Tupelo, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Tupelo (ˈtuːpəloʊ) 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. By 2010, the population was 39,033, with surrounding counties of Lee, Pontotoc and Itawamba supporting a population of 146,131. The city is best known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley
. Situated in northeast Mississippi, the city lies between Memphis, Tennessee
, and Birmingham, Alabama
, along U.S. Highway 78 — slated to become Interstate 22
within a few years.
, supposedly due to the high number of tupelo
trees, locally known as blackgum, that grew in the area. The city still hosts the annual Gumtree Arts Festival. The Southern expression, Possum Up A Gum Tree came from this area.
During the war, the local Battle of Tupelo
was named after the trees in the area. In the post-Civil War era, Tupelo became the northern Mississippi
site for the crossing of a railroad, which encouraged industry in the town. Once the town began to grow, it changed its name to Tupelo, in honor of the battle. Tupelo was incorporated in 1870 with a population of 618. The war site has been designated the Tupelo National Battlefield
and is administered by the National Park Service (NPS).
Famous prohibition-era gangster Machine Gun Kelly
's last known bank robbery occurred on November 30, 1932 at the Citizen’s State Bank in Tupelo netting his gang $38,000. After the robbery the bank’s chief teller would say of Kelly, “He was the kind of guy that, if you looked at him, you would never thought he was a bank robber.”
In 1934 Tupelo and its region gained electricity from the new Tennessee Valley Authority
. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
visited this "First TVA City".
The Spring of 1936 brought Tupelo one of its worst-ever natural disasters, as the infamous Tupelo Tornado ranks fourth deadliest in U.S. history. Part of the Tupelo-Gainesville outbreak of April 5–6 in that year, the Tupelo storm, which struck at night and destroyed large residential areas on the city's north side, was subsequently rated EF5 on the modern Fujita scale. The Gum Pond neighborhood was obliterated, and most of the victims' bodies were left in that pond by the tornado. The official death toll was 216, but the true number is unknown since African-Americans were not counted. One fortunate survivor of the storm was the baby Elvis Presley. Historian Martis D. Ramage, Jr.'s book, "Tupelo, Mississippi, Tornado of 1936," chronicles the devastation of the tornado, with many rare photographs.
The nearby village of Blue Springs
was selected during the spring of 2007 as the site for Toyota's eleventh U.S. automobile manufacturing plant.
Jack Reed Jr.. The president of the Tupelo City Council is Fred Pitts. The other six council members are Markel Whittenton, Jim Newll, Nettie Davis, Jonny Davis, Mike Bryan, and Willie Jennings.
In December 2007, Sen. Trent Lott
retired leaving a vacancy in his unfinished six-year term. Governor Haley Barbour
appointed Rep. Roger Wicker
as Lott's replacement. Mississippi's First Congressional District seat was open and a special election was held. After a much heated campaign, Travis Childers
(D) was elected to represent Mississippi's First Congressional District
.
. The 2008 Tupelo Golden Wave high school baseball team was ranked #1 in the nation for 2 weeks. The Tupelo High School Athletic department was ranked #3 in the nation in 2008 by Sports Illustrated as best athletic department.
Tupelo is home to satellite campuses of the University of Mississippi
, Itawamba Community College
, and the Mississippi University for Women
.
birthplace and Natchez Trace
. The city has also been successful at attracting manufacturing, retail and distribution operations (see 'Industry' section below).
As of the census
of 2000, there are 34,211 people, 13,395 households, and 9,108 families residing in the city. The population density
is 669.4 people per square mile (258.4/km²). There are 14,551 housing units at an average density of 284.7 per square mile (109.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 69.40% White, 28.29% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.88% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 13,395 households out of which 34.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% are married couples
living together, 16.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% are non-families. 28.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.47 and the average family size is 3.04.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 25, 30.5% from 25 to 45, 21.4% from 45 to 65, and 12.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $38,401. Males have a median income of $35,027 versus $23,988 for females. The per capita income
for the city is $22,024.
.
