Macon, Mississippi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Macon, Mississippi
City
Noxubee County Courthouse in Macon
Location of Macon, Mississippi
Macon, Mississippi Location in the United States
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Noxubee
Area
• Total	3.85 sq mi (9.98 km2)
• Land	3.83 sq mi (9.92 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation	197 ft (60 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,582
• Density	674.33/sq mi (260.34/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	39341
Area code(s)	662
FIPS code	28-44240
GNIS feature ID	0673046

Macon is a city in Noxubee County, Mississippi. It is located along the Noxubee River. Macon is the county seat of Noxubee County, which means it is where the county government is based. In 2010, about 2,768 people lived there. By 2020, the population was 2,582.

History of Macon

Macon was first started on February 9, 1833, and was called Taladega. Its name was changed to Macon on August 10, 1835. An important old road, the Jackson Military Road, crossed the Noxubee River just west of Macon. This spot was once an old Choctaw village. During the American Civil War, Macon served as the capital city for the state of Mississippi for a time.

Geography of Macon

Macon covers a total area of about 1.5 square miles (3.85 square kilometers). All of this area is land.

People and Population

In 2016, Macon faced economic challenges.

2020 Census Information

The United States Census in 2020 counted 2,582 people living in Macon. There were 1,110 households and 724 families in the city.

The table below shows the different groups of people living in Macon based on the 2020 census:

Arts and Culture

The Noxubee County library is located in Macon. The building where the library is now was built in 1907 and used to be a jail. It still has a gallows inside.

Education in Macon

Historically, Macon had the largest schools in Noxubee County, including Macon High School (Mississippi). In 1917, the city wanted to combine its school district with the county. The goal was to improve education by moving away from schools with only one teacher.

Today, the City of Macon is served by the Noxubee County School District. Students can also take some college courses at Noxubee County High School through East Mississippi Community College.

When federal courts required public schools to allow all students, regardless of race, to attend together (known as integration), a private school called Central Academy was opened in Macon. This private school was created to avoid integration. During this time, the number of white students in public schools dropped significantly. Eventually, Central Academy closed after the 2017 school year because fewer and fewer students attended.

Media

Macon has had several newspapers throughout its history. The first was the Macon Intelligencer, which was published from 1838 to 1840. Another paper, the Macon Herald, ran from 1841 to 1842. The Macon Beacon started in 1849 and was a daily newspaper from 1859 to 1995. It is still published once a week on Thursdays. Macon also has a local radio station, WPEZ 93.7 FM.

Notable People from Macon

Many interesting people have come from Macon, Mississippi. Here are a few:

• Chapman L. Anderson, a member of the United States House of Representatives.
• Larry Anderson, a basketball coach for MIT.
• Buster Barnett, a former NFL player.
• Carey Bell, a blues harmonica player.
• McArthur Binion, an artist.
• Cornelius Cash, a basketball player.
• Eddy Clearwater, a blues guitarist and singer.
• Quincy Coleman, a former NFL and CFL player.
• Darion Conner, a former professional football player.
• Fest Cotton, a former NFL defensive tackle.
• Joseph Crespino, a historian.
• Albert Tatum Dent, a member of the Mississippi Senate.
• Reecy Dickson, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
• Henry Minor Faser, a founding dean at the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy.
• Hezekiah William Foote, a planter and former politician.
• Huger Lee Foote, a planter and former politician.
• Jesse Fortune, a blues singer.
• Victoria Clay Haley, a suffragist who worked for women's right to vote.
• Reggie Holmes, a former CFL player.
• Nate Hughes, a former professional football player.
• T. R. Hummer, a poet.
• Chris Jones, a former NFL and CFL wide receiver.
• Lorenzo Houston King, a bishop in the Methodist Church.
• William Manly King, an architect.
• Clarke Lewis, a member of the United States House of Representatives.
• William Brooks Lucas, a former member of the Mississippi Senate.
• Brother Joe May, a gospel singer.
• Andy P. Mullins, an educator.
• Samuel Pandolfo, a businessman.
• Bubba Phillips, a Major League Baseball player.
• John Alton Phillips, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
• John Q. Poindexter, a member of the Mississippi Senate.
• America W. Robinson, an African American educator and singer.
• Gene Short, a former National Basketball Association player.
• Jeffery Simmons, a defensive end for the Tennessee Titans.
• Deontae Skinner, an NFL player.
• Isham Stewart, a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate.
• William Ward, a poet and editor.
• Margaret Murray Washington, an educator and wife of Booker T. Washington.
• Nate Wayne, a former NFL football player.
• Israel Victor Welch, a politician and lawyer.
• Sherman W. White, a fighter pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen.
• Ben Ames Williams, a novelist.
• Big Joe Williams, a Delta blues guitarist and songwriter.
• Henry Williams, a soldier.

See also

In Spanish: Macon (Misisipi) para niños