for 50 pupils". Teachers at the school were "poorly paid" and the school year limited to only five months.

St. Gabriel Mission School in Mound Bayou was of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson (formerly Roman Catholic Diocese of Natchez and Roman Catholic Diocese of Jackson-Natchez). It opened as a K-8 school on September 7, 1954. The high school opened in 1958. In 1961 the high school closed. Its non-preschool grades ended in 1994 when it was converted into a preschool. The preschool closed in 2001.

On July 1, 2014, the North Bolivar School District consolidated with the Mound Bayou Public School District to form the North Bolivar Consolidated School District. John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Mound Bayou, formerly the secondary school of the Mound Bayou district, closed in 2018.

Colleges and universities
Bolivar County residents have residency for two community colleges: Coahoma Community College and Mississippi Delta Community College. Their main campuses respectively are in unincorporated Coahoma County and Moorhead in Sunflower County.

Health care
The last hospital in town closed in 1983.

A branch of Delta Health Center is located in Mound Bayou. Founded in Mound Bayou in 1967, Delta Health Center was the first rural community health center in the United States.

Born in Mound Bayou

 * Mary Booze, first African-American woman to sit on the Republican National Committee, 1924 to her death in 1948; born in Mound Bayou in 1877, daughter of the founder I.T. Montgomery
 * General Crook, musician
 * Lorenzo Gray, baseball player
 * Katie Hall, U.S. Representative from Indiana from 1982 to 1985 introduced the legislation for MLK day holiday.
 * Kevin Henry, football player
 * Russell Holmes, Massachusetts state representative (6th Suffolk)
 * Melvin "Mel" Reynolds, disgraced politician
 * Kelly Miller Smith, Sr., preacher, author, and civil rights leader

Lived or worked in Mound Bayou

 * Isaiah Montgomery, town founder
 * Medgar Evers, civil rights leader
 * Myrlie Evers-Williams, widow of Medgar Evers; civil rights leader, journalist, NAACP Chair; delivered invocation at Barack Obama's second inauguration
 * Fannie Lou Hamer, civil rights leader
 * T. R. M. Howard, leader of civil rights and fraternal organizations, entrepreneur and surgeon
 * Harold Robert Perry, first African-American to serve as a Catholic bishop in the 20th century; former pastor at St. Gabriel's Church in Mound Bayou
 * Lewis Ossie Swingler, journalist, editor, and newspaper publisher
 * Ed Townsend, singer, songwriter, producer, and attorney
 * Minnie L. Fisher, local community activist

Cultural references
Ed Townsend wrote the Marvin Gaye hit song "Let's Get It On" in Mound Bayou.

title: Mound Bayou, Mississippi


text:
Pace, Mississippi

Pace is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 183.

The community is named after James Henry Pace, a planter and land owner in the region.

Geography
Mississippi Highway 8 passes along the town's northern boundary.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.41 km2, of which 0.02 km2, or 3.73%, is water.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 364 people, 129 households, and 95 families residing in the town. The population density was 2,365.3 PD/sqmi. There were 131 housing units at an average density of 851.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 13.74% White, 82.69% African American, 1.10% Native American, 1.65% Asian, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.37% of the population.

There were 129 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.1% were married couples living together, 30.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.33.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.2% under the age of 18, 7.7% from 18 to 24, 27.7% from 25 to 44, 22.3% from 45 to 64, and 12.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,219, and the median income for a family was $27,857. Males had a median income of $21,042 versus $17,083 for females. The per capita income for the town was $12,434. About 24.5% of families and 26.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.6% of those under age 18 and 13.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Pace is served by the West Bolivar Consolidated School District (formerly the West Bolivar School District), which operates West Bolivar High School.

Notable people

 * Besmilr Brigham, poet and short story writer
 * Rosa Farrar Brown, educator, writer, poet, daughter of S.H Farrar (principal of Pace Colored School, 1942-47).

title: Pace, Mississippi


text:
Renova, Mississippi

Renova is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States.Per the 2020 census, the population was 676. The community was founded by African Americans and remains predominantly African American.

History
In 1907, it was noted as a rapidly growing town 3 miles north of Cleveland, Mississippi with a saw mill that was served by the Yazoo & Mississippi Railroad. Monroe Work noted it among his listing of "Negro Towns and Settlements in the United States" in his Negro Yearbook series.

Geography
Renova is located at 33.78028°N, -90.72278°W (33.780179, -90.722699).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.2 km2, all land.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 623 people, 241 households, and 159 families residing in the town. The population density was 719.6 PD/sqmi. There were 247 housing units at an average density of 285.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 2.57% White, 95.99% African American, 1.12% from other races, and 0.32% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.28% of the population.

There were 241 households, out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.7% were married couples living together, 23.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.0% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.28.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 12.5% from 18 to 24, 28.3% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 6.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.7 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,481, and the median income for a family was $24,375. Males had a median income of $26,071 versus $20,577 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,277. About 28.6% of families and 34.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.9% of those under age 18 and 54.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Renova is served by the Cleveland School District. Secondary students are zoned to Cleveland Central Middle School and Cleveland Central High School.

It is located minutes from Delta State University and several community colleges.

title: Renova, Mississippi


text:
Rosedale, Mississippi

Rosedale is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,873 at the 2010 census, down from 2,414 in 2000. Located in an agricultural area, the city had a stop on the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad, which carried many migrants north out of the area in the first half of the 20th century.

History

Rosedale was settled around 1838 and became one of the two county seats in 1872. This area was developed by European American planters for extensive cotton plantations, dependent on enslaved laborers. After the Civil War and emancipation, some freedmen managed to clear and buy land in the bottomlands, with many becoming landowners before the end of the nineteenth century. By 1910, a lengthy recession and declining economic and political conditions resulted in most blacks in the state losing their land. They could not compete with the financing gained by railroads, which were constructed in the area beginning in 1882 Many stayed in the area to work as sharecroppers and laborers. The railroad brought new business to Rosedale, which had a depot and shipped cotton to northern and other markets. Rosedale incorporated as a town February 2, 1882 and became a city in 1930.

Beginning in the early twentieth century, tens of thousands of blacks left the state of Mississippi as part of the Great Migration, north by railroad to Chicago and other Midwestern industrial cities. During and after World War II, others went to California to work in the defense industry. Others remained where their families had lived for generations, with strong local ties.

In 2007, the Mississippi Blues Commission placed a historic marker at Rosedale's former Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad depot site, designating it as a site on the Mississippi Blues Trail. The marker commemorates the sites in the original lyrics of legendary blues artist Robert Johnson's song "Travelling Riverside Blues". He traced the railway route which ran south from Friars Point to Rosedale among other stops, including Vicksburg and north to Memphis. The marker emphasizes that a common theme of blues songs was riding on the railroad, which was seen as a metaphor for travel and escape from poverty and Jim Crow in the Delta. It also commemorates another common blues theme, life on the banks of a moody river bank, a theme heard in Charlie Patton's "High Water Everywhere".

Locals claim that Johnson sold his soul to the Devil at the intersection of Mississippi state highways 1 and 8, on the south end of town, and that he tells this story metaphorically in "Cross Road Blues." Other artists have referred to his songs. Johnson's deal with the Devil is mentioned as occurring in Rosedale in 1930 in an episode of the TV series Supernatural. However, a number of other Delta municipalities claim that the transaction took place in or near their boundaries.

Geography
Rosedale is located 19 mi northwest of Cleveland.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Rosedale has a total area of 14.2 km2, of which 14.0 km2 is land and 0.2 km2, or 1.14%, is water.

Rosedale is situated on the eastern side of the Mississippi River, approximately midway between the mouths of the Arkansas and White rivers, which flow into the Mississippi from the Arkansas (western) side.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,584 people, 642 households, and 398 families residing in the city.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,414 people, 780 households, and 567 families residing in the city. The population density was 444.2 PD/sqmi. There were 842 housing units at an average density of 154.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 16.86% White, 82.02% African American, 0.37% Asian, 0.17% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.75% of the population.

There were 780 households, out of which 38.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 29.2% were married couples living together, 37.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 24.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.56.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 34.9% under the age of 18, 10.4% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 17.6% from 45 to 64, and 9.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $17,955, and the median income for a family was $18,810. Males had a median income of $24,922 versus $15,714 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,534. About 43.3% of families and 46.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 58.6% of those under age 18 and 34.6% of those age 65 or over.

In 2010, Rosedale had the 22nd-lowest median household income of all places in the United States with a population over 1,000.

Education
Rosedale is served by the West Bolivar Consolidated School District (formerly West Bolivar School District). Children in Rosedale are assigned to West Bolivar Elementary School, West Bolivar Middle School, and West Bolivar High School.

The case of Gong Lum v. Rice, wherein the U.S. Supreme Court held that a Chinese student was ineligible to attend the school for white children, and instead, was required to attend the school for colored children, originated in Rosedale.

Notable people

 * Travarus Bennett, former professional basketball player
 * Dennis Binder, rhythm & blues musician and singer
 * Joseph Henry Bufford, state legislator
 * Redd Holt, jazz and soul music drummer
 * Percy Malone, Arkansas politician and pharmacist
 * Cliff Meely, professional basketball player
 * W. B. Roberts, lawyer, planter, banker, and legislative leader
 * Walter Sillers, lawyer and planter
 * Walter Sillers, Jr., segregationist, lawyer and legislative leader
 * Florence Sillers Ogden, columnist and segregationist
 * Florence Warfield Sillers, historian and socialite

title: Rosedale, Mississippi


text:
Shelby, Mississippi

Shelby is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,229 at the 2010 census, down from 2,926 in 2000. The town of Shelby was established in 1853 by Tom Shelby, who had purchased a block of land there from the federal government.

Geography
Shelby is located at 33.94917°N, -90.76528°W (33.949293, -90.765241).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.1 km2, of which 0.03 km2, or 0.39%, is water.

The rear entrance of the Mississippi State Penitentiary in unincorporated Sunflower County is about 10 mi east of Shelby, along Mississippi Highway 32.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 2,021 people, 649 households, and 442 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,229 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 94.3% Black, 4.7% White and 0.2% from two or more races. 0.8% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,926 people, 919 households, and 677 families living in the city. The population density was 1,079.5 PD/sqmi. There were 963 housing units at an average density of 355.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 7.93% White, 91.08% African American, 0.07% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.38% from other races, and 0.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99% of the population.