Tupelo is home to three television stations serving the 133rd-ranked designated market area among 210 markets nationwide as determined by Nielsen Media Research
: WTVA
(9), an NBC
affiliate; WLOV
(27), a Fox
affiliate, and WKDH
(45), an ABC
affiliate. All three stations are located just outside the Tupelo city limits and were controlled by Frank K. Spain
until his death on April 25, 2006.
, on future Interstate 22
and US Route 78 mid way between Memphis, Tennessee
(northwest) and Birmingham, Alabama
(southeast).
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 51.4 square miles (133.1 km²), of which, 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (0.62%) is water.
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 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...
, 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...
. It is the seventh largest city in the state of 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...
, smaller than Meridian
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
, and larger than 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...
. As of the 2000 United States Census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, the city's population was 34,211. By 2010, the population was 39,033, with surrounding counties of Lee, Pontotoc and Itawamba supporting a population of 146,131. The city is best known as the birthplace of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. Situated in northeast Mississippi, the city lies between Memphis, Tennessee
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, Alabama
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...
, along U.S. Highway 78 — slated to become Interstate 22
Interstate 22
Interstate 22 , when it is completed, will follow the U.S. Highway 78 corridor along a 213-mile-long route from Memphis, Tennessee, to Birmingham, Alabama, as an Interstate Highway. Interstate 22 will connect Interstate 240 and Interstate 40 in the northwest with Interstate 65 and Interstate...
within a few years.
History
European-American settlers had first named the town Gum Pond prior to the American Civil WarAmerican 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...
, supposedly due to the high number of tupelo
Tupelo
The tupelo , black gum, or pepperidge tree, genus Nyssa , is a small genus of about 9 to 11 species of trees with alternate, simple leaves...
trees, locally known as blackgum, that grew in the area. The city still hosts the annual Gumtree Arts Festival. The Southern expression, Possum Up A Gum Tree came from this area.
During the war, the local 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:...
was named after the trees in the area. In the post-Civil War era, Tupelo became the northern 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...
site for the crossing of a railroad, which encouraged industry in the town. Once the town began to grow, it changed its name to Tupelo, in honor of the battle. Tupelo was incorporated in 1870 with a population of 618. The war site has been designated the Tupelo National Battlefield
Tupelo National Battlefield
Tupelo National Battlefield, in Tupelo, Mississippi, commemorates the July 14–15, 1864, Battle of Tupelo in which Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest tried to cut the railroad supplying the Union's march on Atlanta.-Administrative history:...
and is administered by the National Park Service (NPS).
Famous prohibition-era gangster Machine Gun Kelly
Machine Gun Kelly
George Kelley Barnes , better known as "Machine Gun Kelly", was an American gangster during the prohibition era. His nickname came from his favorite weapon, a Thompson submachine gun. His most famous crime was the kidnapping of oil tycoon & businessman Charles Urschel in July 1933 for which he,...
's last known bank robbery occurred on November 30, 1932 at the Citizen’s State Bank in Tupelo netting his gang $38,000. After the robbery the bank’s chief teller would say of Kelly, “He was the kind of guy that, if you looked at him, you would never thought he was a bank robber.”
In 1934 Tupelo and its region gained electricity from the new Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
. In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
visited this "First TVA City".
The Spring of 1936 brought Tupelo one of its worst-ever natural disasters, as the infamous Tupelo Tornado ranks fourth deadliest in U.S. history. Part of the Tupelo-Gainesville outbreak of April 5–6 in that year, the Tupelo storm, which struck at night and destroyed large residential areas on the city's north side, was subsequently rated EF5 on the modern Fujita scale. The Gum Pond neighborhood was obliterated, and most of the victims' bodies were left in that pond by the tornado. The official death toll was 216, but the true number is unknown since African-Americans were not counted. One fortunate survivor of the storm was the baby Elvis Presley. Historian Martis D. Ramage, Jr.'s book, "Tupelo, Mississippi, Tornado of 1936," chronicles the devastation of the tornado, with many rare photographs.
The nearby village of Blue Springs
Blue Springs, Mississippi
Blue Springs is a village in Union County, Mississippi, United States. Located near Tupelo in northeastern Mississippi, the village had a population of 144 at the 2000 census...
was selected during the spring of 2007 as the site for Toyota's eleventh U.S. automobile manufacturing plant.
