Pontotoc, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Pontotoc County, Mississippi
-National protected area:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,726 people, 10,097 households, and 7,562 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 10,816 housing units at an...
, 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...
. Pontotoc is west of the much larger city of Tupelo
Tupelo, Mississippi
Tupelo is the largest city in and the county seat of Lee County, Mississippi, United States. It is the seventh largest city in the state of Mississippi, smaller than Meridian, and larger than Greenville. As of the 2000 United States Census, the city's population was 34,211...
. The population was 5,625 at the 2010 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 Pontotoc County
Pontotoc County, Mississippi
-National protected area:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,726 people, 10,097 households, and 7,562 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 10,816 housing units at an...
.
Pontotoc is a Chickasaw
Chickasaw
The Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
word meaning "Land of Hanging Grapes".
The famous outlaws Jesse
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James was an American outlaw, gang leader, bank robber, train robber, and murderer from the state of Missouri and the most famous member of the James-Younger Gang. He also faked his own death and was known as J.M James. Already a celebrity when he was alive, he became a legendary...
& Frank James
Frank James
Alexander Franklin "Frank" James was a famous American outlaw. He was the older brother of outlaw Jesse James.-Childhood:...
and their notorious gang once hid at an old house which was used as a Union Army
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...
hospital during the Battle of Harrisburg or Battle of Tupelo
Battle of Tupelo
The Battle of Tupelo was a Union victory over Confederate forces in northern Mississippi which ensured the safety of General William T. Sherman's supply lines.-Background:...
. The house was located at a crossroad in east Pontotoc County, near the Lee County
Lee County, Mississippi
-National protected areas:* Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tupelo National Battlefield-History:On September 20, 1816, General Andrew Jackson, David Meriwether, and the Chickasaw Nation signed the Treaty of Chickasaw Council House in Lee County.Lee County was...
line.
The Town Square Museum is located in the old US post office near the county courthouse. This historic building houses Pontotoc memorabilia and continues to operate as a full-service post office. A mural in the museum's lobby titled The Wedding of Ortez and SaOwana - Christmas 1540 depicts the first recorded Christian marriage on the North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
continent. It was said to have occurred between Juan Ortez and Princess Saowana, daughter of Chief Uceta, of the Florida Seminole
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
tribe. The wedding is said to have taken place in Pontotoc County
Pontotoc County, Mississippi
-National protected area:* Natchez Trace Parkway * Tombigbee National Forest -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 26,726 people, 10,097 households, and 7,562 families residing in the county. The population density was 54 people per square mile . There were 10,816 housing units at an...
during a visit by explorer Hernando de Soto
Hernando de Soto (explorer)
Hernando de Soto was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who, while leading the first European expedition deep into the territory of the modern-day United States, was the first European documented to have crossed the Mississippi River....
. The mural was painted by Joseph Pollet
Joseph Pollet
Joseph C. Pollet was an American painter.Pollet was born in Albbruck, Germany and emigrated with his parents to New York City in 1911. He studied at the Art Students League of New York...
in 1939 under the arts program of the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
(WPA).
Geography
Pontotoc is located at 34°14′55"N 89°0′24"W (34.248611, -89.006729).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 9.6 square miles (24.9 km²), of which, 9.4 square miles (24.3 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square mile (0.517997622 km²) of it (1.66%) is water.
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 2010, there were 5,625 people, 2,325 households, and 2,129 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 555.9 people per square mile (214.6/km²). There were 2,250 housing units at an average density of 238.1/sq mi (91.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 70.08% White, 20.42% African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 7.39% 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 1.45% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.76% of the population.
There were 2,325 households out of which 32.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.1% 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, 16.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. Preston is one of the 32.2% percent still leaving at home. 29.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.7% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 26.3% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $28,491, and the median income for a family was $39,306. Males had a median income of $31,403 versus $23,491 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 $17,324. About 12.0% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.5% of those under age 18 and 23.0% of those age 65 or over.
Education
The city of Pontotoc is served by the Pontotoc City School DistrictPontotoc City School District
The Pontotoc City School District is a public school district based in Pontotoc, Mississippi .-Schools:*Pontotoc High School**2003 National Blue Ribbon School **The Pontotoc High School band program is known for its tradition of excellence...
and the county is served by the Pontotoc County School District .
Notable residents
- Soprano Ruby ElzyRuby ElzyRuby Elzy , was a pioneer African American operatic soprano.-Early life:Elzy was born in Pontotoc, Mississippi and educated at Rust College, the Ohio State University and the Juilliard School,...
(1908–1943) was a pioneer black opera singer who created the role of Serena in George GershwinGeorge GershwinGeorge Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
's Porgy and BessPorgy and BessPorgy and Bess is an opera, first performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward. It was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward...
and became a star on Broadway and radio, in concerts and films. Elzy is buried in Pontotoc City Cemetery.
- Singer/Songwriter/Musician Delaney BramlettDelaney BramlettDelaney Bramlett was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and producer. Bramlett's five decade career reached peaks in creativity, performance, and notoriety in partnership with his then wife Bonnie Bramlett, in a revolving troupe of professional musicians and Rock superstars dubbed Delaney...
was born in Pontotoc.
- Negro League baseball player Cowan F. "Bubba" Hyde, who played for the Birmingham Black Barons, was born in Pontotoc, April 10, 1908. http://biography.jrank.org/pages/2352/Hyde-Cowan-F-Bubba.html
- Three time World Bodock Post Throwing Champion, Joseph TuckerJoseph TuckerJoseph Tucker was an American politician who served as Lieutenant Governor for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1869 to 1873....
,
- Borden Deal (October 12, 1922 – ), was an AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist and short storyShort storyA short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
writerWriterA writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
- Broadway and Hollywood actor Lanny Flaherty was born here on July 27, 1942. He appeared in films such as Natural Born KillersNatural Born KillersNatural Born Killers is a 1994 crime/black comedy film directed by Oliver Stone about two victims of traumatic childhoods who became lovers and psychopathic serial killers, and are irresponsibly glorified by the mass media...
and SignsSigns (film)Signs is a 2002 American science fiction horror film directed by M. Night Shyamalan. It was adapted from a screenplay also written by Shyamalan. Executive producers for the film comprised Shyamalan, Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Sam Mercer. The story focuses on a former preacher named Graham...
.
- Pontotoc is the birthplace of both Thad CochranThad CochranWilliam Thad Cochran is the senior United States Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. First elected to the Senate in 1978, he is the ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations and was its chairman and 2005 to 2007.-Early life:He was born in Pontotoc,...
and Roger WickerRoger WickerRoger Frederick Wicker is the junior U.S. Senator from Mississippi and a member of the Republican Party. In December 2007 he was appointed by Governor Haley Barbour to fill the seat vacated by Trent Lott. He subsequently won the 2008 special election for the remainder of the term. Wicker served...
, MississippiMississippiMississippi 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...
's current United States Senators as of 2009.
- Max PalmerMax PalmerMax Edmund Palmer was an American actor and professional wrestler.-Career:After high school Max left Mississippi to play with the professional basketball team Rochester Royals. After basketball Max went back to Mississippi only to work odd jobs working his way to Hollywood to get into acting...
, professional wrestler.
- Gordon Easterling, International Fancy Guppy breeder 2009 IFGA winner.
- Jim Weatherly, born in Pontotoc on March 17, 1943, famous musician/songwriter. Elected into the Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame and Mississippi Musicians Hall of Fame. Wrote "Midnight Train to Georgia"; which was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999, "Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me" and many other #1 hits in Pop, R&B, country and jazz genres.