Mayhew, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mayhew, Mississippi
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The cemetery at the old Mayhew Mission site
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 Mayhew, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Mayhew, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Lowndes |
| Elevation | 207 ft (63 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 662 |
| GNIS feature ID | 673265 |
Mayhew is a small, unincorporated community in Lowndes County, Mississippi. This means it's a place where people live, but it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
You can find Mayhew west of Columbus, north of Artesia, east of Starkville, and south of West Point. It's also sometimes called Mayhew Station.
Contents
History of Mayhew
The Mayhew Mission
In 1818, a place called Mayhew Mission was started in this area. It was created by Presbyterians from Massachusetts, led by Cyrus Kingsbury. Their goal was to help the Choctaw Native American people. They wanted to teach them about Christianity and give them an education.
The community was named Mayhew to honor another missionary family from Massachusetts. However, after the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was signed, many Choctaw people were forced to move. This difficult journey is known as the Trail of Tears. Because of this, the population of Mayhew Mission quickly became much smaller.
Mayhew Station and "The Crossroads"
The original Mayhew Mission site was near a place called Muldrow, Mississippi. In the early 1850s, the community moved closer to the new Mobile and Ohio Railroad tracks. This new location was first called Mayhew Station. Today, the old mission site is known as Old Mayhew, and only a cemetery remains there.
By 1900, about 139 people lived in Mayhew. The community was known for shipping goods like bees, lumber, and hay. It also had a tannery, which is a place where animal hides are made into leather.
Mayhew is also known as Mayhew Junction, or more commonly, "The Crossroads." This name came about because U.S. Route 82 and U.S. Route 45 used to cross paths right in Mayhew. Before these highways were made bigger, their intersection was a four-way stop. Many businesses, like bars and gas stations, were located around this intersection. These places were popular with students from the nearby Mississippi State University. However, these buildings were taken down when the new, larger highways were built between 1975 and 1995.
Education and Post Office
Today, the East Mississippi Community College Golden Triangle Campus is located in Mayhew. This college provides education and training for students in the area.
Mayhew has had a post office for a long time. It operated under the name Mayhew from 1833 to 1837. Then, it was called Mayhews Station from 1856 to 1903. Since 1903, it has been known as Mayhew again.
Mayhew was once home to Stover Apiaries. This was the world's largest apiary for queen bees. An apiary is a place where bees are kept. Stover Apiaries shipped queen bees to beekeepers all over the world.
Notable People from Mayhew
Mayhew has been home to some interesting people who achieved great things:
- Beaumont B. Buck: He was a Major General in the United States Army. He served in several wars, including the Spanish–American War, the Philippine–American War, and World War I. During World War I, he led different groups of soldiers, including a regiment, a brigade, and a division of the 1st Division.
- Horatio B. Cushman: He was a historian and author. He wrote an important book called History of the Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Natchez Indians.
