Amory, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amory, Mississippi
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Frisco Park in 2005
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Location within Monroe County and the state of Mississippi
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Mississippi | ||
| County | Monroe | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 13.14 sq mi (34.03 km2) | ||
| • Land | 12.53 sq mi (32.46 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.61 sq mi (1.58 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 240 ft (70 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,666 | ||
| • Density | 531.96/sq mi (205.39/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP Code |
38821
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| Area code(s) | 662 | ||
| FIPS code | 28-01260 | ||
| GNIS ID | 2403095 | ||
Amory is a city in Monroe County, Mississippi, United States. In 2020, about 6,666 people lived there. Amory is in the northeastern part of Mississippi, close to the Alabama border. It was started in 1887 because of a railroad. Because of this new railroad town, people and businesses moved from an older town called Cotton Gin Port to be closer to the trains.
Contents
History
How Amory Started
Amory was planned as a railroad town. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad was growing in the South. They needed a place between Memphis, Tennessee, and Birmingham, Alabama, to fix their trains. So, they created the new town of Amory in 1887, close to the Alabama border.
People from a nearby town, Cotton Gin Port, realized that the railroad was very important. Cotton Gin Port was about 1.5 miles away, along the Tombigbee River. Everyone left Cotton Gin Port and moved to Amory. Today, only old building ruins and a cemetery are left of Cotton Gin Port.
2023 Tornado
On March 24, 2023, a strong tornado hit Amory. It was an EF3 tornado, which means it caused a lot of damage. Many homes were badly hurt, and some people were injured. Sadly, two lives were lost. Cameras at Amory High School showed the tornado ripping off the roof and throwing things around. This same tornado also hit nearby towns like Egypt and Wren.
Geography
Where Amory Is Located
Amory is in the northern part of Monroe County. It sits on the east side of the Tombigbee River valley. The Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway forms the city's northwestern edge.
Roads and Travel
Several main roads go through Amory. U.S. Route 278 runs through the south side of the city. It can take you west to the US 45 freeway or southeast to Sulligent, Alabama. Okolona, Mississippi, is about 15 miles west. State Highway 25 goes through Amory as Main Street. It leads north to Fulton and south to Aberdeen, which is the main town of Monroe County. State Highway 6 goes northwest from Amory to Nettleton and Tupelo.
Land and Water
Amory covers about 13.1 square miles (34.0 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 12.5 square miles (32.4 square kilometers). The rest, about 0.6 square miles (1.5 square kilometers), is water. The Amory Lock on the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway is along the northern edge of the city.
Demographics
Who Lives in Amory?
Demographics is a way to study the people who live in a place. It looks at things like how many people there are and what different groups they belong to.
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 739 | — | |
| 1900 | 1,211 | 63.9% | |
| 1910 | 2,122 | 75.2% | |
| 1920 | 2,861 | 34.8% | |
| 1930 | 3,214 | 12.3% | |
| 1940 | 3,727 | 16.0% | |
| 1950 | 4,990 | 33.9% | |
| 1960 | 6,474 | 29.7% | |
| 1970 | 7,236 | 11.8% | |
| 1980 | 7,307 | 1.0% | |
| 1990 | 7,093 | −2.9% | |
| 2000 | 6,956 | −1.9% | |
| 2010 | 7,316 | 5.2% | |
| 2020 | 6,666 | −8.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census Information
In 2020, there were 6,666 people living in Amory. There were about 2,900 households and 1,666 families.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White | 4,524 | 67.87% |
| Black or African American | 1,764 | 26.46% |
| Native American | 16 | 0.24% |
| Asian | 19 | 0.29% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 190 | 2.85% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 152 | 2.28% |
Economy
What Amory Makes and Does
Amory has different kinds of businesses. They make sports equipment and process wood pulp. There are also companies that make furniture and textiles (like cloth). The city has a hospital called North Mississippi Medical Center Gilmore–Amory.
Arts and Culture
Railroad Festival
Every April, Amory celebrates its history with the "Railroad Festival." It takes place in Frisco Park in downtown Amory. The festival has yummy southern foods like fried catfish and barbecue. You can also find rides, arts and crafts, and live music. A local band called The Gents is very popular and plays Motown, Blues Brothers, and oldies music. Many people, sometimes as many as 40,000, visit the festival over the weekend. The festival was canceled in 2020, 2021, and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the tornado. But it came back in 2022 and 2024!
Stars Over Mississippi
Amory also used to host an event called "Entertainment for Education," also known as "Stars Over Mississippi." This was a special concert where famous people and entertainers performed. The money raised from this event helped pay for scholarships for local students. Some of the famous people who came included Vince Gill, Dolly Parton, Kathie Lee Gifford, Brad Paisley, and Ray Romano. Even Prince Edward from the United Kingdom attended!
Education
Schools in Amory
Most students in Amory go to schools in the Amory School District. A small part of the city is served by the Monroe County School District. There is also a small private school in Amory called Amory Christian Academy.
Infrastructure
How to Get Around Amory
You can travel by car on roads like US 278, Mississippi Highway 6, and Mississippi Highway 25. Trains also run through Amory, with companies like BNSF Railway and Mississippian Railway. For shipping goods, boats can use the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
Notable people
- Lucille Bogan, a famous blues singer
- Hob Bryan, a member of the Mississippi Senate
- Jim Burrow, a former professional football player and father of NFL star Joe Burrow
- Lt. Col. Herman Carter, one of the first Tuskegee Airmen (brave African American pilots)
- John Dye, an actor known for his role in Touched by an Angel
- Rufus French, an All-American football player
- Gary Grubbs, an actor
- David Hadley, a former NFL football player
- Will Hall, a college football coach
- Trent Harmon, the winner of American Idol Season 15
- Ulysses Hollimon, a Negro league baseball player
- John Johnson, a former Mississippi politician
- Tevin Jones, a wide receiver for the Saskatchewan Roughriders (Canadian football)
- Jon Ray Lancaster, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
- Brian Maxcy, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers baseball team
- Mitch Moreland, a first baseman and outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams
- Matt Schnell, a mixed martial artist
- Taylor Spreitler, an actress
- Butch Thompson, a college baseball coach
- Shaquille Vance, a Paralympic sprinter (an athlete with a disability)
- Marcus West, a former NFL player and current assistant coach for the Buffalo Bills
Images for kids
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BNSF Railway bridge over Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Amory, Mississippi
See also
In Spanish: Amory para niños
