Corinth, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Corinth is a city in Alcorn County
, Mississippi
, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
of Alcorn County
. Its ZIP code
s are 38834 and 38835.
railroads. It was the town's early newspaper editor, W.E. Gibson, who suggested the name of Corinth
, named for the city in Greece that also served as a crossroads.
Corinth's location at the junction of two railroads made it strategically important to the Confederacy
during the American Civil War
. Confederate General
P.G.T. Beauregard retreated to Corinth after the Battle of Shiloh
, pursued by Union
Major General
Henry W. Halleck
. General Beauregard abandoned the town when General Halleck approached, letting it fall into the Union's hands. Since Halleck approached so cautiously, digging entrenchments at every stop for over a month, this action has been known as the Siege of Corinth
.
The Union sent Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans
to Corinth as well and concentrated its forces in the city. The Second Battle of Corinth took place on October 3–4, 1862, when Confederate Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn
attempted to retake the city. The Confederate troops won back the city for a very brief period but were quickly forced out again on the same day when the Union troops were reinforced.
and (east/west) U.S. Route 72
. It is the county seat of Alcorn county, which is the smallest county by size in the state of Mississippi. According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 30.6 square miles (79.3 km²), of which, 30.5 square miles (79 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.43%) is water.
of 2000, there were 14,054 people, 6,220 households, and 3,800 families residing in the city. The population density
was 461.5 people per square mile (178.2/km²). There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 231.8 per square mile (89.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.28% White, 21.60% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.73% of the population.
There were 6,220 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.6% 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 2.19 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,436, and the median income for a family was $35,232. Males had a median income of $29,027 versus $21,071 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,452. About 18.2% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 23.9% of those age 65 or over.
, one of America's first gay authors and a well-known Hollywood screenwriter. Phillips is best known for The Bitterweed Path, a novel depicting the relationship of two young men in the Southern United States
at the turn of the century. After returning from World War II, Phillips had a bright and successful career producing screenplays in Hollywood throughout the 1950s, '60s, and early '70s. Phillips found retirement in his beloved home of Corinth and died there in 2007.
Works by Thomas Hal Phillips include:
, noted American screenwriter and novelist Thomas Hal Phillips
, noted Mississippi artist and poet J. E. Pitts, Poet and Philosopher Rufus Turner and the rock band Saving Abel
, longtime lawman M.W. Baggett, Current Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum, and Thomas K. McCraw
, educator.
Corinth, MS is also home to film star Michael Conner Humphreys, who appeared as young Forrest Gump in the 1994 Academy Award winning film, Forrest Gump.
Alcorn County, Mississippi
There were 14,224 households out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, United States. The population was 14,054 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Alcorn County
Alcorn County, Mississippi
There were 14,224 households out of which 30.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.50% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.30% were non-families. 27.60% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.90% had...
. Its ZIP code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
s are 38834 and 38835.
History
Corinth was founded in 1853 as Cross City, so-called because it served as a junction for the Mobile & Ohio and Memphis & CharlestonMemphis and Charleston Railroad
The Memphis and Charleston Railroad, completed in 1857, was the first railroad in the United States to link the Atlantic Ocean with the Mississippi River. Chartered in 1846 the railroad ran from Memphis, Tennessee to Stevenson, Alabama through the towns of Corinth, Mississippi and Huntsville,...
railroads. It was the town's early newspaper editor, W.E. Gibson, who suggested the name of Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
, named for the city in Greece that also served as a crossroads.
Corinth's location at the junction of two railroads made it strategically important to the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. Confederate General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
P.G.T. Beauregard retreated to Corinth after the Battle of Shiloh
Battle of Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the Western Theater of the American Civil War, fought April 6–7, 1862, in southwestern Tennessee. A Union army under Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant had moved via the Tennessee River deep into Tennessee and...
, pursued by Union
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Henry W. Halleck
Henry Wager Halleck
Henry Wager Halleck was a United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory, "Old Brains." He was an important participant in the admission of California as a state and became a successful lawyer and land developer...
. General Beauregard abandoned the town when General Halleck approached, letting it fall into the Union's hands. Since Halleck approached so cautiously, digging entrenchments at every stop for over a month, this action has been known as the Siege of Corinth
Siege of Corinth
The Siege of Corinth was an American Civil War battle fought from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi.-Background:...
.
The Union sent Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans
William Rosecrans
William Starke Rosecrans was an inventor, coal-oil company executive, diplomat, politician, and United States Army officer. He gained fame for his role as a Union general during the American Civil War...
to Corinth as well and concentrated its forces in the city. The Second Battle of Corinth took place on October 3–4, 1862, when Confederate Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn
Earl Van Dorn was a career United States Army officer, fighting with distinction during the Mexican-American War and against several tribes of Native Americans...
attempted to retake the city. The Confederate troops won back the city for a very brief period but were quickly forced out again on the same day when the Union troops were reinforced.
