Coars Springs, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Coars Springs
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Country | United States |
State | Mississippi |
County | Copiah |
Elevation | 351 ft (107 m) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
GNIS feature ID | 708017 |
Coars Springs is a ghost town in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. A ghost town is a place that used to be a busy settlement but is now mostly empty or abandoned. Coars Springs was once a lively town and the first main government center for Copiah County in the early 1800s. However, when the railroad was built, it didn't pass through Coars Springs. This caused the town to lose its importance and eventually become abandoned. Today, the area where Coars Springs once stood has been taken over by the forest.
History of Coars Springs
Coars Springs was founded by European-American settlers. It was located about 5 miles (8 km) east of the city of Hazlehurst. The town was built on the north bank of Copiah Creek. It is believed that the town was named after the "Coars" family, who were among its first residents.
Becoming the County Seat
In 1823, Copiah County was officially created. Coars Springs was chosen as the very first county seat. A county seat is like the main town where the county government offices are located. Important decisions for the county were made there.
The next year, in 1824, a new county called Simpson County was formed. It was made from a part of Copiah County. Because of this change, the county seat for Copiah County was moved. It went to a town called Gallatin, which was a few miles west of Hazlehurst.
A Busy Trading Center
Even after losing its role as the county seat, Coars Springs remained an important place. It was a busy center for trade in the county. People would come to buy and sell goods there.
The town was also popular as a health resort. This was because of its natural springs, which people believed had healing properties. Coars Springs had a hotel where visitors could stay. It also had three or four stores for shopping. The first court meetings for handling wills and looking after orphans were held in Coars Springs.
The Town's Decline
In the mid-1800s, new railroad lines were being built across the country. These railways were very important for transporting goods and people. However, the railroad tracks were not built through Coars Springs.
When the town was bypassed by the railway, its businesses began to suffer. People and goods started to travel by train instead of through Coars Springs. Slowly, the town lost its importance and its businesses closed down. Eventually, Coars Springs was abandoned and became a ghost town.