Olive Branch, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Olive Branch is a city in DeSoto County
, Mississippi
, United States
. The population was 21,054 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 United States Census Bureau
estimate placed the population at 31,830, making it the ninth-largest city in the state of Mississippi. Olive Branch is a suburb of Memphis
, Tennessee
and is part of the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area
, a region that consists of three counties in southwest Tennessee, four counties in northwest Mississippi, and one county in eastern Arkansas
.
Along with other fast growing suburban cities in DeSoto County, Olive Branch attributes most of its growth and development to the exodus of large numbers of middle-class families from central Memphis.
, and State Highways 302
(known locally as Goodman Road) and 305
(Germantown Road/Cockrum Street). The city's northern border is the Mississippi/Tennessee state line. The city of Southaven
borders Olive Branch on the west, and unincorporated areas border the city to the east and south.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 36.3 square miles (94 km²), of which 36.2 square miles (93.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.25%) is water.
chief Lush-Pun-Tubby for $1,600. Flinn conveyed the land to Blocker for $6,400 in 1840. A small community initially known as Cowpens sprang up in the early 1840s. The name was changed to Watson's Crossroads in 1842. In 1846, when a post office was established, the name was changed again to Olive Branch. Mrs. Frances Wilson Blocker, a descendant of one the community's founders, suggested the name as a way to symbolize the biblical story of a dove bringing a branch to Noah. With the exception of a few skirmishes occurring in an area southwest of the community, Olive Branch escaped much of the destruction and violence during the Civil War
.
Olive Branch was incorporated as a town on May 1, 1874. Ben Wesson was elected as the first mayor. At the first census conducted after incorporation in 1880, the population was 73. A railroad line was built through Olive Branch in 1885, connecting the town to Memphis
and Birmingham
. The town was officially designated a village on March 6, 1888.
At the turn of the century, nearly 200 people lived in Olive Branch. In the ensuing years, several modern amenities were introduced in the village, including the first cotton gin (1910), a public water system (1922), and electrical service (1927). T.H. Norvell's cheese plant (at the side of present-day BancorpSouth
) opened in 1929, becoming the first major industry in Olive Branch. A public sewer system was built and local streets were paved circa
1940. The village experienced modest growth during the next few decades, rising from 441 in the 1940 census, to 534 in 1950, and 642 in 1960. Growth accelerated in the 1960s and by 1970, the population had more than doubled to 1,513. In 1971, a site located a few miles from downtown Olive Branch was chosen as the home of Holiday Inn
University and Conference Center. Simultaneous with construction of the University, Holiday Inn began work on a 3000 acres (12.1 km²) industrial park. This was followed by the opening of Olive Branch Airport
in January 1973. With a runway length of 6000 feet (1,828.8 m), it is currently one of Mississippi's five most active airports for landings and takeoffs. U.S. Highway 78
was built through Olive Branch in 1974. Such developments and infrastructure improvements brought an influx of jobs, industries, and people to DeSoto County and Olive Branch.
The 1990s were a period of explosive growth in the city. 3,567 people lived in Olive Branch at the 1990 census. In 1996, a land annexation to the west doubled the city's total land area. By 2000, the population had risen to 21,054, a 490 percent increase over the 1990 figure. With a population of just under 32,000 residents as of 2008, Olive Branch is the ninth-largest city in Mississippi, behind Greenville
.
In 2003, Memphis lost its only permanent indoor ice rink
with the closure of the deeply troubled Mall of Memphis
. A new rink is scheduled to open in Olive Branch in August 2011.
of 2000, there were 21,054 people, 7,546 households, and 6,036 families residing in the city. The population density
was 581.7 people per square mile (224.6/km²). There were 7,935 housing units at an average density of 219.2 per square mile (84.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.60% White, 11.30% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.75% from other races
, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.46% of the population.
There were 7,546 households out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% were married couples
living together, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,187, and the median income for a family was $60,851. Males had a median income of $42,288 versus $28,287 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $22,680. About 3.9% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
driver, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
, as well as Cartoonist
Charles Boyce
, creator of Compu-toon
, the syndicated comic panel, were born in Olive Branch.
considered moving its headquarters to Downtown Memphis and to Olive Branch, and the airline also considered keeping the headquarters in its current location by Memphis International Airport
. Pinnacle selected Downtown Memphis.
(MS-302/Goodman Road) are the main thoroughfares in the Olive Branch, MS area.
. It is one of the busiest airports in Mississippi.
DeSoto County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2005 estimate, there were 137,004 people, 38,792 households, and 30,102 families residing in the county. The population density was 224 people per square mile . There were 40,795 housing units at an average density of 85 per square mile...
