Tocowa, Mississippi
Tocowa, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
 Center Hill Cemetery in Tocowa. | |
  Tocowa, Mississippi  Tocowa, Mississippi | |
| Coordinates: 34°13′25″N 90°03′35″W / 34.22361°N 90.05972°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Panola |
| Elevation | 243 ft (74 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code | 662 |
| GNIS feature ID | 685752[1] |
Tocowa is a ghost town located just outside Batesville in Panola County, Mississippi, United States.[2]
History
[edit]In 1938, Federal Writers' Project wrote up a sketch of the town, and surmised its name to be derived Chickasaw and Choctaw languages meaning "healing waters".[3] However, more recent scholarship rejects the "healing waters" interpretation, and purports the name to mean "broken and bent down trees" or "firewood".[4]
During the late 18th century, and well into the 19th century, the town grew around a natural spring. The spring was used as a socializing area by Native Americans who believed in the spring's mysterious healing powers and that the water could heal braves wounded in battle.[3][5] In the May 25, 1867 edition of The Weekly Panola Star newspaper, the spring was described as "a fine, clear, and bold running mineral spring of known and well attested medicinal virtues".[6]
A post office operated under the name Tocowa from 1900 to 1921.[7]
Notable natives
[edit]Former Mississippi governor Ronnie Musgrove was born and raised in Tocowa. At that time, the town had a population of 42.[2]
External links
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Tocowa, Mississippi
- ^ a b "Mississippi Department of Archives and History" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on October 16, 2010. Retrieved April 13, 2009.
- ^ a b Works Progress Administration, Federal Writers' Project (May 1938). Gene Holcomb (ed.). Mississippi: A Guide to the Magnolia State. American Guide series. Viking Press. p. 382. ISBN 1-60354-023-7.
- ^ Baca, Keith A. (2007). Native American Place Names in Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi. p. 117. ISBN 978-1-60473-483-6.
- ^ National Park Service PDF file
- ^ "The Coal Mines". The Weekly Panola Star. May 25, 1867.
- ^ "Panola County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 8, 2024.
Municipalities and communities of Panola County, Mississippi, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| City |  | |
| Towns | ||
| Village | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Ghost town | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |