Mississippi

9 Towns in Mississippi With Vibrant Downtown Areas

Published

2 months ago

September 15, 2024

9 Towns in Mississippi With Vibrant Downtown Areas

The state of Mississippi, also known as the “Magnolia State,” lies along the Gulf Coast of the United States between Louisiana and Alabama. Home to around three million people, this great state is best known for the Mississippi Pot Roast, the cities of Jackson and Biloxi, and Windsor Ruins, which is located near Port Gibson. Mississippi is also home to around 300 towns smaller than Jackson and Biloxi, many of them possessing vibrant downtown areas. From Oxford’s historic downtown square to downtown Tupelo and the Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum, there are several excellent examples of great Mississippi towns possessing some of the most thriving downtown areas.

Oxford

The Oxford, Mississippi, town hall sits prominently on the town’s historic square. Image credit James Kirkikis via Shutterstock

Located around 85 miles southeast of the city of Memphis, Tennessee, the town of Oxford is best known for being home to the University of Mississippi and Rowan Oak, the former residence of William Faulkner. Yet, this “Ole Miss” town has a vibrant, happening downtown area as well.

Between all the eateries and restaurants in and around “the Square,” including Boure Restaurant, Rooster’s Blues House, and the Oxford Burger Co., there is always something great around every corner that will tantalize the taste buds. There are also several festivals and events held in downtown Oxford every year. The Double Decker Arts Festival takes place in April, and Oxford Endurance Weekend happens every August.

Vicksburg

The pastoral, brick-lined town of Vicksburg, located 45 miles west of Jackson, is home to a thriving historical and cultural downtown area. In addition to several historic sites, including Vicksburg National Military Park and the Riverfront Murals along the banks of the Mississippi River, downtown Vicksburg hosts museums, such as the USS Cairo Museum, the Old Depot Museum, and the Civil War Museum.

A variety of exhilarating festivals are also held in downtown Vicksburg every year, including ‘Burg Days of Summer’ and ‘Destination Downtown,’ showcasing the importance of thriving downtowns within the states of Mississippi, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

Natchez

Known as the oldest settlement along the banks of the Mississippi, the picturesque town of Natchez displays a flash of history that began in 1716 as Fort Rosalie. Now, with a population of around 15,000 people, Natchez is home to a great historic downtown area.

From Longwood, the largest octagonal house in America as of 1860, to Stanton Hall, to the Rosalie Mansion, owned by the Mississippi Daughters of the American Revolution, Natchez is filled with a love for the past. Plus, for those who have a slightly more modern taste, Natchez holds a variety of annual festivals downtown, including the Mudbug Music Festival in May and the Natchez Balloon Festival in October.

Bay St Louis

The archway for the Bay of St. Louis, Mississippi, a coastal beach town. Image credit clayton harrison via Shutterstock

From Bay St. Louis Beach and the L&N Historic Train Depot, which was built in 1928, to the Folk Art Museum and its collection of over 50 pieces by Alice Moseley, the town of Bay St. Louis is well worth visiting. Having just under 10,000 residents, Bay St. Louis possesses a vibrant downtown area, including several specialty shops, like California Drawstrings, as well as a variety of great eateries and restaurants, like the Ugly Pirate Cafe, which features Mediterranean fare along with several other cultures.

Downtown Bay St Louis also hosts awesome events and festivals annually, including the OLG Crab Festival, which is held by Our Lady of the Gulf every July.

Corinth

Situated in the northeastern corner of the state is the town of Corinth. Several events and festivals are held annually in Corinth that assist with downtown growth, including Music at the Yard, which takes place in May, and the Slugburger Festival, which occurs every July. The Slugburger Festival showcases a culinary delight known as the slugburger every year, which is a prominent staple in the South, and especially the state of Mississippi.

Downtown Corinth is also home to several museums and historic sites, like the Crossroads Museum, the Shiloh National Military Park Corinth Interpretive Center, and the Corinth Coke Museum, which showcases everything from Coca-Cola signs and lights to Coca-Cola refrigerators.

Laurel

250 miles south of the town of Corinth, the quaint town of Laurel is an avid historian’s delight. Possessing a taste of artistic integrity, Laurel is home to several historical sites, including the Lauren Rogers Museum of Art and the Jones County Visitor Center, which houses its own museum that caters to the history of Jones County. This town of less than 20,000 residents has a plethora of historical homes that are available to tour in and around downtown Laurel as well. The Green Barn and White Oak were both built around the beginning of the 1900s, and they are both conveniently located on North Fifth Avenue in downtown Laurel.