There were 919 households, out of which 43.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 26.3% were married couples living together, 41.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.3% were non-families. 23.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.07 and the average family size was 3.60.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 37.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 15.8% from 45 to 64, and 12.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 27 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 70.4 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $17,798, and the median income for a family was $20,368. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $19,554 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,567. About 39.9% of families and 44.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 56.5% of those under age 18 and 21.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Shelby is served by the North Bolivar Consolidated School District, formerly known as the North Bolivar School District until it consolidated in 2014.

Students are zoned to Brooks Elementary School (in Duncan), as it belonged to the pre-consolidation North Bolivar School District, and Northside High School (the only secondary school in the district).

Northside High opened in 2018 after Broad Street High School in Shelby consolidated into it. Shelby Middle School closed in 2018.

Notable people

 * Walter Luzar "Choker" Campbell, musician
 * Dorsett Terrell Davis, football player
 * William S. Fischer, keyboardist, saxophonist, arranger, and composer
 * Erma Franklin, gospel and R&B singer, sister of the gospel and R&B singer Aretha Franklin
 * Hattie Littles, soul singer
 * Sonny Boy Nelson, blues musician
 * Vera B. Rison, Michigan state legislator
 * Mississippi Slim, blues musician
 * Delbert Tibbs, writer and anti-death penalty activist
 * Henry Townsend, blues singer most associated with St. Louis, Missouri, on the St. Louis Walk of Fame and a Mississippi Blues Trail marker
 * Gerald Wilson, jazz trumpeter, composer and arranger

title: Shelby, Mississippi


text:
Winstonville, Mississippi

Winstonville is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 153.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.76 km2, all land.

2000 Census
As of the census of 2000, there were 319 people, 116 households, and 77 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,097.1 PD/sqmi. There were 120 housing units at an average density of 412.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 1.88% White, 97.81% African American, 0.31% from other races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.31% of the population.

There were 116 households, out of which 26.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 28.4% were married couples living together, 27.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.32.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 12.2% from 18 to 24, 24.8% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 16.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $11,125, and the median income for a family was $17,000. Males had a median income of $17,917 versus $11,875 for females. The per capita income for the town was $6,269. About 42.7% of families and 45.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.6% of those under age 18 and 55.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Today the city of Mound Bayou is served by the North Bolivar Consolidated School District, which operates I.T. Montgomery Elementary School in Mound Bayou and Northside High School in Shelby.

It was previously in the Mound Bayou Public School District. On July 1, 2014, the North Bolivar School District consolidated with the Mound Bayou Public School District to form the North Bolivar Consolidated School District. The central office for this consolidated district is located in Mound Bayou. John F. Kennedy Memorial High School in Mound Bayou, formerly the secondary school of the Mound Bayou district, closed in 2018.

title: Winstonville, Mississippi


text:
Bruce, Mississippi

Bruce is a town situated along the Skuna River in Calhoun County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 1,707.

History
The town was named for E. L. Bruce, founder of the E. L. Bruce Company, a sawmill operation. The sawmill industry is still vital in the town, with Weyerhaeuser operating a mill. Bruce is also home to other timber-related businesses.

Geography
Bruce is located in north-central Calhoun County. Mississippi Highway 9 runs through the center of town, leading south 4 mi to Pittsboro, the county seat, 10 mi south to Calhoun City, and northeast 31 mi to Pontotoc. Mississippi Highway 32 crosses Highway 9 in the center of Bruce and leads east 21 mi to New Houlka and northwest 26 mi to Water Valley.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Bruce has a total area of 6.3 sqkm, all land. The Skuna River, a tributary of the Yalobusha River and then the Yazoo River, passes south of the town.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,707 people, 714 households, and 335 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,097 people, 889 households, and 562 families residing in the town. The population density was 818.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,005 housing units at an average density of 392.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 53.27% White, 44.35% African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.86% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.

There were 889 households, out of which 28.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.3% were married couples living together, 22.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 34.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.98.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 27.8% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,417, and the median income for a family was $31,806. Males had a median income of $34,063 versus $21,380 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,233. About 20.1% of families and 29.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.6% of those under age 18 and 26.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town of Bruce is served by the Calhoun County School District. There are three public schools in the district: Bruce, Calhoun City, and Vardaman. Bruce is a Level 5 High School, which is the highest academic ranking in Mississippi. Calhoun City is slightly smaller than Bruce High School. Bruce and Calhoun City High are both District 2A schools, and Vardaman High is a District 1A school. The Bruce Trojan High School baseball team were 2A State Champions in 2012, the Bruce Lady Trojan High basketball team were 2A State Champions in 1998 and 2002, and the Bruce Trojan High School football team were 2A State Champions in 1996.