, 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
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 21,054 at the 2000 census. A July 1, 2008 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...
estimate placed the population at 31,830, making it the ninth-largest city in the state of Mississippi. Olive Branch is a suburb of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis 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....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee 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...
and is part of the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area
Memphis Metropolitan Area
The Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area, TN-MS-AR , more commonly known as The Mid-South, is the 41st largest among similarly designated areas in the United States. The metropolitan area covers eight counties in three states – Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas...
, a region that consists of three counties in southwest Tennessee, four counties in northwest Mississippi, and one county in eastern Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Along with other fast growing suburban cities in DeSoto County, Olive Branch attributes most of its growth and development to the exodus of large numbers of middle-class families from central Memphis.
Geography
Olive Branch is located at 34°57′47"N 89°50′30"W (34.963007, -89.841627) in northeastern DeSoto County, less than 5 miles (8 km) from Memphis at the junction of U.S. Highway 78U.S. Route 78
U.S. Highway 78 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 715 miles from Memphis, Tennessee, to Charleston, South Carolina. Between Memphis and Birmingham, Alabama, it is being upgraded to become Interstate 22....
, and State Highways 302
Mississippi Highway 302
Mississippi Highway 302 is the main east-west highway in DeSoto County, Mississippi, extending into Marshall County, Mississippi to the east. It runs approximately two miles south of the Mississippi/Tennessee state line, from a western terminus at Mississippi Highway 161 in Walls, to U.S...
(known locally as Goodman Road) and 305
Mississippi Highway 305
Mississippi Highway 305 is a north-south highway in DeSoto and Tate counties. It runs from the Mississippi/Tennessee state line, south through eastern DeSoto and Tate counties to its southern terminus at Mississippi Highway 4, just east of the community of Looxahoma.MS 305's northern terminus lies...
(Germantown Road/Cockrum Street). The city's northern border is the Mississippi/Tennessee state line. The city of Southaven
Southaven, Mississippi
-Households And Families:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,977 people, 11,007 households, and 8,134 families residing in the city. The population density was 857.9 people per square mile...
borders Olive Branch on the west, and unincorporated areas border the city to the east and south.
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 36.3 square miles (94 km²), of which 36.2 square miles (93.8 km²) is land and 0.1 square mile (0.258998811 km²) (0.25%) is water.
History
The first permanent Anglo settlers in the area were Stephen Flinn and his wife's brother-in-law, Milton Blocker. On April 13, 1836, they purchased 1280 acres (5.2 km²) of land – known as Sections 34 and 35 – in newly-created DeSoto County from ChickasawChickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
chief Lush-Pun-Tubby for $1,600. Flinn conveyed the land to Blocker for $6,400 in 1840. A small community initially known as Cowpens sprang up in the early 1840s. The name was changed to Watson's Crossroads in 1842. In 1846, when a post office was established, the name was changed again to Olive Branch. Mrs. Frances Wilson Blocker, a descendant of one the community's founders, suggested the name as a way to symbolize the biblical story of a dove bringing a branch to Noah. With the exception of a few skirmishes occurring in an area southwest of the community, Olive Branch escaped much of the destruction and violence during the 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...
.
Olive Branch was incorporated as a town on May 1, 1874. Ben Wesson was elected as the first mayor. At the first census conducted after incorporation in 1880, the population was 73. A railroad line was built through Olive Branch in 1885, connecting the town to Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis 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....
and Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
. The town was officially designated a village on March 6, 1888.
At the turn of the century, nearly 200 people lived in Olive Branch. In the ensuing years, several modern amenities were introduced in the village, including the first cotton gin (1910), a public water system (1922), and electrical service (1927). T.H. Norvell's cheese plant (at the side of present-day BancorpSouth
BancorpSouth
BancorpSouth, Inc. is a bank holding company headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi. As of September 2009, it had nearly $13.3 billion in assets. The company has over 4400 employees.- Subsidiaries :...
) opened in 1929, becoming the first major industry in Olive Branch. A public sewer system was built and local streets were paved circa
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1940. The village experienced modest growth during the next few decades, rising from 441 in the 1940 census, to 534 in 1950, and 642 in 1960. Growth accelerated in the 1960s and by 1970, the population had more than doubled to 1,513. In 1971, a site located a few miles from downtown Olive Branch was chosen as the home of Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...