Culture & Attractions
- The Tupelo Buffalo Park and ZooTupelo Buffalo Park and ZooThe Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo is a zoo located in Tupelo, Mississippi. At , it is the largest zoo in the state of Mississippi.-History:The Tupelo Buffalo Park and Zoo was founded by Dan Franklin and located at 2272 North Coley Road.-Buffalo:...
is home to hundreds of animals and a large American bison herd.
- Tupelo is the headquarters of the historic Natchez Trace ParkwayNatchez Trace ParkwayThe Natchez Trace Parkway is a National Park Service unit in the southeastern United States that commemorates the historic Old Natchez Trace and preserves sections of the original trail....
, connecting Natchez, MississippiNatchez, MississippiNatchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
to Nashville, TennesseeNashville, TennesseeNashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
, while following the route of the original Natchez TraceNatchez TraceThe Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
trail. Nearby are the Pharr MoundsPharr MoundsPharr Mounds is a Middle Woodland period archaeological site located near Tupelo in parts of Itawamba and Prentiss County in northern Mississippi....
, an important Middle Woodland periodWoodland periodThe Woodland period of North American pre-Columbian cultures was from roughly 1000 BCE to 1000 CE in the eastern part of North America. The term "Woodland Period" was introduced in the 1930s as a generic header for prehistoric sites falling between the Archaic hunter-gatherers and the...
complex of burial earthworks dating from 1 and 200 CE.
- The Civil WarAmerican Civil WarThe 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...
battlefields include: Tupelo National BattlefieldTupelo National BattlefieldTupelo National Battlefield, in Tupelo, Mississippi, commemorates the July 14–15, 1864, Battle of Tupelo in which Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest tried to cut the railroad supplying the Union's march on Atlanta.-Administrative history:...
and Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield.
- Tupelo Historic Tours offers guided walking tours. Founded in October, 2011 the tour company delivers an educational and recreational experience to guests. Five tour options are offered including an Elvis tour and the Historic Tupelo tour that highlights the birth of a city. Visit www.tupelohistorictours.com for more information.
- One of the largest automobile museums in North America, the Tupelo Automobile MuseumTupelo Automobile MuseumTupelo Automobile Museum is located in Tupelo, Mississippi. This museum has over one hundred cars that date back to 1869. Consisting of the late Frank Spain's personal collection, these cars rang from antique, rare, and celebrity.- Museum at a glance :...
opened on December 7, 2002, Pearl HarborPearl HarborPearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
Day. It was designated the official State of Mississippi automobile museum in the spring of 2003. The museum is home to more than 150 rare automobiles, all of which were part of the personal collection of WTVAWTVAWTVA is the NBC-affiliated television station for Northern Mississippi and Northwestern Alabama licensed to Tupelo, Mississippi. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on County Road 70 in Woodland, Mississippi. The station can also be seen on Cable One...
founder Frank K. SpainFrank K. SpainFrank Kyle Spain was an American inventor and television engineer. He is best known for founding and building WTVA, an NBC affiliate in Tupelo, Mississippi....
.
- Tupelo Community Theatre was founded in 1969. Its chairman is Steve McAlilly and the board of directors numbers 16. The theatre has produced over 200 productions. In 2001 and 2004 it won awards at the Mississippi Theatre Association Community Theatre festival. In 2004 its production of Bel Canto won at the Southeastern Theatre Conference. TCT's home is the historic Lyric Theatre, built in 1912.
- The Tupelo Symphony OrchestraTupelo Symphony OrchestraThe Tupelo Symphony Orchestra is the resident orchestral performing organization in Tupelo, MS-Founding Events:The need for a symphony orchestra in Tupelo, MS led to fund-raising efforts, including organization of the community resources initially required for the development of the orchestra,...
's season runs from September–April with concerts held at the Tupelo Civic Auditorium. Special conductors and soloists appear regularly. The symphony also holds a free annual July 4 outdoor concert at Tupelo's Ballard Park, which draws thousands of fans.