Notable people

 * Jimmy Hubbard, mayor
 * Charles Beckett, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
 * Ron Lundy, former WABC-AM and WCBS-FM disc jockey
 * Armegis Spearman, former National Football League player and former Ole Miss (University of Mississippi) linebacker
 * Larry Stewart, philanthropist known for being the original Secret Santa
 * Frederick Thomas, former National Football League player
 * Leo Welch, blues musician

title: Bruce, Mississippi


text:
Calhoun City, Mississippi

Calhoun City is a town in Calhoun County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,774 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Calhoun City is located in south-central Calhoun County., and is bordered on the east by the town of Derma. Mississippi Highway 9 runs through the center of the town, leading north 6 mi to Pittsboro, the county seat, and 10 mi north to Bruce. Mississippi Highway 8 leads east from the center of town 8 mi to Vardaman and 18 mi to Houston. The two highways head south from the town together, Highway 9 leading 9 mi south to Slate Springs and Highway 8 leading 31 mi south then west to Grenada.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 6.15 km2, of which 6.11 km2 is land and 0.04 km2, or 0.69%, is water. The Yalobusha River, a tributary of the Yazoo River, passes a mile south of the center of town.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,533 people, 709 households, and 436 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,872 people, 736 households, and 530 families residing in the town. The population density was 789.1 PD/sqmi. There were 827 housing units at an average density of 348.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 66.72% Caucasian, 32.00% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.05% Asian, 0.16% from other races, and 0.96% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.69% of the population.

There were 736 households, out of which 34.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.3% were married couples living together, 23.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.9% were non-families. 26.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.84.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.1% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 23.2% from 25 to 44, 21.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females, there were 73.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 66.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,983, and the median income for a family was $28,047. Males had a median income of $27,917 versus $20,292 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,294. About 23.2% of families and 25.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.1% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Calhoun City is served by the Calhoun County School District. Calhoun City High School's athletic teams are known as the Wildcats.

In 1968, Calhoun Academy was formed as a segregation academy by white parents seeking to avoid sending their children to racially integrated public schools. Its sports teams are known as the Cougars.

Notable people

 * Ace Cannon, saxophone player and Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame inductee
 * Billy Cowan, former Major League Baseball player
 * M. D. Jennings, defensive back for the Green Bay Packers
 * Vester Newcomb, former National Football League player and head football coach of University of Tennessee at Martin from 1978 to 1979
 * Dave Parker, former Major League Baseball player
 * Scott Suber, former Mississippi State first-team All-American
 * Cornelius Wortham, former National Football League and Alabama Crimson Tide player
 * Perry Van Bailey, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives (2023–present)

title: Calhoun City, Mississippi


text:
Derma, Mississippi

Derma is a town in Calhoun County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,025 at the 2010 census.

Geography
Derma is located in south-central Calhoun County at 33.85667°N, -89.28639°W (33.856531, -89.286384). It is bordered to the west by Calhoun City. Mississippi Highway 8 runs through the center of town, leading west into Calhoun City and east 6 mi to Vardaman.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 4.6 km2, all land. The Yalobusha River, a tributary of the Yazoo River, passes about one mile south of the town.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 957 people, 465 households, and 297 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,023 people, 374 households, and 287 families residing in the town. The population density was 909.3 PD/sqmi. There were 397 housing units at an average density of 352.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 57.67% African American, 41.45% White, 0.10% Native American, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 0.10% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.39% of the population.

There were 374 households, out of which 40.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.1% were married couples living together, 24.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.0% were non-families. 22.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.74 and the average family size was 3.20.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 31.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females, there were 80.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 74.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $22,344, and the median income for a family was $31,000. Males had a median income of $22,130 versus $16,364 for females. The per capita income for the town was $14,274. About 17.6% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 23.8% of those under age 18 and 20.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Derma is served by the Calhoun County School District.

Notable natives

 * Glenn Hardin, Olympic gold medalist

title: Derma, Mississippi


text:
Slate Springs, Mississippi

Slate Springs is a village in Calhoun County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 110 at the 2010 census.

History
In 1900, the population was 189.

In 1907, Slate Springs was noted for having two churches, a school, a flour mill, a saw mill, and a money order post-office.

Geography
Mississippi Highway 9 passes through the village, leading north 9 mi to Calhoun City and south 16 mi to Eupora.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 3.7 km2, all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 121 people, 49 households, and 34 families residing in the village. The population density was 84.0 PD/sqmi. There were 63 housing units at an average density of 43.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 96.69% White, 0.83% African American, 0.83% Native American, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 49 households, out of which 24.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.2% were married couples living together, 8.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.6% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the village, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 24.8% from 45 to 64, and 13.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.8 males.

The median income for a household in the village was $26,875, and the median income for a family was $39,375. Males had a median income of $30,417 versus $20,417 for females. The per capita income for the village was $11,322. There were 26.3% of families and 27.3% of the population living below the poverty line, including 36.2% of under eighteens and 58.3% of those over 64.

Education
Slate Springs is served by the Calhoun County School District.

Notable people

 * J. J. Adams, Mississippi state senator (1908-1912), Slate Springs native
 * Fox Conner, United States Army officer, early mentor of Dwight D. Eisenhower
 * Anne (Phillips) McMath, wife of Arkansas governor Sid McMath, was born in Slate Springs in 1920.

title: Slate Springs, Mississippi


text:
Vardaman, Mississippi

Vardaman is a town in Calhoun County, Mississippi. The town's population was 1,316 at the time of the 2010 United States Census.

History
The town is named after James Kimble Vardaman, Mississippi governor from 1904 to 1908. Vardaman was a Democrat who later became a member of the United States Senate.

