Coahoma County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coahoma County
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Original WROX (AM) building in Clarksdale.
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Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
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 Mississippi's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Mississippi |
| Founded | February 9, 1836 |
| Seat | Clarksdale |
| Largest city | Clarksdale |
| Area | |
| • Total | 583 sq mi (1,510 km2) |
| • Land | 552 sq mi (1,430 km2) |
| • Water | 31 sq mi (80 km2) 5.3% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 21,390 |
| • Density | 36.69/sq mi (14.166/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 2nd |
Coahoma County is a county located in the state of Mississippi in the United States. In 2020, about 21,390 people lived there. The main town and county seat (where the county government is) is Clarksdale.
Coahoma County is part of the Mississippi Delta region. The area around Clarksdale, including Coahoma County, is called the Clarksdale Micropolitan Statistical Area. This means it's a smaller city area that is connected to a larger one. In 2023, it became part of the bigger Memphis-Clarksdale-Forrest City Combined Statistical Area, which has about 1.4 million people.
Contents
History of Coahoma County
Coahoma County was created on February 9, 1836. It is in the northwest part of Mississippi, in a very rich farming area called the Yazoo Delta. The name "Coahoma" comes from the Choctaw language and means "red panther."
When the county was first formed, there were no railways or many roads. So, the Mississippi River was the main way to travel and move goods. Because of this, the first three county seats were all located right on the river.
Where was the first county seat?
In 1836, Port Royal was chosen as the first county seat. But in 1841, big floods from the Mississippi River damaged Port Royal. So, in 1842, the county seat moved to a town called Delta.
What happened to Delta?
Delta also faced problems with high water from the Mississippi River. Because of the floods, the county seat moved again in 1850. This time, it moved to Friars Point. Friars Point was named after an early settler, Robert Friar. By 1920, about 1,000 people lived there.
How did Clarksdale become the county seat?
As the town of Clarksdale grew bigger and more important, it wanted to be the county seat. In 1892, Coahoma County was split into two parts for government. One part was in Friars Point, and the other was in Clarksdale.
Finally, in 1930, Clarksdale became the only county seat for Coahoma County. Clarksdale was named after John Clark, who was the brother-in-law of Governor James L. Alcorn. Today, Clarksdale is the largest and most important city in the county.
Geography of Coahoma County
Coahoma County covers a total area of about 583 square miles. Most of this area, about 552 square miles, is land. The remaining 31 square miles (about 5.3%) is water.
Main Roads in Coahoma County
Future Interstate 69
U.S. Highway 49
U.S. Highway 61
U.S. Highway 278
Mississippi Highway 1
Mississippi Highway 6
Mississippi Highway 315
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Neighboring Counties
Coahoma County shares its borders with these counties:
- Tunica County (to the north)
- Quitman County (to the east)
- Sunflower County (to the south)
- Tallahatchie County (to the southeast)
- Bolivar County (to the southwest)
- Phillips County, Arkansas (to the west)
Population of Coahoma County
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1840 | 1,290 | — | |
| 1850 | 2,780 | 115.5% | |
| 1860 | 6,606 | 137.6% | |
| 1870 | 7,144 | 8.1% | |
| 1880 | 13,568 | 89.9% | |
| 1890 | 18,342 | 35.2% | |
| 1900 | 26,293 | 43.3% | |
| 1910 | 34,217 | 30.1% | |
| 1920 | 41,511 | 21.3% | |
| 1930 | 46,327 | 11.6% | |
| 1940 | 48,333 | 4.3% | |
| 1950 | 49,361 | 2.1% | |
| 1960 | 46,212 | −6.4% | |
| 1970 | 40,447 | −12.5% | |
| 1980 | 36,918 | −8.7% | |
| 1990 | 31,665 | −14.2% | |
| 2000 | 30,622 | −3.3% | |
| 2010 | 26,151 | −14.6% | |
| 2020 | 21,390 | −18.2% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 20,077 | −23.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2013 |
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What is the population like today?
In 2020, the 2020 United States Census counted 21,390 people living in Coahoma County. There were 8,782 households and 5,637 families.
Most people in Coahoma County are Black or African American. In 2020, about 75.78% of the population was Black or African American. About 20.03% were White. Other groups included Asian, Native American, and people of mixed races. About 1.64% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
Education in Coahoma County
Coahoma County has several schools and a college.
Colleges
- Coahoma Community College is located in Clarksdale.
Public School Districts
- Clarksdale Municipal School District - Its high school is Clarksdale High School.
- Coahoma County School District - Its high school is Coahoma County Junior-Senior High School.
Private Schools
- Lee Academy is in Clarksdale.
Towns and Communities
Coahoma County has one city, several towns, and many smaller communities.
Cities
- Clarksdale (This is the county seat)
Towns
Census-Designated Places (CDPs)
CDPs are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as cities or towns.
Unincorporated Communities
These are small communities that are not officially part of a city or town.
Ghost Towns
These are towns that used to exist but are now abandoned.
Famous People from Coahoma County
Many notable people have connections to Coahoma County:
- James L. Alcorn was a United States Senator from Mississippi. He owned a home called "Eagle Nest" in Coahoma County.
- Thomas Harris, the author of the Hannibal Lecter novels, grew up in Rich, an unincorporated community in the county.
- John Lee Hooker (1917–2001) was a famous blues musician. He was born in Coahoma County into a family of farmers and a Baptist preacher.
- Maud Jeffries (1869–1946) was an actress born in Lula, Mississippi. She later moved to Australia.
- Ransom A. Myers (1952–2007) was a well-known marine biologist and conservationist. He was born in Lula, Mississippi.
- Nate Dogg, a singer, spent his childhood in Clarksdale.
- Rick Ross, the rapper, was born in Coahoma County in 1976.
- Frederick Bruce Thomas (1872-1928) was a successful businessman who became very wealthy in Moscow and Constantinople.
- Ike Turner, a musician, was born in Clarksdale.
- Tennessee Williams, a famous playwright, spent much of his childhood in Clarksdale and Coahoma County. A festival celebrating his work is held in Clarksdale every year.
- Blac Elvis, an award-winning music producer and songwriter, was born in Clarksdale.
- Son House (1902–1988), a blues singer and guitarist, was born in Lyon, Coahoma County.
- Conway Twitty (1933–1993), a country singer, was born in Friars Point, Mississippi.
Images for kids
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Original WROX (AM) building in Clarksdale.
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Coahoma para niños