- In 2005, the Tupelo Rotary Club sponsored a commission for a statue of Chief Piomingo, a leader of the ChickasawChickasawThe Chickasaw are Native American people originally from the region that would become the Southeastern United States...
people, which was erected in front of the new city hall.
- Tupelo's Oren Dunn City Museum tells the Story of Community Building through permanent exhibits and a collection of historic structures. The Special Exhibit Gallery provides a venue for a variety of traveling and temporary shows throughout the year.
- June 2006 was the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
Homecoming in Tupelo, whose highlight was the famous 1956 concert at the Mississippi-Alabama State Fair & Dairy Show. The event was recreated at the eighth "Elvis Presley Festival" in Tupelo on June 3, 2006. The fairgrounds is now part of Tupelo's Fairpark District. Documentary filmmakers Roy Turner and Jim Palmer premiered their new Presley documentary, The Homecoming: Tupelo Welcomes Elvis Home, at the 2006 festival.
- The Lee County Library's annual Helen Foster Lecture series has since 1974 sponsored nationally known authors, including Shelby FooteShelby FooteShelby Dade Foote, Jr. was an American historian and novelist who wrote The Civil War: A Narrative, a massive, three-volume history of the war. With geographic and cultural roots in the Mississippi Delta, Foote's life and writing paralleled the radical shift from the agrarian planter system of the...
, Alex HaleyAlex HaleyAlexander Murray Palmer Haley was an African-American writer. He is best known as the author of Roots: The Saga of an American Family and the coauthor of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.-Early life:...
, John GrishamJohn GrishamJohn Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American lawyer and author, best known for his popular legal thrillers.John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981 and practiced criminal law for about a decade...
, Rick BraggRick BraggRick Bragg is an American author and journalist known for his non-fiction books, especially those on his family in Alabama...
, Pat ConroyPat ConroyPat Conroy , is a New York Times bestselling author who has written several acclaimed novels and memoirs. Two of his novels, The Prince of Tides and The Great Santini, were made into Oscar-nominated films.-Early life:...
, Ernest GainesErnest GainesErnest James Gaines is an African-American author. His works have been taught in college classrooms and translated into many languages, including French, Spanish, German, Russian and Chinese. Four of his works have been made into television movies.His 1993 novel, A Lesson Before Dying, won the...
, Willie MorrisWillie MorrisWilliam Weaks "Willie" Morris , was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' trademark was his lyrical prose style and reflections on the American South, particularly...
, Beverly SillsBeverly SillsBeverly Sills was an American operatic soprano whose peak career was between the 1950s and 1970s. In her prime she was the only real rival to Joan Sutherland as the leading bel canto stylist...
and Alice WalkerAlice WalkerAlice Malsenior Walker is an American author, poet, and activist. She has written both fiction and essays about race and gender...
.
- Built in 1937, Tupelo's Church Street Elementary School was hailed as one of the most outstanding designs of its time. A scale model of this Art Moderne structure was displayed at the 1939 New York World's Fair1939 New York World's FairThe 1939–40 New York World's Fair, which covered the of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park , was the second largest American world's fair of all time, exceeded only by St. Louis's Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904. Many countries around the world participated in it, and over 44 million people...
as "the ideal elementary school."
- Tupelo's coliseum, the BancorpSouth Arena, opened in 1993 and has hosted concerts by entertainers such as The Eagles, Rod StewartRod StewartRoderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Bob DylanBob DylanBob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
, Widespread PanicWidespread PanicWidespread Panic is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. The current lineup includes guitarist/singer John Bell, bassist Dave Schools, drummer Todd Nance, percussionist Domingo "Sunny" Ortiz, keyboardist John "JoJo" Hermann, and guitarist Jimmy Herring...
, Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty and the HeartbreakersTom Petty And The Heartbreakers are an American rock band from Gainesville, Florida. They were formed in 1976 by Tom Petty , Mike Campbell , Benmont Tench , , Ron Blair and Stan Lynch...
, AerosmithAerosmithAerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, KissKISS (band)Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
, Lynyrd SkynyrdLynyrd SkynyrdLynyrd Skynyrd is an American rock band prominent in spreading Southern Rock during the 1970s.Originally formed as the "Noble Five" in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1964, the band rose to worldwide recognition on the basis of its driving live performances and signature tune, Freebird...
, Elton JohnElton JohnSir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
, Kelly Clarkson, and Creed.
Government
Tupelo's current mayor is RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Jack Reed Jr.. The president of the Tupelo City Council is Fred Pitts. The other six council members are Markel Whittenton, Jim Newll, Nettie Davis, Jonny Davis, Mike Bryan, and Willie Jennings.
In December 2007, Sen. Trent Lott
Trent Lott
Chester Trent Lott, Sr. , is a former United States Senator from Mississippi and has served in numerous leadership positions in the House of Representatives and the Senate....
retired leaving a vacancy in his unfinished six-year term. Governor Haley Barbour
Haley Barbour
Haley Reeves Barbour is an American Republican politician currently serving as the 63rd Governor of Mississippi. He gained a national spotlight in August 2005 after Mississippi was hit by Hurricane Katrina. Barbour won re-election as Governor in 2007...
appointed Rep. Roger Wicker
Roger Wicker
Roger 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...
as Lott's replacement. Mississippi's First Congressional District seat was open and a special election was held. After a much heated campaign, Travis Childers
Travis Childers
Travis Wayne Childers is the former U.S. Representative from , serving from the 2008 special election until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district includes much of the northern portion of the state including New Albany, Columbus, Oxford, Southaven, and Tupelo...
(D) was elected to represent Mississippi's First Congressional District
Mississippi's 1st congressional district
Mississippi's 1st congressional district is in the northeast corner of the state. It includes much of the northern portion of the state including Columbus, Grenada, Oxford, Southaven, and Tupelo....
.
Education
Tupelo schools are served by the Tupelo Public School DistrictTupelo Public School District
The Tupelo Public School District is a public school district based in Tupelo, Mississippi .-Elementary Schools:*Grades 3-5**Carver Elementary School**Lawndale Elementary School*Grades K-2**Church Street Elementary School...
. The 2008 Tupelo Golden Wave high school baseball team was ranked #1 in the nation for 2 weeks. The Tupelo High School Athletic department was ranked #3 in the nation in 2008 by Sports Illustrated as best athletic department.
Tupelo is home to satellite campuses of the University of Mississippi
University of Mississippi
The University of Mississippi, also known as Ole Miss, is a public, coeducational research university located in Oxford, Mississippi. Founded in 1844, the school is composed of the main campus in Oxford, four branch campuses located in Booneville, Grenada, Tupelo, and Southaven as well as the...
, Itawamba Community College
Itawamba Community College
Itawamba Community College, formerly known as Itawamba Junior College, is a community college in Mississippi, United States, with two campuses; the main campus is located in Fulton, and a branch campus in Tupelo that mainly handles technical education programs. It serves Chickasaw, Itawamba, Lee,...
, and the Mississippi University for Women
Mississippi University for Women
Mississippi University for Women, also known as MUW or simply the "W" is a four-year coeducational public university located in Columbus, Mississippi. It was formerly known as Industrial Institute and College and later Mississippi State College for Women...
.
Economy
Historically, Tupelo served as a regional transportation hub, primarily due to it's location at a railroad intersection. More recently it has developed as strong tourism and hospitality sector based around the Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
birthplace and Natchez Trace
Natchez Trace
The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers...
. The city has also been successful at attracting manufacturing, retail and distribution operations (see 'Industry' section below).
Industry
- Tupelo is the headquarters of the North Mississippi Medical Center, the largest non-metropolitan hospital in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It serves people in North Mississippi, northwest Alabama and portions of Tennessee. The medical center was a winner of the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 2006. - Tupelo is the headquarters of two banking institutions - BancorpSouthBancorpSouthBancorpSouth, 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 :...
, with approximately $11.8 billion in assets (2006), and Renasant, with assets of approximately $4.2 billion (2011). - The city is a four-time "All-America City AwardAll-America City AwardThe All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...