In the early days of the town, its post office was named "Timberville" while the town was still known as "Vardaman," leading to confusion in various letterheads. Postmaster Henry Clay Payne refused to name a post office after James K. Vardaman who had been accused of attacking Theodore Roosevelt in newspaper editorials published in the Greenwood Commonwealth.

The town's post office was officially named "Vardaman" in 1912. Vardaman, MS was made in 1909.

Geography
Vardaman is located in eastern Calhoun County. Mississippi Highway 8 passes through the town, leading west 8 mi to Calhoun City and east 10 mi to Houston, as well as Mississippi Highway 341, leading north 33 mi to Pontotoc and south 11 mi to Atlanta and Woodland.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 3.5 km2, all land. The Yalobusha River, a tributary of the Yazoo River, flows past the town less than one mile to the south.

Vardaman is located in one of Mississippi's top five sweet potato-producing counties. The Vardaman Sweet Potato Festival, also known as the National Sweet Potato Festival, is held there annually the entire first week in November. Vardaman has been proclaimed as the "Sweet Potato Capital of the World".

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 1,110 people, 440 households, and 318 families residing in the town.

2000 census
, there were 1,065 people, 426 households, and 276 families residing in the town. The population density was 785.3 PD/sqmi. There were 471 housing units at an average density of 347.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 58.69% White, 33.90% African American, 0.19% Native American, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 6.38% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.77% of the population.

There were 426 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,518, and the median income for a family was $29,205. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $17,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,530. About 22.0% of families and 24.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 27.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Vardaman is served by the Calhoun County School District. Children in the Vardaman area attend either Vardaman Elementary School (Grades K-6) or Vardaman High School (Grades 7-12). Vardaman High School's sports teams are known as the Rams.

The Vardaman Rams football program has won 14 division titles in school history and has advanced to the North Half State Finals six times. The Rams also have appeared in the playoffs 29 times, which is tied for the 5th most all-time in the state and 2nd most in the 1A classification.

Odie Armstrong, a running back that broke numerous records in the arena football league, played football at Vardaman. In his high school career, Armstrong rushed for 5,838 yards and 104 touchdowns, including 39 scores in a record-breaking senior season.

The Vardaman Lady Rams basketball team has won two state championships, one in 1959 and another in 1969. The Lady Rams also appeared in the state championship tournament in 2016. The Rams are now coached by Connor Hudspeth or Tupelo, MS.

Notable people

 * Odie Armstrong, player in the Arena Football League
 * Mary Wilma Hodge, physicist
 * Barbara Yancy, politician

title: Vardaman, Mississippi


text:
Carrollton, Mississippi

Carrollton is a town in and the second county seat of Carroll County, Mississippi, United States, which is within the Mississippi Delta. The population was 190 at the 2010 census, down from 408 in 2000. Centrally located in the county, the town is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area. The first county seat, Vaiden, was founded in the eastern part of the county during its early settlement.

History
The town was developed as the county seat and trading center for rural Carroll County, which was devoted to cotton agriculture and plantations in the antebellum era.

The town was the location of the Carroll County Courthouse Massacre, in 1886.

Geography
Carrollton is located in central Carroll County on the south side of Big Sand Creek, a tributary of the Yalobusha River. According to the United States Census Bureau, Carrollton has a total area of 0.8 sqmi, all land.

The town borders North Carrollton, which is located directly to the north across the creek. Mississippi Highways 17 and 35 pass through the center of Carrollton, leading north into North Carrollton. Many residents of Carrollton and North Carrollton consider the towns a single entity, simply referred to as Carrollton.

Highway 35 continues north 21 mi to Holcomb; in the other direction, it leads southeast 18 mi to Vaiden, the other county seat. Highway 17 leads south 30 mi to Lexington. U.S. Route 82, a four-lane divided highway, passes through the southern part of Carrollton, leading east 11 mi to Winona and west 18 mi to Greenwood.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Carrollton has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 423 people, 73 households, and 43 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 408 people, 85 households, and 62 families residing in the town. The population density was 522.0 PD/sqmi. There were 99 housing units at an average density of 126.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 50.00% White and 50.00% African American. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49% of the population.

There were 85 households, out of which 24.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.6% were married couples living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.9% were non-families. 24.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.65.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 8.3% under the age of 18, 27.9% from 18 to 24, 34.3% from 25 to 44, 18.1% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 312.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 340.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $48,750, and the median income for a family was $53,333. Males had a median income of $21,667 versus $23,750 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,536. About 6.9% of families and 6.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.3% of those under age 18 and 10.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town of Carrollton is served by the Carroll County School District. Its schools are Marshall Elementary School and J. Z. George High School in North Carrollton.

It is also served by Carroll Academy, a private school in Carrollton.

Notable people

 * Benajah Harvey Carroll, Baptist pastor, theologian, teacher, and author
 * G. L. Crockett, R&B singer
 * Basil LeFlore, Governor of the Choctaw nation
 * Robert LeFlore, 11-term Illinois state legislator
 * Billy Nichols, musician
 * Willie Norwood, professional basketball player
 * John A. Pittman, Korean War hero
 * Elizabeth Spencer, writer

title: Carrollton, Mississippi


text:
North Carrollton, Mississippi

North Carrollton is a town in Carroll County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 473 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area.

