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Austin, Mississippi
1862 map showing Austin
1862 map showing Austin
Austin, Mississippi is located in Mississippi
Austin, Mississippi
Austin, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Austin, Mississippi is located in the United States
Austin, Mississippi
Austin, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Mississippi
County Tunica
Area
 • Total 0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)
 • Land 0.10 sq mi (0.26 km2)
 • Water 0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation
197 ft (60 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 51
 • Density 504.95/sq mi (195.89/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
38676
GNIS feature ID 666428

Austin is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States. Per the 2020 Census, the population was 51.

Once a thriving shipping port on the Mississippi River, Austin served as county seat from 1847 to 1888. Earlier county seats were Commerce and Peyton.

History

Austin was founded in 1847 and named for Austin Miller, who donated the land on which the town and a courthouse were built.

Austin was burned in 1863 by Union soldiers of the Mississippi Marine Brigade under the command of Alfred W. Ellet. Two houses were spared.

The town rebuilt and was incorporated in 1871, though it is no longer incorporated.

In 1884, the area was flooded when a nearby levee broke. When waters receded, a large sandbar had been left between the town and the Mississippi River, and steamboats could no longer land. The completion of the Louisville, New Orleans and Texas Railway 3 mi (4.8 km) east of Austin in the late 1880s further contributed to its isolation.

In 1888, the county seat was moved to Tunica, a more accessible location.

The construction of the Hardin Cutoff in 1942, which created Tunica Lake, moved the Mississippi River an additional 7 mi (11 km) west of Austin.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
2020 51
U.S. Decennial Census
2020

2020 census

Austin CDP, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2020 % 2020
White alone (NH) 3 5.88%
Black or African American alone (NH) 44 86.27%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Asian alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 3 5.88%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1 1.96%
Total 51 100.00%

Education

Residents are in the Tunica County School District. Rosa Fort High School is the district's comprehensive high school.

Notable person

  • Sport McAllister (1874–1962), professional baseball player.
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