Locales on the National Register of Historic Places
- Battery Williams (also known as Fort Williams)
- Battle of CorinthBattle of CorinthThe Battle of Corinth may refer to a Roman battle, or to one of two American Civil War Battles:* The Battle of Corinth * The Siege of Corinth, Mississippi , also known as the First Battle of Corinth, during the American Civil War* The Second Battle of Corinth...
, Confederate Assault Position - Coliseum Theatre - built in the early 20th century in the Colonial Revival style
- Corinth National CemeteryCorinth National CemeteryCorinth National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of Corinth, in Alcorn County, Mississippi. It encompasses , and as of the end of 2005, had 7,137 interments...
- Downtown Corinth Historic District
- Dr. Joseph M. Bynum House - a home in the Late Gothic Revival style built in the late 19th century
- Federal Siege Trench (also known as Harper Road Trench)
- Fort Robinette (also known as Battery Robinette) - site of the Civil War Interpretive Center
- Jacinto Courthouse (also called the Old Tishomingo County Courthouse) - built in the mid-19th century in the Federal style
- L.C. Steele House
- Midtown Corinth Historic District
- Moores Creek site - a prehistoric Native AmericanNative Americans in the United StatesNative Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
site from 3000 to 3500 B.C. - Old U.S. Post Office
- Rienzi Commercial Historic District
- Thomas F. Dilworth House
- Union Battery F, Battle of Corinth
- Union Earthworks
- Veranda House (also known as the Curlee House) - built in 1857, it served as headquarters for Confederate generals during the Battle of Corinth
Geography
Corinth is located in northeast Mississippi at the intersection of (north/south) U.S. Route 45U.S. Route 45
U.S. Route 45 is a north–south United States highway. US 45 is a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as ....
and (east/west) U.S. Route 72
U.S. Route 72
U.S. Route 72 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 337 miles from southeast Tennessee through northern Alabama and northern Mississippi to southwest Tennessee. The highway's eastern terminus is Chattanooga, Tennessee. Its western terminus is Memphis, Tennessee...
. It is the county seat of Alcorn county, which is the smallest county by size in the state of Mississippi. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 30.6 square miles (79.3 km²), of which, 30.5 square miles (79 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) of it (0.43%) is water.
Communities near Corinth
- Eastview, TennesseeEastview, TennesseeEastview is a town in McNairy County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 618 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Eastview is located at ....
- 9.85 miles (15.9 km) - Farmington, MississippiFarmington, MississippiFarmington is a town in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,810 at the 2000 census. Its ZIP code is 38834.- History :Before 1850, Farmington was a prosperous village...
- 3.97 miles (6.4 km) - Guys, TennesseeGuys, TennesseeGuys is a town in McNairy County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 483 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Guys is located at ....
- 7.24 miles (11.7 km) - Kossuth, MississippiKossuth, MississippiKossuth is a village in Alcorn County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 170 at the 2000 census. Its zip code is 38834.-History:...
- 8.21 miles (13.2 km) - Michie, TennesseeMichie, TennesseeMichie is a town in McNairy County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 647 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Michie is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....
- 9.75 miles (15.7 km) - Ramer, TennesseeRamer, TennesseeRamer is a city in McNairy County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 354 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ramer is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
- 10.92 miles (17.6 km)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 14,054 people, 6,220 households, and 3,800 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 461.5 people per square mile (178.2/km²). There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 231.8 per square mile (89.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 76.28% White, 21.60% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.73% of the population.
There were 6,220 households out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.6% 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 2.19 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.8% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,436, and the median income for a family was $35,232. Males had a median income of $29,027 versus $21,071 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,452. About 18.2% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 23.9% of those age 65 or over.
Thomas Hal Phillips, 1922-2007
Corinth is very proud to be the home of Thomas Hal PhillipsThomas Hal Phillips
Thomas Hal Phillips was an American actor and screenwriter.-Biography:Born in Corinth, Mississippi, he graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Mississippi State College in 1943. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He earned a master's degree in writing at University...
, one of America's first gay authors and a well-known Hollywood screenwriter. Phillips is best known for The Bitterweed Path, a novel depicting the relationship of two young men in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
at the turn of the century. After returning from World War II, Phillips had a bright and successful career producing screenplays in Hollywood throughout the 1950s, '60s, and early '70s. Phillips found retirement in his beloved home of Corinth and died there in 2007.
