Collins, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Collins, Mississippi
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Covington County Courthouse in Collins
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| Motto(s):
Come Grow With Us!
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Location of Collins, Mississippi
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 Collins, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States | ||
| State | Mississippi | ||
| County | Covington | ||
| Settled | Late 1800s | ||
| Incorporated | November 24, 1906 | ||
| Named for | Fred W. Collins | ||
| Government | |||
| • Type | Mayor-Council | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 7.99 sq mi (20.69 km2) | ||
| • Land | 7.96 sq mi (20.62 km2) | ||
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) | ||
| Elevation | 292 ft (89 m) | ||
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 2,342 | ||
| • Density | 294.18/sq mi (113.59/km2) | ||
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central (CST)) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) | ||
| ZIP code |
39428
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| Area code(s) | 601 | ||
| FIPS code | 28-15140 | ||
| GNIS feature ID | 0668700 | ||
Collins is a city in Covington County, Mississippi, United States. It is the main town, or county seat, of Covington County. In 2020, about 2,342 people lived there.
Contents
History of Collins
How Collins Got Its Name
Collins was first started in 1899. It was called Williamsburg Depot back then. A railroad was built, and it went around the old county seat, Williamsburg. So, many sawmills moved to the new town of Williamsburg Depot to be closer to the train.
Lumber was a very important business at that time. The town grew quickly to about 6,000 to 7,000 people.
But the name "Williamsburg Depot" was very long. People had trouble writing it on stamps. In 1905, the postmaster asked to change the name. The postal service suggested "Bad," but the people didn't like that name.
They finally chose "Collins" to honor Fred W. Collins. He was a leader in Mississippi's Republican party. The town's name officially changed on November 24, 1906.
Becoming the Main Town
In 1906, a part of Covington County became a new county called Jefferson Davis County. Because of this, Williamsburg was no longer in the center of Covington County. A new main town, or county seat, was needed.
Collins was chosen over other towns like Seminary. A new courthouse was built in Collins. The first court meeting happened there in 1908.
Changes Over Time
After a while, the lumber business used up most of the trees. The sawmills moved away from Collins. The town's population dropped from 7,000 to only 700 people.
But things started to get better in 1936. Two big highways, U.S. 49 and U.S. 84, were built. Collins was now at the crossing of these two important roads. This helped new businesses come to town.
Also, a pipeline called the Plantation Pipeline was built. It carried oil from Baton Rouge to the east coast. It went through a nearby community called Kola, which soon became part of Collins.
Helping After Hurricane Katrina
In September 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit Collins. Many aid groups focused on bigger cities like New Orleans. Smaller towns like Collins didn't get as much help right away.
A town in Pennsylvania, Duryea, Pennsylvania, decided to help. Duryea had also faced bad flooding from a hurricane before. They wanted to "adopt" a town like Collins to help them rebuild.
Duryea held events and raised money. They helped Collins recover from the storm. The mayor of Collins, V.O. Smith, and his wife even visited Duryea to say thank you. This created a special friendship between the two towns.
Geography and Climate
Collins is located in the middle of Covington County. It is near Okatoma Creek. This creek flows into the Bowie River, which is part of the larger Pascagoula River system.
The city covers about 7.99 square miles (20.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small amount of water.
The weather in Collins is generally warm. Summers are hot, and winters are mild. It gets a good amount of rain throughout the year. Snow is very rare.
| Climate data for Collins, Mississippi (1981-2015) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 57.8 (14.3) |
62.0 (16.7) |
69.1 (20.6) |
75.7 (24.3) |
82.3 (27.9) |
88.0 (31.1) |
90.3 (32.4) |
90.2 (32.3) |
85.5 (29.7) |
76.7 (24.8) |
68.3 (20.2) |
59.6 (15.3) |
75.5 (24.1) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 46.2 (7.9) |
50.1 (10.1) |
57.0 (13.9) |
64.2 (17.9) |
71.8 (22.1) |
78.1 (25.6) |
80.7 (27.1) |
80.4 (26.9) |
75.1 (23.9) |
65.0 (18.3) |
56.5 (13.6) |
48.4 (9.1) |
64.5 (18.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 34.6 (1.4) |
38.2 (3.4) |
45.0 (7.2) |
52.6 (11.4) |
61.3 (16.3) |
68.3 (20.2) |
71.1 (21.7) |
70.6 (21.4) |
64.7 (18.2) |
53.3 (11.8) |
44.8 (7.1) |
37.1 (2.8) |
53.5 (11.9) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 5.69 (145) |
5.50 (140) |
5.84 (148) |
4.84 (123) |
5.10 (130) |
4.49 (114) |
4.83 (123) |
4.61 (117) |
3.90 (99) |
3.86 (98) |
5.05 (128) |
5.25 (133) |
58.96 (1,498) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.1 (0.25) |
0.2 (0.5) |
| Source: National Weather Forecast Office | |||||||||||||
People of Collins
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 2,581 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,389 | −46.2% | |
| 1930 | 935 | −32.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,100 | 17.6% | |
| 1950 | 1,293 | 17.5% | |
| 1960 | 1,537 | 18.9% | |
| 1970 | 1,934 | 25.8% | |
| 1980 | 2,131 | 10.2% | |
| 1990 | 2,541 | 19.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,683 | 5.6% | |
| 2010 | 2,586 | −3.6% | |
| 2020 | 2,342 | −9.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
The population of Collins has changed over the years. In 2020, there were 2,342 people living in the city.