Port Gibson

Several miles east of the Mississippi River and around 30 miles south of Vicksburg, the quaint town of Port Gibson has historical as well as natural aspects, including Windsor Ruins, which survived the Civil War, burned down in 1890, and then was designated in 1985 as a Mississippi Landmark, and the Grand Gulf Military Park. Yet, this town of barely 1,000 permanent residents is also home to over 40 other historic sites, including the A.K. Shaifer House, where the first shots of the Civil War in Port Gibson were fired in 1863, and the Bernheimer Complex, which is quite close to several other historical attributes of Port Gibson, like the Mississippi National Bank, which was first established in 1803.

Cleveland

Between Clarksdale and Greenville, the town of Cleveland is most famously home to the Grammy Museum Mississippi, which showcases Grammy performances, relays the history of the Grammy Awards, and even displays sections on famous Red Carpet performers. There are also several other historic aspects to downtown Cleveland as well. The Martin & Sue King Railroad Museum and the Mississippi Delta Chinese Heritage Museum are both located in downtown Cleveland, along with plenty of mom-and-pop shops and local restaurants, like Magnolia Mockingbirds, a children’s clothing store to the south of downtown, and No Way Jose, a Mexican restaurant to the north of downtown. There are also several annual festivals that take place downtown, like their version of Octoberfest, with tasty food, excellent drinks, and some great music.

Tupelo

Quite close to the eastern border of Mississippi, the pastoral town of Tupelo, most well-known for being the birthplace of Elvis Presley, hosts other exhilarating historical and natural facets, like the Tupelo National Battlefield and Tombigbee Lake State Park. Yet, this normal-sized town of about 30,000 people is also home to a variety of festivals and events that bring visitors back every year. Along with the Tupelo Elvis Festival, which occurs annually in June, Tupelo holds several auto shows and classic car showcases year-round, as well as a wide variety of music festivals. There are also several great dining and shopping choices in downtown Tupelo, including Dodge’s Southern Style and Goodness Gracious.

The “Magnolia State,” also known as Mississippi, is inundated with great towns possessing vibrant downtown areas. From picturesque towns like Natchez, home of the Rosalie Mansion, which is home to the Daughters of the American Revolution, to the pastoral town of Laurel and great examples of premier architecture like the Green Barn, the historical and natural aspects of Mississippi cannot be passed by.

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Mississippi

This week in politics: Why Democrats didn’t vote for Kamala Harris in Mississippi as they’ve done in previous years

Published

3 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

This week in politics: Why Democrats didn’t vote for Kamala Harris in Mississippi as they’ve done in previous years

Hyde Smith not interested in US Sec. of Ag, and US Rep. Michael Guest once again in national spotlight last week.

Ever since Donald Trump won a lopsided victory over Vice President Kamala Harris, many have been researching how she lost by a worse margin than sitting President Joe Biden.

The answer might be as simple as this: Some Democrats simply didn’t vote, and that trend was true in Mississippi.

Analyzing election data from Mississippi and the nation, turnout was low across the board, but the GOP won by a larger percentage of ballots cast in the state than in some previous presidential elections.

According to Dallas Breen, the Stennis Institute’s executive director, many Democratic voters in swing counties did not see enough of a separation between Harris and Biden.

Not wanting to vote for Trump but also not seeing a reformer in Harris, many Mississippi Democrats just decided to stay home on Election Day, Breen said.

“From what we are seeing, you just had a lot of 50/50 counties, and there was a bigger drop off of Democrats not coming to vote than Republicans,” Breen said. “In years past, Democratic candidates were typically disconnected from that because they were senators, secretaries of state, etc.”

That theory is also illustrated by the fact that Trump won six Mississippi counties that went for Biden in 2020, including some in the Delta.

Hyde-Smith throws cold water on Sec. of Agriculture rumors

 Early last week, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican, finally spoke on what state politicos had been wondering for weeks: Will she become the next U.S. Secretary of Agriculture?

Her answer may not have a huge ripple effect, but it did reaffirm her bid for reelection in 2026.