Geography
North Carrollton is bordered to the south by the town of Carrollton, the county seat. The two towns are separated by Big Sand Creek, a tributary of the Yalobusha River. Many residents of Carrollton and North Carrollton consider the towns a single entity, simply referred to as Carrollton.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 0.8 km2, all land.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 405 people, 170 households, and 76 families residing in the town.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 499 people, 226 households, and 153 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,599.3 PD/sqmi. There were 253 housing units at an average density of 810.9 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 56.51% White, 42.89% African American, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.80% of the population.

There were 226 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.6% were married couples living together, 22.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 19.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.71.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 22.8% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 20.4% from 45 to 64, and 21.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.6 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $19,659, and the median income for a family was $23,333. Males had a median income of $24,688 versus $17,361 for females. The per capita income for the town was $11,454. About 28.0% of families and 33.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.0% of those under age 18 and 30.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town of North Carrollton is served by the Carroll County School District. Its schools are Marshall Elementary School and J. Z. George High School.

It is also served by Carroll Academy, a private school in Carrollton.

title: North Carrollton, Mississippi


text:
Vaiden, Mississippi

Vaiden is a town in Carroll County, Mississippi, United States and its first county seat. The population was 734 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greenwood, Mississippi micropolitan area.

History
Vaiden was founded circa 1857 and named after Dr. Cowles Mead Vaiden (April 21, 1812 - February 6, 1880), a local doctor, planter and philanthropist. In the late 1850s, Dr. Vaiden gave the right-of-way through his land for construction of the last span of the Central Railroad, in order to connect the state capital, Jackson, with Memphis, Tennessee. At about the railroad's completion in 1857, the population that had settled at the former Choctaw Indian town of Shongalo was moved to the east, to allow for better access to the railroad.

The new town was named in honor of Dr. Vaiden, and was made a regular stop on the railroad line. For that reason, it was designated as the county seat of Carroll County. Vaiden was incorporated on February 10, 1860. With additional development of population in the county, residents wanted to have access to a town closer to the Mississippi River. Carrollton was also designated as a county seat and is the site of the county courthouse.

Geography
U.S. Route 51 passes through the center of town.

According to the United States Census Bureau, Vaiden has a total area of 5.6 km2, all land.

2000 census
According to the 2000 census, there were 840 people, 326 households, and 202 families residing in the town. The population density was 383.8 PD/sqmi. There were 365 housing units at an average density of 166.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 28.45% White, 71.07% African American, 0.12% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.12% from other races, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 326 households, out of which 30.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.0% were married couples living together, 26.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.0% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.0% under the age of 18, 13.9% from 18 to 24, 29.5% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $15,000 and the median income for a family was $26,944. Males had a median income of $26,607 versus $15,500 for females. The per capita income for the town was $17,158. About 26.2% of families and 32.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.9% of those under age 18 and 38.6% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The town of Vaiden is served by the Carroll County School District. Its schools are Marshall Elementary School and J. Z. George High School in North Carrollton.

The town previously hosted Hathorne Elementary School and Vaiden High School. Vaiden High consolidated into George in 1999.

In 2006 Hathorne Elementary had 141 students and 21 employees. That year the district leadership proposed closing the school, an action criticized by George Tubreville, mayor of Vaiden. The consolidation of Vaiden High and a decline in enrollment at Hathorne contributed to the district deciding to close the elementary school. Hathorne Elementary closed in 2010 and the district stopped using the building. In 2014 Central Mississippi Inc., intending to establish a Head Start program, bought the school for $136,000.

Notable people

 * Earl L. Brewer, governor of Mississippi from 1912 to 1916
 * Verell Ferguson, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1912 to 1923
 * Walter Holman, former NFL player
 * Clarence Pierce, member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1952 to 1984

title: Vaiden, Mississippi


text:
Houston, Mississippi

Houston is a city and one of two county seats of Chickasaw County, in northeastern Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,623 at the 2010 census.

History
Native American groups had long used the future Chickasaw County for millennia before the coming of European adventurers. Eventually the natives were essentially forced out of the area. An 1832 treaty finally made the area secure for settlement, and emigrants rapidly moved in. The formation of Chickasaw County was authorized on February 9, 1836, and a few days later a committee was authorized to determine the location of the county seat. Judge Joel Pinson offered to donate land for development of this seat, and on July 8, 1836, his offer was accepted. Pinson named the settlement Houston in honor of Sam Houston, a childhood friend.

Construction began that year on a brick courthouse on the village square, and a jail one block north. The city of Houston was incorporated on May 9, 1837, and its first post office was authorized on December 5 of that same year. This means that Houston, Mississippi actually predates Houston, Texas, because the latter was incorporated one month later, on June 5, 1837.

The Civil War brought widespread ruin and loss to the county, including an incident when Union troops burned nearly all the county's records as workers tried to move them out for safekeeping. During the following decade, the nearly-moribund economy slowly recovered, but poor roads across the area continued to hamper commerce and daily life. To address this shortcoming, in 1866 the state authorized a second judicial district to be based in Okolona, while allowing the existing facilities in Houston to continue. Thus, the county became one of the few in the nation to host two bases for its court system.

In 1909, Houston became home to the first Carnegie library in the state, after local school superintendent L. B. Reid's request for a public library was approved by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, who had created a matching program for libraries. Also in 1909, an African American man, Robbie Daskin, was lynched for allegedly killing a preacher.