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 939 | 40.09% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,225 | 52.31% |
| Asian | 11 | 0.47% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.09% |
| Other/Mixed | 57 | 2.43% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 108 | 4.61% |
In 2020, there were 905 households and 661 families living in Collins.
Fun Things to Do
Yearly Events
Collins has several fun events each year:
Okatoma Festival
The Okatoma Festival is named after the Okatoma Creek. It happens on the first Saturday in May in downtown Collins. You can find carnival rides, food booths, and local treats. There's also a 5K run in the morning for those who like to exercise.
Mitchell Farms Pumpkin Patch
From mid-September to early November, Mitchell Farms hosts a Pumpkin Patch & Maze. It's open on Saturdays and Sundays. You can enjoy wagon rides, a corn maze, and visit an animal barn. They even have a "goat castle"!
Christmas in the Park
From the day after Thanksgiving until the day after Christmas, the Chamber of Commerce puts on "Christmas in the Park." This is a huge drive-through light show. It takes up the whole Bettie D. Robertson Memorial Park. All the lights and displays are given by local people. It shows both fun and religious parts of the holiday.
Places to Visit
Collins has some great places for visitors:
- Grand Paradise Water Park is a fun place to cool off.
- Mitchell Farms offers tours of old farm buildings. You can also plan events there. They sell fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season.
- Okatoma Golf Club has an 18-hole golf course in the Oak Hills area.
Parks and Recreation
Collins has two main parks: Bettie D. Robertson Park and Westside Park.
- Bettie D. Robertson Park is where "Christmas in the Park" is held. It has sports fields, a walking track, and a playground. There's also a duck pond and a bird sanctuary.
- Westside Park has basketball courts and a playground for kids.
Education
The Covington County School District serves the city of Collins. There are three schools right in Collins:
- Collins Elementary (for grades K-4)
- Carver Middle School (for grades 5-8)
- Collins High School (for grades 9-12)
The school district also has a special center in Collins. It offers classes in things like health, building, and business. This helps students learn skills for future jobs.
For college, students can go to Jones College.
Media
Collins has its own local newspaper called the News-Commercial. It comes out every Wednesday. You can also read The Clarion-Ledger, which is a bigger newspaper from Jackson.
For TV, Collins gets local channels from WDAM (from Laurel, MS) and WHLT (from Hattiesburg, MS). There isn't a local cable TV station in the city itself.
Transportation and Services
Getting Around
Collins is located near where two big highways meet: U.S. Routes 49 and 84.
- U.S. 49 goes through the city. It leads northwest to Jackson, the state capital. It goes southeast to Hattiesburg.
- U.S. 84 goes around the city center. It crosses U.S. 49 in the northern part of town. It leads east to Laurel and west towards Brookhaven.
Most people in Collins use cars to get around. There are sidewalks in many neighborhoods that connect to the city center.
Utilities
Southern Pines Electric Power Association provides electricity to Collins. It is based out of Taylorsville, MS.
Healthcare
Collins has the Covington County Hospital. It is a 25-bed hospital that opened in 1951. The hospital helps the community by supporting local school activities and after-school programs.
Famous People From Collins
Many notable people have connections to Collins:
- Dana Andrews – a famous film actor.
- L. Venchael Booth – a Baptist minister.
- Correll Buckhalter – a former professional football player.
- Demario Davis – a current professional football player.
- Billy Hamilton – a professional baseball player.
- Dale Houston – a singer.
- Mack A. Jordan – a brave soldier who received the Medal of Honor.
- Randolph Keys – a former professional basketball player.
- Brandon McDonald – a former professional football player.
- Gerald McRaney – an actor.
- Marilyn Mims – a talented opera singer.
Images for kids
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The flag of Collins, Mississippi
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The seal of Collins, Mississippi
See also
In Spanish: Collins (Misisipi) para niños