“It’s an honor to be mentioned as a potential nominee for Secretary of Agriculture, but my plans are to remain in the Senate and continue to deliver for the people of Mississippi,” Hyde-Smith wrote in a press release. “As a former state agriculture commissioner and with my current committee assignments, I remain wholeheartedly committed to the ag community, its growth, and its success.”

With Hyde-Smith out, the question remains if any Mississippi politician will get a seat at Trump’s table. Whether that comes through an appointment or semi-regular trips to the White House over the next four years remains to be seen.

Mississippi US House Rep. at center of AG pick drama

For the second time since taking office, U.S. House Rep. Michael Guest, R-Dist. 3, took the national spotlight, though it was likely unwanted.

Guest, who chairs the House Ethics Committee, told reporters Wednesday afternoon that a report on Trump’s now-former U.S. Attorney General pick Matt Gaetz’ alleged sexual misconduct and drug abuse was not going to be released.

Over the last week, many had called on the committee to release the report to the Senate so when Gaetz came before an appointment committee, it would have all the facts. Others called on the Senate not to approve of the pick altogether.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, had said since Gaetz resigned from Congress when Trump appointed him, the report could not be released. Gaetz bowed out of the appointment on Thursday.

Guest did not respond to requests for comment on the Gaetz report. Nor did Sen. Roger Wicker or Hyde-Smith respond to whether they would vote to approve Gaetz’ appointment if it came before the full Senate.

“Democrats would have never nominated a candidate like Gaetz to anything,” U.S. House Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Dist.3, said in a statement to the Clarion ledger about the former AG pick. “(Gaetz) demeans the office of Attorney General. Shame on the Republicans for embarrassing themselves.”

Branning sues election commissioners to pressure on-time ballot counting

As of the afternoon on Nov. 15, the Hinds County Election Commission had yet to send its final tally of absentee and affidavit ballots to the Mississippi Secretary of State’s Office.

When it appeared that the commissioners might be pushing the count to the 5 p.m. deadline to submit them to, Mississippi Supreme Court Central District candidate and State Sen. Jenifer Branning’s attorney Spencer Ritchie filed a lawsuit in Hinds County Circuit Court to pressure them into finishing on time, he said.

Branning, a Republican from Philadelphia, has been on the record saying she is a constitutional conservative and would not “legislate from the bench. She has also been endorsed by the Mississippi GOP.

MSOS Communications Director Elizabeth Jonson confirmed after 6 p.m. on Nov. 15 that Hinds County had sent in its finalized results. The lawsuit was then dismissed, Ritchie told the Clarion Ledger in a text message.

Grant McLaughlin covers the Legislature state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335

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Mississippi

Moments that mattered in Mississippi State’s loss to No. 23 Missouri

Published

12 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

Moments that mattered in Mississippi State’s loss to No. 23 Missouri

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State’s defense came to play early in Saturday’s game against Missouri, but as has frequently been the case when Coleman Hutzler’s unit has a rare bright moment, the offense could not take advantage.

The No. 23 Tigers were backed up inside their own 10-yard line following a 48-yard Nick Barr-Mira punt, and then the Bulldogs’ defense delivered three straight big plays. Safety Hunter Washington violently broke up a screen pass on first down, linebacker Stone Blanton tripped up running back Nate Noel for a loss on second down, and after Isaac Smith brought the first wave of pressure on third down, Zakari Tillman sacked Brady Cook just outside the end zone.

With limited space for the snap, the ensuing Missouri punt traveled just 39 yards, and Kevin Coleman’s return gave MSU the ball at the Tigers’ 32. But on second-and-8, freshman quarterback Michael Van Buren faked a handoff to Davon Booth and faced pressure from Eddie Kelly Jr. as he surveyed his options downfield. He stumbled as he tried to step up in the pocket, leaving the ball dangling in his right hand as he tried to stay on his feet.

Defensive tackle Kristian Williams knocked the ball out, and before anyone in maroon realized what was happening, safety Daylan Carnell scooped it up in stride and took it back 68 yards for a touchdown without any Bulldog laying a hand on him.

MSU never recovered from the shock to its system, and Missouri went on to win 39-20.

“That was rough,” center Ethan Miner said. “Those situations happen, and it’s human instinct when something goes wrong, you want to get down. You can’t allow yourself to do it. You have to keep pushing. That’s what happens in life. That’s what happens in this game. Adversity is going to strike. How are you going to respond?”