Houston hosts the Mississippi Flywheel Festival in April and September of every year.

Geography
Houston is located west of the center of Chickasaw County. Mississippi Highway 8 passes through the city, leading east 29 mi to Aberdeen and west 18 mi to Calhoun City. Mississippi Highway 15 bypasses the city to the west, crossing Highway 8 within a western extension of the city limits. Highway 15 leads north 26 mi to Pontotoc and south 27 mi to Mathiston. The Natchez Trace Parkway passes about 3 mi east of the city center; the Trace followed an ancient Native American trail.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.15 km2, of which 19.11 km2 is land and 0.05 km2, or 0.25%, is water.

Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Houston has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 3,797 people, 1,404 households, and 917 families residing in the city.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,079 people, 1,589 households, and 1,088 families residing in the city. The population density was 537.4 PD/sqmi. There were 1,721 housing units at an average density of 226.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 59.89% White, 36.58% African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 2.70% from other races, and 0.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 5.12% of the population.

There were 1,589 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.6% were married couples living together, 19.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 26.9% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,709, and the median income for a family was $31,979. Males had a median income of $27,214 versus $22,000 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,482. About 22.6% of families and 21.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.8% of those under age 18 and 28.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The city of Houston is served by the Chickasaw County School District. Houston High School is the community's high school.

The Houston School District and the old Chickasaw County district merged into a new district on July 1, 2021.

The Houston Public Schools system is home to 11-time National Dell-Winston Solar Car Challenge Championships.

Transportation
Houston was once served by both the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad and Okolona, Houston and Calhoun City Railway. In the early 21st century, both of these rail lines were abandoned. Sections of the former have been converted to a recreational trail.

Notable people

 * Dee Barton, film and big band composer, Stan Kenton Orchestra drummer, Jackson State University composer in residence
 * David R. Bowen, U.S. Representative from Mississippi's 2nd congressional district 1973–1983
 * N. W. Bradford, member of the Mississippi State Senate (1916–1920), and of the Mississippi House of Representatives (1904–1908)
 * T. Jeff Busby, U.S. Representative 1923–1935
 * Terry Catledge, NBA player
 * William R. Dunlap, artist, writer, and arts commentator
 * Chris Jones, NFL player
 * Ricky Love, former professional basketball player
 * Walter Stanley Mooneyham, evangelical author
 * Rosa Lee Tucker (1866–1946), Mississippi State Librarian
 * William F. Tucker, brigadier general in the Confederate States Army and member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
 * Howard Waldrop (1946–2024), science fiction author
 * Bukka White, Delta blues guitarist

title: Houston, Mississippi


text:
New Houlka, Mississippi

New Houlka, also referred to simply as Houlka, is a town in Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. It was founded in 1904 to take advantage of a railway line of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad. Residents moved their buildings over from the original settlement, now referred to as "Old Houlka", located to the west. The population was 626 at the 2010 census.

Started around a fur trading post prior to 1794, Old Houlka is the oldest surviving settlement in north Mississippi. In the 19th century, much of the land was developed for cotton plantations and the market town did good business.

History
This area was a well-established center of Chickasaw culture by the 1500s.

Settlers arrived in the late 1700s and established a Chickasaw Agency House at Houlka for trading with the natives. Agency representatives called the settlement "Holkey" in their earliest correspondence, which dates from 1794 after the United States gained independence from Great Britain.

Houlka was located at the crossroads of the ancient Native American pathways known as the Natchez Trace and the Gaines Trace.

In 1805, Silas Dinsmoor hosted a ball at the Agency House. Attending were future U.S. Representative John McKee and former U.S. Vice-President Aaron Burr. A post office was established in 1826. The cultivation and processing of cotton became the basis of the economy, and African slaves were brought to the region through the domestic slave trade to serve as laborers. The production of cotton brought some wealth to white planters.

During the Civil War, Confederate forces led by General Samuel J. Gholson clashed with Federal troops at a swamp-crossing near Houlka.

Houlka was incorporated in 1884. Houlka High School was founded in 1890 "to establish a permanent and high grade institution for the education of white students of both sexes". The Legislature also prohibited sales of "intoxicating liquors" within 4 mi of the school. That year the Mississippi legislature, dominated by white Democrats, passed a new constitution that effectively disenfranchised most blacks, a status that the state maintained well into the 1960s to exclude them from the state's political system.

In 1904, the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad built a line from New Albany to Pontotoc, passing 1 mi east of Houlka. Soon after, residents began moving to "New Houlka", located near the railway line, which had become critical to commerce. Buildings were rolled on logs from Old Houlka to New Houlka, and pulled by teams of oxen.

By 1906, New Houlka had a bank, three churches, a saw mill, an academy, a plow factory, and a population of about 500. The town was incorporated that same year.

During the mid to late 20th century, railroads restructured and closed many lines, even for freight, because of competition from trucking. In 2004, the railway running through New Houlka, by then owned by the Mississippi Tennessee Railroad, was abandoned between New Albany and Houston, a distance of 43.2 mi. Under the federal 'Rails to Trails' program overseen by the ICC, the track was removed and a rail trail called the "Tanglefoot Trail" was built on the right-of-way, creating a new recreational and public health resource.