Works by Thomas Hal Phillips include:
- The Loved and the Unloved
- The Golden Lie
- Search for a Hero
- The Bitterweed Path
- Kangaroo Hollow
- Red Midnight
- Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
- Walking Tall II
- O. C. and Stiggs
- Ode to Billy Joe
- Tarzan's Fight for Life
- Huckleberry Finn
- The Time Machine
- Minstrel Man
- Nightmare in Badham County
- Nashville
Public Schools
- Corinth School District
- Alcorn Alternative School
- Alcorn Central Elementary - grades K-4, with enrollment of 520
- Alcorn Central Middle School - grades 5-8 with an enrollment of 539
- Alcorn Central High School - grades 9-12 with an enrollment of 515
- Biggersville Elementary - grades K-6 with an enrollment of 161
- Biggersville High School grades 7-12 with an enrollment of 236
- Corinth High School - grades 9-12 with an enrollment of 473
- Corinth Junior High School - grades 7-8 with an enrollment of 265
- Corinth Elementary School - grades k-4
- Kossuth Elementary School - grades K-4 with an enrollment of 562
- Kossuth High School - grades 9-12 with an enrollment of 438
- Kossuth Middle School - grades 5-8 with an enrollment of 499
- Easom High School(the only African American school in the city before the segregation)(currently home of South Corinth Elementary School)
Museums
- Northeast Mississippi Museum
- Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center (part of the National Park Service)
- Artist Guild Museum and Shop
- Museum of Southern Culture
- Black History Museum
Highways
- U.S. Highway 45 - runs north-south from Lake SuperiorLake SuperiorLake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the...
to the Gulf of MexicoGulf of MexicoThe Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In... - U.S. Highway 72 - runs east-west from Chattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga, TennesseeChattanooga is the fourth-largest city in the US state of Tennessee , with a population of 169,887. It is the seat of Hamilton County...
to Memphis, TennesseeMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers.... - Mississippi Highway 2 - runs southwest from the TennesseeTennesseeTennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
state line to Hickory Flat, MississippiHickory Flat, MississippiHickory Flat is a town in Benton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 565 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hickory Flat is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land.... - Mississippi Highway 145
Air travel
FM & AM radio stations
- WTKN 1230 News and Talk / NewsTalk AM 1230 (Rush LimbaughRush LimbaughRush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, Sean HannitySean HannitySean Hannity is an American radio and television host, author, and conservative political commentator. He is the host of The Sean Hannity Show, a nationally syndicated talk radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks. Hannity also hosts a cable news show, Hannity,...
, Glenn BeckGlenn BeckGlenn Edward Lee Beck is an American conservative radio host, vlogger, author, entrepreneur, political commentator and former television host. He hosts the Glenn Beck Program, a nationally syndicated talk-radio show that airs throughout the United States on Premiere Radio Networks...
, Don ImusDon ImusJohn Donald "Don" Imus, Jr. is an American radio host, humorist, philanthropist and writer. His nationally-syndicated talk show, Imus in the Morning, is broadcast throughout the United States by Citadel Media and relayed on television by the Fox Business Network.-Personal life:Imus was born in...
) - WKCU 1350 Christian Music
- WXRZ 94.3 News and Talk / Supertalk MississippiSupertalk MississippiSupertalk Mississippi, also known as The Super Talk Mississippi Radio Network or simply Supertalk, is a statewide, commercial news and talk radio network based in Jackson, Mississippi. Its flagship station is WFMN . Supertalk Mississippi was launched in July 1997, via WFMN. It simultaneously...
(Mississippi political and local) - WADI 95.3 95.3 The Bee / Country
- WYDL 100.7 Wild 100.7 / Top40CHR with Elvis Duran and the WILD morning show
Notable residents and natives
Corinth is the hometown of famed early American aviator Roscoe TurnerRoscoe Turner
Roscoe Turner was an aviator who was a three time winner of the Thompson Trophy.-Background:Turner was born in Corinth, Mississippi, the eldest son of a poor but respectable farmer. He came to realize that he did not want to be a farmer and found that he was attracted to mechanical devices instead...
, noted American screenwriter and novelist Thomas Hal Phillips
Thomas Hal Phillips
Thomas Hal Phillips was an American actor and screenwriter.-Biography:Born in Corinth, Mississippi, he graduated with a bachelor of science degree from Mississippi State College in 1943. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He earned a master's degree in writing at University...
, noted Mississippi artist and poet J. E. Pitts, Poet and Philosopher Rufus Turner and the rock band Saving Abel
Saving Abel
Saving Abel is a American rock music group from Corinth, Mississippi, who were started in 2004 by Jared Weeks and Jason Null. The band title is from the ancient biblical story of Cain and Abel, that is about a brother who killed his own brother...
, longtime lawman M.W. Baggett, Current Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum, and Thomas K. McCraw
Thomas K. McCraw
Thomas Kincaid McCraw is an American business historian and Isidor Straus Professor of Business History, Emeritus at Harvard Business School. He won the Pulitzer Prize for History for Prophets of Regulation: Charles Francis Adams, Louis D. Brandeis, James M. Landis, Alfred E....
, educator.
Corinth, MS is also home to film star Michael Conner Humphreys, who appeared as young Forrest Gump in the 1994 Academy Award winning film, Forrest Gump.