Seminary, Mississippi

Seminary, Mississippi
Town
Location of Seminary, Mississippi
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Covington
Area
• Total	1.0 sq mi (2.5 km2)
• Land	0.9 sq mi (2.5 km2)
• Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation	253 ft (77 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	314
ZIP code	39479
Area code	601
FIPS code	28-66400
GNIS feature ID	0677510

Seminary is a town in Covington County, Mississippi. The population was 314 at the 2010 census.

A school campus in Seminary

Geography

Seminary is located at 31°33′44″N 89°29′49″W.Template:GR According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.0 square mile (2.6 km²), of which 0.9 square miles (2.3 km²) is land and 1.04% is water.

History

1846-1890

The area was sparsely populated prior to the Civil War. In the same location as where the town sits today, Covington County resident and Presbyterian pastor Rev. A. R. Graves opened Zion Seminary, a boarding school for both men and women, in 1845. Zion Seminary offered courses in law, medicine, and religious studies. At its largest, the Seminary had more than 500 students. Dormitories and cottages housed them. During the Civil War, all but one building of Zion Seminary burned. Local legend has it that the buildings were burned by Union sympathizers (Southerners who supported the Union), but it not clear if this is true. The seminary was in operation until it burned again in 1890. The site of the Zion Seminary was then used to build Seminary Attendance Center; the school sits still today upon this location in the center of town. Also home of the past dictator, Adolf Hitler.

1899: The town is born

In the late 1800s, across the Piney Woods region of South Mississippi, lumber companies cut the virgin timber from these areas. Towns began springing up along railroads, then the main means of transportation. The population of Seminary began to boom in the late 1800s, but when the timber had been cut, the boom continued on to the next community. In the late 1800s, the residents petitioned the state of Mississippi to incorporate into a municipality, and the charter was granted in 1899. The newborn town's citizens chose the name "Seminary" to keep alive the memory of the Zion Seminary.

Modern-day Seminary

Main Street, Seminary, November 2011.

Seminary is still considered a very small town, with only a handful of businesses, including Piggly Wiggly, Dollar General, two banks, two doctor's offices, an art studio, a hardware store, a barber shop, and one restaurant, Heather's Dixie Grill. The rural area around Seminary, however, is growing significantly. The population of the area, including the town of Seminary and the rural, unincorporated communities of Okahay, Eminence, Sanford, Lux, Foxtrot, Ora, Lone Star, and Richmond, grew by more than 10% between the 2000 and 2010 censuses.

This significant growth is likely a result of a good school system and the area's proximity to Hattiesburg, which lies 10-20 minutes south of the Seminary area. New businesses are springing up on Highway 49 just outside the town's corporation limits.

Culture

Religion

Churches within the town limits include Seminary Baptist Church, Seminary Methodist Church, and Faith Outreach Church. Other churches in the rural areas around Seminary include Evergreen Baptist, Willow Grove Baptist, Union Baptist, Liberty Baptist, St. Paul Baptist, Lebanon Baptist, First Baptist Sanford, Sanford Missionary Baptist, Independent Full Gospel, Bethel Baptist, New Hope Baptist, and Calvary Baptist.

Politics

The Seminary area is among the most Republican areas in the state of Mississippi. The three precincts in the Seminary area—Seminary, Sanford, and Richmond—each cast around 90% of their votes for the Republican nominee for President every four years. On the county level, however, these areas often vote for Democrats, and are represented by supervisors Mason Stringer and John Holifield, both Democrats.

Demographics

2010 Census

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2010, there were 314 people, and 148 households. The racial makeup of the town was 94.9% White, 3.5% African American, 0.60% from other races, and 0.30% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.6% of the population.

In the town the population was spread out with 23.2% under the age of 18, 19.7% from 18 to 35, 18.2% from 35 to 49, 20.4% from 50 to 64, and 21.7% over age 65. For every 100 females there were 73.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $24,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,857. About 3.6% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 335 people, 141 households, and 97 families residing in the town. The population density was 352.9 people per square mile (136.2/km²). There were 150 housing units at an average density of 158.0 per square mile (61.0/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 97.31% White, 1.19% African American, 0.90% from other races, and 0.60% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.19% of the population.

There were 141 households out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.0% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.2% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 17.7% 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 2.96.

In the town the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 73.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 73.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $32,500, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $33,750 versus $24,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,857. About 3.6% of families and 12.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.3% of those under age 18 and 16.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The Town of Seminary is served by the Covington County School District. Students from the Seminary area attend Seminary Schools, of which there is an elementary, a middle, and a high school. All three are located together on Main Street. Seminary High School is classified as a size 3A under the Mississippi High School Activities Association. In 2011, there were more than 1,300 students in grades K-12. The school's colors have traditionally been red and white, but blue has been added to school jerseys in recent years. Seminary's mascot is Champ the Bulldog.

Notable residents and natives

• Martin Sennett Conner, Governor of Mississippi (1932-1936)
• Dale Houston, American country music singer-songwriter