Tishomingo County, Mississippi

Tishomingo County
County
Tishomingo County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 34°44′N 88°14′W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
Founded	February 9, 1836
Named for	Chief Tishomingo
Seat	Iuka
Largest city	Iuka
Area
• Total	445 sq mi (1,150 km2)
• Land	424 sq mi (1,100 km2)
• Water	20 sq mi (50 km2)  4.6%
Population  (2010)
• Total	19,593
• Density	46/sq mi (18/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	1st

Tishomingo County is a county located in the northeast corner of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 19,593. Its county seat is Iuka.

History

Tishomingo County was organized February 9, 1836, from Chickasaw lands that were ceded to the United States. The Chickasaw were forced by Indian Removal to relocate to lands in the Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). In 1870 this land was divided into Alcorn, Prentiss and Tishomingo counties.

1870 courthouse, in Iuka, Ms..

Tishomingo was referred to in the Coen brothers' film, O Brother, Where Art Thou?.

Government

Board of supervisors

• Brandon Grissom, District 1
• Nicky McRae, District 2
• Danny Ryan, District 3
• Jeff Holt, District 4
• Greg Collier, District 5

Chancery clerk

• Peyton Cummings

State representatives

• Representative Lester Carpenter, Mississippi House of Representatives - District 1
• Representative Mark DuVall, Mississippi House of Representatives - District 19
• Senator Eric Powell, Mississippi State Senate - District 4
• Senator J. P. Wilemon, Mississippi State Senate - District 5

Geography

Woodall Mountain, elevation 807 feet, is the highest point in the state of Mississippi.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 445 square miles (1,150 km²), of which 424 square miles (1,100 km²) is land and 20 square miles (52 km²) (4.6%) is water. The highest natural point in Mississippi, the 806 feet (246 meter) Woodall Mountain, is located in the county. Tishomingo County is the only county in Mississippi with outcroppings of natural limestone formations.

Adjacent counties

• Hardin County, Tennessee (north)
• Lauderdale County, Alabama (northeast)
• Colbert County, Alabama (east)
• Franklin County, Alabama (southeast)
• Itawamba County (south)
• Prentiss County (southwest)
• Alcorn County (northwest)

Major highways

• U.S. Route 72
• Mississippi Highway 4
• Mississippi Highway 25
• Mississippi Highway 30
• Mississippi Highway 172
• Mississippi Highway 350
• Mississippi Highway 364
• Mississippi Highway 365
• Mississippi Highway 366
• Mississippi Highway 760
• Natchez Trace Parkway

National protected area

Natchez Trace Parkway

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1840	6,681		—
1850	15,490		131.9%
1860	24,149		55.9%
1870	7,350		−69.6%
1880	8,774		19.4%
1890	9,302		6.0%
1900	10,124		8.8%
1910	13,067		29.1%
1920	15,091		15.5%
1930	16,411		8.7%
1940	16,974		3.4%
1950	15,544		−8.4%
1960	13,889		−10.6%
1970	14,940		7.6%
1980	18,434		23.4%
1990	17,683		−4.1%
2000	19,163		8.4%
2010	19,593		2.2%
2016 (est.)	19,491		−0.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790-1960 1900-1990 1990-2000 2010-2013

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 19,593 people residing in the county. 94.5% were White, 2.6% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 1.7% of some other race and 0.8% of two or more races. 2.8% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census of 2000 there were 19,163 people, 7,917 households, and 5,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile (17/km²). There were 9,553 housing units at an average density of 22 per square mile (9/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.93% White, 3.11% Black or African American, 0.21% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.06% from other races, and 0.59% from two or more races. 1.79% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

By 2005 the population was 93.4% non-Hispanic white. 3.6% of the population was African-American. 2.6% of the population was Latino.

In 2000 there were 7,917 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.1% were married couples living together, 10.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.6% were non-families. 27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the county, the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 24.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.8 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,315, and the median income for a family was $34,378. Males had a median income of $28,109 versus $19,943 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,395. About 11% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.6% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.

Recreation

Bridge over Bear Creek in Tishomingo State Park.

• Tishomingo State Park is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Tishomingo County, Mississippi, north of Tupelo, Mississippi. Activities in the park including canoeing, rock climbing, fishing and hiking. The park was constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s. Many of the original buildings are still standing. The park is named for an early leader of the Chickasaw nation, Chief Tishomingo (1734-1838).
• J.P. Coleman State Park is a state park in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is located north of Iuka off Mississippi Highway 25. It sits along the banks of the Tennessee River and Pickwick Lake. The park is named for James P. Coleman, a former governor of Mississippi. Activities include sailing, swimming, camping, hiking, skiing, and fishing for smallmouth bass.
• Bay Springs Lake is a reservoir on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway in the U.S. state of Mississippi. It is impounded by the Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam. The lake is approximately nine miles long, between waterway mile markers 412 at the dam, and 421 near the entrance to the divide cut.
• The Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway (popularly known as the Tenn-Tom) is a 234-mile (377 km) artificial waterway that provides a connecting link between the Tennessee and Tombigbee rivers. The waterway begins at Pickwick Lake on the Tennessee River, then flows southward through northeast Mississippi and west Alabama, finally connecting with the established Warrior-Tombigbee navigation system at Demopolis, Alabama.

Communities

City

• Iuka (county seat)

Towns

• Belmont
• Burnsville
• Tishomingo

Villages

• Paden
• Golden

Unincorporated communities

• Dennis
• Doskie
• Midway
• Mingo
• Oldham
• Pittsburg
• Short

Gallery

• 
  Monument to Confederate soldiers who served in the American Civil War
• 
  Southwest view of the Old Tishomingo County courthouse in Iuka, Mississippi.
• 
  State historical marker for Old Tishomingo County Courthouse

See also

• Battle of Iuka
• Jacinto, historic county seat of the original Tishomingo County
• Natchez Trace Parkway
• National Register of Historic Places listings in Tishomingo County, Mississippi
• Woodall Mountain

External links

• Tishomingo County Development Foundation
• Tishomingo County Archives & History Museum