Burden’s impressive catch underscores Tigers’ third-down success

The Bulldogs (2-9, 0-7 Southeastern Conference) trailed by just four points after a quarter, but the Tigers (8-3, 4-3) extended their first drive of the second quarter when Cook evaded a would-be sack from Branden Jennings and scrambled to move the chains on third down. Missouri kept moving on the ground until Sulaiman Kpaka burst into the backfield to bring down running back Nate Noel for a four-yard loss, bringing up a third-and-9 at the MSU 28.

Cook rolled to his right and flung the ball on the run toward the end zone, where star receiver Luther Burden III was tightly covered by safety Corey Ellington. But Ellington never turned back to the ball, and Burden made a last-second adjustment to separate himself from the defensive back and bring the ball in as he went to the ground. The Bulldogs never again trimmed the deficit to one score.

The Tigers finished 11-for-18 on third down and 2-for-2 on fourth down, and their average yards to go on third down was just 4.6. Missouri was a perfect 6-for-6 on medium-distance third downs (between five and eight yards).

“That’s just a play. (Burden) made a play,” said Blanton, who had a game-high 18 tackles. “Can’t hang our heads too hard on that. Other stuff, we have to be able to get off the field on.”

Fourth-down stop effectively ices game

Despite possessing the ball for less than four minutes in the second half, MSU pulled back within striking distance on Booth’s 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. After a missed field goal from Missouri, the Bulldogs were poised to get even closer, starting their next drive with a 49-yard deep ball from Van Buren to Kelly Akharaiyi.

On the second play of the fourth quarter, MSU faced a fourth-and-3 at the Tigers’ 17. Instead of kicking a field goal to get within one score, head coach Jeff Lebby kept his offense on the field, and Van Buren made a simple two-step drop and had Mosley open across the middle. But his throw was too low, and Mosley couldn’t quite reach down far enough to gather the ball in.

The Tigers proceeded to take almost nine minutes off the clock before Marcus Carroll put the final nail in the coffin with his third touchdown run of the game.

“We’re down 11, we have a chance on fourth-and-3,” Lebby said. “We’re being aggressive. The book (says) go all the way, I’m going for it, and we have to make that layup. That’s truly a layup where we have the ability to pitch and catch.”

Mississippi State Football MSU

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Mississippi

Snap Counts from Mizzou at Mississippi State, Season Tracker

Published

20 hours ago

November 24, 2024

Press Room

Snap Counts from Mizzou at Mississippi State, Season Tracker

The Missouri offense was on the field for over two thirds of the No. 23-ranked Tigers’ victory over Mississippi State in Week 13, possessing the ball for 41 minutes and 51 seconds.

The Missouri offense played 79 snaps in the win, tying its previous high in snaps in SEC play from when the Tigers won over Vanderbilt in double overtime.

The full snap counts for both sides of the ball for Missouri revealed some interesting lineup moves. Here’s the full counts found on Pro Football Focus.

Offense

LG Cayden Green, 79, 100%
RT Armand Membou, 79, 100%
C Drake Heismeyer, 79, 100%
QB Brady Cook, 79, 100%
LT Marcus Bryant, 79, 100%
RG Cam’Ron Johnson, 79, 100%
TE Jordon Harris, 57, 72%
TE Brett Norfleet, 53, 67%
WR Joshua Manning, 49, 62%
WR Theo Wease Jr., 45, 57%
WR Luther Burden III, 38, 48%
HB Nate Noel, 37, 47%
WR Marquis Johnson, 33, 42%
WR Mekhi Miller, 26, 33%
HB Marcus Carroll, 21, 27%
HB Jamal Roberts, 20, 25%
LG Mitchell Walters, 9, 11%
WR Daniel Blood, 5, 6%
HB Kewan Lacy, 1, 1%
TE Tyler Stephens, 1, 1%

• Interesting to see Joshua Mannig get more snaps than any other wide receiver. The coaching staff have praised his run blocking ability before though, which was what he did on 35 of his snaps.