" winner and boasts one of the largest furnitureFurnitureFurniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
manufacturingManufacturingManufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
industries nationwide. As journalist Dennis Seid of the Northeast Mississippi Daily JournalNortheast Mississippi Daily JournalThe Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal is the largest daily newspaper in northeast Mississippi. It was first published in 1872. In 1934 it was taken over by George Mclean, a proponent of leftist social policies. It is based in Tupelo, Mississippi and owned by Journal, Inc...
noted in the February, 2006 edition of The Northeast Mississippi Business Journal, furniture manufacturing is crucial to the economy of Northeast Mississippi, "providing some 22,000 jobs, or almost 13% of the region's employment... with a $732 million annual payroll... producing $2.25 billion worth of goods." - Tupelo had the first ComcastComcastComcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
cable system. - Tecumseh, Furniture Brands International, Hancock FabricsHancock FabricsHancock Fabrics is a specialty retailer of crafts and fabrics based in Baldwyn, Mississippi, United States. Hancock Fabrics operates 266 stores in 37 states under the Hancock Fabrics name.-History:...
, Inc., Magnolia Fabrics, Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Mississippi, H.M. Richards, JESCO Construction, MTD Products, Savings Oil Company (Dodge's Stores), and Cooper Tire & Rubber Company all operate or are headquartered in Tupelo & Lee County. - Enerkem, a Quebec-based biofuelsBiofuelBiofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases...
company, has received a grant/loan from the DOE to build a plant near Tupelo to convert municipal waste into ethanol fuel.
Demographics
Census
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 are 34,211 people, 13,395 households, and 9,108 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...
is 669.4 people per square mile (258.4/km²). There are 14,551 housing units at an average density of 284.7 per square mile (109.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city is 69.40% White, 28.29% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.88% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.47% from other races, and 0.85% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 13,395 households out of which 34.9% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% are 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, 16.2% have a female householder with no husband present, and 32.0% are non-families. 28.0% of all households are made up of individuals and 8.8% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.47 and the average family size is 3.04.
In the city the population is spread out with 27.5% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 25, 30.5% from 25 to 45, 21.4% from 45 to 65, and 12.4% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 35 years. For every 100 females there are 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 82.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city is $38,401. Males have a median income of $35,027 versus $23,988 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 is $22,024.
Media
The local daily newspapers are the nemscitizen.com and Northeast Mississippi Daily JournalNortheast Mississippi Daily Journal
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal is the largest daily newspaper in northeast Mississippi. It was first published in 1872. In 1934 it was taken over by George Mclean, a proponent of leftist social policies. It is based in Tupelo, Mississippi and owned by Journal, Inc...
.
Tupelo is home to three television stations serving the 133rd-ranked designated market area among 210 markets nationwide as determined by Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research
Nielsen Media Research is an American firm that measures media audiences, including television, radio, theatre films and newspapers...
: WTVA
WTVA
WTVA is the NBC-affiliated television station for Northern Mississippi and Northwestern Alabama licensed to Tupelo, Mississippi. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter on County Road 70 in Woodland, Mississippi. The station can also be seen on Cable One...
(9), an NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate; WLOV
WLOV-TV
WLOV-TV is the Fox-affiliated television station for Northern Mississippi and portions of West Alabama licensed to West Point, Mississippi. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 16 from a transmitter on County Road 70 in Woodland, Mississippi. The station can also be seen...
(27), a Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate, and WKDH
WKDH
WKDH is the ABC-affiliated television station for Northern Mississippi and Northwestern Alabama licensed to Houston, Mississippi. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 45 from a transmitter on County Road 70 in Woodland, Mississippi. The station can also be seen on Comcast...
(45), an ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
affiliate. All three stations are located just outside the Tupelo city limits and were controlled by Frank K. Spain
Frank K. Spain
Frank Kyle Spain was an American inventor and television engineer. He is best known for founding and building WTVA, an NBC affiliate in Tupelo, Mississippi....
until his death on April 25, 2006.