University and Conference Center. Simultaneous with construction of the University, Holiday Inn began work on a 3000 acres (12.1 km²) industrial park. This was followed by the opening of Olive Branch Airport
Olive Branch Airport
Olive Branch Airport is a civil, privately-owned airport open to the public. It is located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Olive Branch, a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States....
in January 1973. With a runway length of 6000 feet (1,828.8 m), it is currently one of Mississippi's five most active airports for landings and takeoffs. U.S. Highway 78
U.S. Route 78
U.S. Highway 78 is an east–west United States highway that runs for 715 miles from Memphis, Tennessee, to Charleston, South Carolina. Between Memphis and Birmingham, Alabama, it is being upgraded to become Interstate 22....
was built through Olive Branch in 1974. Such developments and infrastructure improvements brought an influx of jobs, industries, and people to DeSoto County and Olive Branch.
The 1990s were a period of explosive growth in the city. 3,567 people lived in Olive Branch at the 1990 census. In 1996, a land annexation to the west doubled the city's total land area. By 2000, the population had risen to 21,054, a 490 percent increase over the 1990 figure. With a population of just under 32,000 residents as of 2008, Olive Branch is the ninth-largest city in Mississippi, behind Greenville
Greenville, Mississippi
Greenville is a city in Washington County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 48,633 at the 2000 census, but according to the 2009 census bureau estimates, it has since declined to 42,764, making it the eighth-largest city in the state. It is the county seat of Washington...
.
In 2003, Memphis lost its only permanent indoor ice rink
Ice rink
An ice rink is a frozen body of water and/or hardened chemicals where people can skate or play winter sports. Besides recreational ice skating, some of its uses include ice hockey, figure skating and curling as well as exhibitions, contests and ice shows...
with the closure of the deeply troubled Mall of Memphis
Mall of Memphis
Mall of Memphis was a shopping mall in Memphis, Tennessee, containing of retail space and 5,564 parking spaces. The mall opened October 7, 1981, was closed December 24, 2003, and was demolished in 2004...
. A new rink is scheduled to open in Olive Branch in August 2011.
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 21,054 people, 7,546 households, and 6,036 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 581.7 people per square mile (224.6/km²). There were 7,935 housing units at an average density of 219.2 per square mile (84.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.60% White, 11.30% African American, 0.20% Native American, 0.41% Asian, 0.75% 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 1.46% of the population.
There were 7,546 households out of which 42.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.8% 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, 10.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 20.0% were non-families. 16.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 5.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.78 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 34.7% from 25 to 44, 20.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females there were 96.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,187, and the median income for a family was $60,851. Males had a median income of $42,288 versus $28,287 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 $22,680. About 3.9% of families and 5.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 5.6% of those age 65 or over.
People
NASCARNASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
driver, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #6 Blackwell Angus Beef Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series. Stenhouse was the 2010 Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year and the 2011 Nationwide Series champion.-Career:Stenhouse began racing stock...
, as well as Cartoonist
Cartoonist
A cartoonist is a person who specializes in drawing cartoons. This work is usually humorous, mainly created for entertainment, political commentary or advertising...
Charles Boyce
Charles Boyce
Charles Boyce , is an American cartoonist known for his syndicated comic panel Compu-toon. He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee...
, creator of Compu-toon
Compu-toon
Compu-toon is a comic strip by Charles Boyce. Compu-toon was launched in 1994 through Tribune Media Services. At its height, the comic strip ran in about 150 newspapers worldwide from 1994 to 1997 in print form. Now, it appears on such Web sites as www.gocomics.com, www.compu-toon.com, and...
, the syndicated comic panel, were born in Olive Branch.
Economy
In 2010 Pinnacle Airlines Corp.Pinnacle Airlines Corp.
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. is an American holding company headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, which is the parent company of three airlines: Pinnacle Airlines, Mesaba Airlines and Colgan Air...
considered moving its headquarters to Downtown Memphis and to Olive Branch, and the airline also considered keeping the headquarters in its current location by Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport
Memphis International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located three miles south of the central business district of Memphis, a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States....
. Pinnacle selected Downtown Memphis.
Highways
U.S. Highway 78, which turns into Lamar Avenue in Memphis, TN, and Mississippi Highway 302Mississippi Highway 302
Mississippi Highway 302 is the main east-west highway in DeSoto County, Mississippi, extending into Marshall County, Mississippi to the east. It runs approximately two miles south of the Mississippi/Tennessee state line, from a western terminus at Mississippi Highway 161 in Walls, to U.S...
(MS-302/Goodman Road) are the main thoroughfares in the Olive Branch, MS area.
Railroad
A railroad line to Birmingham from Memphis runs through Olive Branch, MS. It is used by BNSF.Airport
Olive Branch is served by Olive Branch AirportOlive Branch Airport
Olive Branch Airport is a civil, privately-owned airport open to the public. It is located three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Olive Branch, a city in DeSoto County, Mississippi, United States....
. It is one of the busiest airports in Mississippi.