Brewton, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brewton, Mississippi
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Historical Brewton was located just west of the Pascagoula River
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 Brewton, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Brewton, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Jackson |
| Elevation | 135 ft (41 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 710402 |
Brewton, Mississippi is a fascinating ghost town located in Jackson County, Mississippi, in the United States. A ghost town is a place where most people have left, leaving behind empty buildings and a quiet history. Brewton was once a busy settlement, but its story shows how towns can rise and fall, especially when their main industry disappears.
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The Story of Brewton, Mississippi
Brewton, Mississippi, has a long and interesting history. It started as a promising settlement and went through many changes before becoming the ghost town it is today.
Early Days and a New Home
In the early 1800s, people started moving to an area in Jackson County. This spot was called Brewer's Bluff. It was a good place because it was high up, safe from floods, and located just west of the Pascagoula River. A family named Brewer owned the land, which they received from a Spanish land grant. This is how the area got its first name.
A County Seat That Moved
In 1816, Brewer's Bluff was chosen to be the county seat for Jackson County. A county seat is the main town where the government offices are located. Around 1820, a courthouse and a jail were built there. However, by 1826, Brewer's Bluff wasn't growing as much as people hoped. It was too far away from other places. Because of this, the county seat was moved to a new location east of the Pascagoula River.
From Turpentine to Timber
After the county seat moved, Brewer's Bluff changed hands many times. It eventually became known as Rice's Bluff. Just before the American Civil War, a turpentine still operated there. A turpentine still is a factory that extracts turpentine from pine trees.
Later in the 1800s, Brewton became a busy sawmill town. People harvested huge pine trees from the nearby forests. These trees were then processed into lumber at the sawmill. Besides the sawmill, Brewton had homes, a church, a school, a hotel, and even a post office. The sawmill owners tried to rename the town Klondike, hoping it would bring them good luck, but the new name didn't last.
The Sawmill Boom and Bust
The sawmill in Brewton faced many challenges. Ownership changed several times, and the mill even burned down twice! Once all the valuable pine trees were cut down, there was no longer a reason for people to stay in Brewton. The town slowly started to empty out.
What Happened Next?
In the early 1900s, the L.N. Dantzler Lumber Company bought the property where Brewton once stood. They didn't use the old buildings, and over time, they fell apart. The area was renamed again and became known as White's Camp. Today, Brewton remains a quiet reminder of a once-thriving timber town.