• Pretty impressive for Marcus Carroll to score three touchdowns while only playing 27% of snaps

Defense

CB Dreyden Norwood, 50, 100%
S Daylan Carnell, 47, 94%
LB Triston Newson, 45, 90%
S Joseph Charleston, 43, 86%
CB Toriano Pride Jr., 41, 82%
ED Johnny Walker Jr., 40, 80%
ED Zion Young, 35, 70%
LB Corey Flagg, 33, 66%
DL Kristian Williams, 33, 66%
S Caleb Flagg, 27, 54%
DL Chris McClellan, 27, 54%
DL Sterling Webb, 27, 54%
S Marvin Burks Jr., 23, 46%
LB Chuck Hicks, 22, 44%
DL Eddie Kelly Jr., 17, 34%
CB Nicholas Deloach Jr., 15, 30%
ED Jahkai Lang, 12, 24%
S Tre’Vez Johnson, 11, 22%
DL Marquis Gracial, 8, 16%
DL Jalen Marshall, 7, 14%
S Sidney Williams, 7, 14%
LB Nicholas Rodriguez, 2, 4%

• Nicholas Deloach Jr. was the more relied upon corner opposite of Dreydon Norwood for each of the past two games, but Toriano Pride Jr. stepped back into that role in this one.

• With Tre’Vez Johnson dealing with some sort of injury, Caleb Flagg saw some more playing time at safety.

Offense

LT Marcus Bryant, 764, 100%
RT Armand Membou, 756, 99%
RG Cam’Ron Johnson, 679, 89%
LG Cayden Green, 673, 88%
QB Brady Cook, 602, 79%
C Connor Tollison, 582, 76%
WR Theo Wease Jr., 566, 74%
WR Luther Burden III, 492, 64%
TE Brett Norfleet, 359, 47%
TE Jordon Harris, 331, 43%
WR Joshua Manning, 329, 43%
WR Mookie Cooper, 328, 43%
HB Nate Noel, 323, 42%
WR Mekhi Miller, 313, 41%
G Mitchell Walters, 265, 34%
HB Marcus Carroll, 239, 31%
C Drake Heismeyer, 232, 30%
WR Marquis Johnson, 223, 29%
QB Drew Pyne, 217, 28%
HB Jamal Roberts, 193, 25%
TE Tyler Stephens, 126, 17%
WR Daniel Blood, 119, 16%
T Jayven Richardson, 57, 7%
G Logan Reichert, 56, 7%
G Tristan Wilson, 49, 6%
HB Kewan Lacy, 43, 5%
G Curtis Peagler, 26, 3%
HB Tavorus Jones, 24, 3%
TE Jude James, 21, 3%
WR James Madison II, 13, 2%
WR Courtney Crutchfield, 10, 1%
WR Logan Muckey, 8, 1%
C Talan Chandler, 7, 1%
TE Whit Hafer, 3, 0%
QB JR Blood, 2, 0%

Defense

CB Dreyden Norwood, 517, 79%
S Marvin Burks Jr., 475, 73%
S Daylan Carnell, 465, 71%
ED Johnny Walker Jr., 445, 68%
CB Toriano Pride Jr., 438, 67%
DL Kristian Williams, 401, 61%
ED Zion Young, 397, 61%
S Joseph Charleston, 384, 59%
LB Triston Newson, 380, 58%
DL Chris McClellan, 370, 57%
LB Corey Flagg, 345, 53%
CB Nicholas Deloach Jr., 313, 48%
S Tre’Vez Johnson, 269, 41%
LB Chuck Hicks, 258, 39%
DL Sterling Webb, 236, 36%
S Sidney Williams, 236, 36%
DL Eddie Kelly Jr., 223, 34%
LB Khalil Jacobs, 223, 34%
ED Jahkai Lang, 185, 28%
DL Marquis Gracial, 139, 21%
S Caleb Flagg, 124, 19%
DL Jalen Marshall, 114, 17%
ED Joe Moore, 105, 16%
LB Nicholas Rodriguez, 103, 16%
DL Sam Williams, 49, 8%
CB Marcus Clarke, 44, 7%
ED Williams Nwaneri, 38, 6%
S Jaylen Brown, 37, 6%
S Trajen Greco, 36, 6%
DB Shamar McNeil, 32, 5%
LB Jeremiah Beasley, 28, 4%
DB Phillip Roche, 24, 4%
DB Ja’Marion Wayne, 22, 3%
DL Elias Williams, 11, 2%
LB Brayshawn Littlejohn, 11, 2%
LB Brian Huff, 8, 1%
CB Jaren Sensabaugh, 6, 1%
CB Justin Bodford, 6, 1%
CB Cameron Keys, 6, 1%
CB Nasir Pogue, 6, 1%
LB Brady Hultman, 2, 0%
LB Will Norris, 1, 0%