Name
The etymology of Houlka is unclear. Some hold it is derived from a Native American name meaning "low land" or "low water," while others believe it means "turkey".

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.2 km2), all land.

Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 710 people, 285 households, and 186 families residing in the town. The population density was 581.7 PD/sqmi. There were 319 housing units at an average density of 261.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the town was 74.23% White, 24.79% African American, 0.56% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.97% of the population.

There were 285 households, out of which 34.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 18.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.7% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.4% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.9 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $20,417, and the median income for a family was $28,958. Males had a median income of $22,353 versus $18,542 for females. The per capita income for the town was $10,812. About 20.0% of families and 24.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.7% of those under age 18 and 26.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education
The Town of New Houlka is served by the Chickasaw County School District. It is the location of the Houlka Attendance Center. The old Houlka High School building is still extant.

Notable people

 * Charles Easley, Associate Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court
 * Earl J. Hamilton, historian
 * Jim Hood, Former Mississippi Attorney General

title: New Houlka, Mississippi


text:
Okolona, Mississippi

Okolona is a city in and one of the two county seats of Chickasaw County, Mississippi, United States. It is located near the eastern border of the county. The population was 2,692 at the 2010 census. It had a large furniture industry and the Wilson Park resort.

History
Okolona was named as Rose Hill in 1845 early in its settlement, but residents later discovered that another location had this name. When a US post office was established here in 1850, a new name was needed to avoid confusion in mail delivery. According to the Okolona Area Chamber of Commerce, Colonel Josiah N. Walton, postmaster of nearby Aberdeen, Mississippi, remembered an encounter with a Chickasaw warrior years earlier. The man's name was Oka-laua, meaning peaceful, yellow, or blue water. Walton renamed Rose Hill as Okolona in his honor.

Due to the destruction brought to the area by the Civil War, few structures from the antebellum period remain. The Elliott-Donaldson House, constructed in 1850, survives and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. A few other homes have also survived.

In the mid nineteenth century, Okolona and the surrounding Black Prairie, sometimes called the Black Belt or Prairie Belt, became what has been called the "Bread Basket of the Confederacy". The area was part of the original Cotton Belt of Mississippi well before the more famous Delta region gained fame for major cotton production.

The Mobile and Ohio Railroad completed its tracks though Okolona in 1859, making the town a center for the ginning of cotton and its shipment to markets. The town grew along Main Street as a result of the railroad. Most commercial buildings from this period, including the depot, were burned during the Civil War.

Civil War era
Five skirmishes or battles between Union and Confederate forces occurred in and around Okolona. The eponymous Battle of Okolona occurred in February 1864. In a running cavalry clash between Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest and Union General William Sooy Smith, the Federals were defeated just north and west of town. General Forrest's brother, Jeffery, was killed in the engagement.

Okolona College
Okolona College was an historically black college served African Americans 1902–1965. Today it is central to the Okolona College Historic District.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.26 km2, of which 17.21 km2 is land and 0.04 km2, or 0.23%, is water.

As highways were built, they passed through the city, connecting it with other towns. This is the location of the junction of former U.S. Route 45 Alternate (Church Street) and Mississippi Highway 32 (Monroe Avenue). US-45A now bypasses the town to the east as a four-lane divided highway.

2020 census
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 2,513 people, 1,164 households, and 645 families residing in the city.

2010 census
As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,692 people living in the city. 70.0% were African American, 27.9% White, 0.0% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.9% from some other race and 1.1% of two or more races. 1.3% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,056 people, 1,177 households, and 786 families living in the city. The population density was 481.8 PD/sqmi. There were 1,315 housing units at an average density of 207.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 39.40% White, 59.62% African American, 0.03% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.13% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. 1.05% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 1,177 households, out of which 33.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.6% were married couples living together, 28.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.2% were non-families. 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 22.0% from 45 to 64, and 14.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 77.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,000, and the median income for a family was $32,147. Males had a median income of $26,217 versus $17,276 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,486. 35.4% of the population and 29.7% of families were below the poverty line. Of the total people living in poverty, 55.4% were under the age of 18 and 20.9% were 65 or older.

Education
Okolona is served by the Okolona Municipal Separate School District. On February 19, 2010, the Mississippi State Board of Education voted unanimously to abolish the school district. State Superintendent of Education Tom Burnham said the conservator of the district will be Mike Vinson.

Notable people

 * Thomas Abernethy, former US Congressman
 * Bob Anderson (Mississippi politician), Mississippi state senator
 * Tim Bowens, NFL player for the Miami Dolphins for 10 seasons
 * Tom Bowens, former professional basketball player
 * Frank Burkitt, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi State Senate
 * DeVan Dallas, Mississippi state legislator
 * Meredith Gardner, linguist and codebreaker
 * Jack Gordon, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Mississippi State Senate
 * James Gordon, United States Senator
 * Jack Gregory, NFL player; member, Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
 * Russell Jolly, member of the Mississippi State Senate
 * William Raspberry, columnist
 * Rosa Lee Tucker (1866–1946), Mississippi State Librarian
 * Milan Williams, keyboardist and composer for The Commodores
 * Delphia Welford, Third-oldest person ever from the United States.

title: Okolona, Mississippi