Geography & Climate
Tupelo is located in northeast Mississippi, north of ColumbusColumbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
, on future Interstate 22
Interstate 22
Interstate 22 , when it is completed, will follow the U.S. Highway 78 corridor along a 213-mile-long route from Memphis, Tennessee, to Birmingham, Alabama, as an Interstate Highway. Interstate 22 will connect Interstate 240 and Interstate 40 in the northwest with Interstate 65 and Interstate...
and US Route 78 mid way between Memphis, Tennessee
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....
(northwest) and Birmingham, Alabama
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...
(southeast).
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 51.4 square miles (133.1 km²), of which, 51.1 square miles (132.3 km²) of it is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) of it (0.62%) is water.
Notable people
- Diplo (b. 1978) DJ, born in Tupelo
- John DyeJohn DyeJohn Carroll Dye was an American film and television actor known for his role as Andrew in the television series Touched by an Angel.-Early life:...
(1963–2011) Actor, (China BeachChina BeachChina Beach is an American dramatic television series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War. The title refers to My Khe beach in the city of Da Nang, Vietnam, which was nicknamed "China Beach" by unknown foreigners, most likely Americans...
, Touched By An AngelTouched by an AngelTouched by an Angel is an American drama series that premiered on CBS on September 21, 1994 and ran for 211 episodes and nine seasons until its conclusion on April 27, 2003. Created by John Masius and produced by Martha Williamson, the series stars Roma Downey, as an angel named Monica, and Della...
) graduated from Tupelo High School in 1981. - Allie GrantAllie GrantAllie Grant is an American film and television actress. After a few guest appearances in the Disney Channel Original Series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and That's So Raven, Grant was cast on Weeds in 2005. Although she originally began as a recurring character, Grant's role grew and by season 3...
(b. 1994) Actress. Born in Tupelo - Guy HovisGuy HovisGuy Lee Hovis, Jr. , is an American-born singer who, along with his former wife, Ralna English of West Texas, was one of the featured acts of television's The Lawrence Welk Show....
(b. 1941) Singer. Born in Tupelo - Jarious JacksonJarious JacksonJarious K. Jackson is an American and Canadian football quarterback who is currently playing for the BC Lions of the Canadian Football League.-High school:...
(b. 1977) American football quarterback, born in Tupelo - W. Winfred MooreW. Winfred MooreWilliam Winfred Moore , the retired pastor of the First Baptist Church of Amarillo, Texas. was president of the Baptist General Convention of Texas and, a prominent figure in the Southern Baptist Convention during the second half of the 20th century.-Family and education:Moore was born to the late...
(b. 1919) BaptistBaptistBaptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
clergyman pastored 1950s in Tupelo - Alan NunneleeAlan NunneleePatrick Alan Nunnelee is the U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Republican Party. He formerly served as the Mississippi State Senator for District 6.-Early life:...
(b. 1958) United States Congressman born and raised in Tupelo - Elvis PresleyElvis PresleyElvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
(1935–1977) Born in East Tupelo in 1935 - John E. RankinJohn E. RankinJohn Elliott Rankin was a Democratic congressman from the U.S. State of Mississippi who supported racial segregation and, on the floor of the United States House of Representatives, voiced racist views on African Americans and Jews and even accused Albert Einstein of being a communist agitator.In...
(1882–1960) United States Congressman sixteen terms, died in Tupelo - Jumpin' Gene SimmonsJumpin' Gene SimmonsJumpin' Gene Simmons was an American rockabilly singer and songwriter known best for his 1964 novelty single "Haunted House."-Biography:...
(1933–2006) Rockabilly singer-songwriter - Paul ThornPaul ThornPaul Wayne Thorn is an Americana singer-songwriter, whose style is a mix of blues and rock music.-Biography:Thorn was born in Wisconsin, but as an infant his family moved and he was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi...
(b. 1964) Singer-songwriter - Van TiffinVan TiffinVan Tiffin is a former American football placekicker.- College career :Tiffin was the Alabama Crimson Tide's primary placekicker from 1983-1986. He holds the school record for longest converted field goal, with a successful 57-yard attempt against Texas A&M in 1985...
(b. 1965) American football placekicker, born in Tupelo