Pontotoc, Mississippi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pontotoc, Mississippi
City
Pontotoc County Courthouse in Pontotoc
Flag
Location of Pontotoc, Mississippi
Pontotoc, Mississippi Location in Mississippi Show map of Mississippi Pontotoc, Mississippi Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Pontotoc
Area
• Total	11.33 sq mi (29.36 km2)
• Land	11.18 sq mi (28.96 km2)
• Water	0.15 sq mi (0.40 km2)
Elevation	459 ft (140 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	5,640
• Density	504.47/sq mi (194.78/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	38863
Area code(s)	662
FIPS code	28-59160
GNIS feature ID	2404549

Pontotoc is a city in Mississippi, United States. It is the main city, or county seat, of Pontotoc County. The city is located west of a bigger city called Tupelo.

In 2020, about 5,640 people lived in Pontotoc. The name "Pontotoc" comes from the Chickasaw language. It means "Land of the Hanging Grapes." A special part of the city, especially along Main Street and Liberty Street, is known as the Pontotoc Historic District. This area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its important history.

The Treaty of Pontotoc Site is also a historic place. The Treaty of Pontotoc Creek was a big agreement from the past. It was part of a U.S. government plan to move Native American tribes. This plan, called Indian Removal, forced the Chickasaw people to give up their land and move west of the Mississippi River.

History of Pontotoc

The Chickasaw nation lived in this area for a very long time. They were here thousands of years before Europeans came to the Southeast. In the early 1830s, the U.S. government forced them to move. This was part of a program called Indian removal. They had to go to a new place called Indian Territory, which was west of the Mississippi River.

Later, in the late 1800s, famous outlaws like Jesse James and Frank James visited this area. They once hid in an old house in east Pontotoc County. This house had been a hospital for the Union Army during the American Civil War. It was used during a battle near Tupelo.

Town Square Museum and WPA Art

The Town Square Museum is in the old U.S. post office building. This building is near the county courthouse. The museum shows many interesting items from Pontotoc's past. A post office still works in the building today.

The building was built in 1937 during the Great Depression. This was a time when many people did not have jobs. The government started programs like the Works Progress Administration (WPA) to help. These programs created jobs for thousands of workers. They built public buildings and roads all over the country.

A special painting, called a mural, is in the post office lobby. It is titled The Wedding of Ortez and SaOwana - Christmas 1540. This mural was painted in 1939. It shows a story about what was said to be the first Christian marriage in North America. However, this story is likely a local legend, not a true historical event.

The mural was painted by an artist named Joseph Pollet. He came to the U.S. from Germany as a child. He was hired through the WPA arts program. This program helped many artists and writers find work. They created art for post offices and other public buildings.

Bodock Festival

Every year, the city holds a festival in the Town Square. It happens during the last week of September. It is called the Bodock Festival. The festival celebrates a special tree called the Maclura pomifera (Osage orange). This tree is also known as a "bois d'arc" or "bowdock." A large Bodock tree stands next to the historic mansion, Lochinvar. Both the tree and the mansion survived a very strong tornado in 2001.

Geography

Pontotoc covers an area of about 9.6 square miles (24.9 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, about 9.4 square miles (24.3 square kilometers). A small part, about 0.2 square miles (0.5 square kilometers), is covered by water.

Climate

Population of Pontotoc

The Town Square Museum/Post Office located in downtown Pontotoc. The Post Office was built by the government in 1937, during the Depression.

Pontotoc (lower left) is west of Tupelo (via Highway 278) and south of New Albany.

How Many People Live Here?

In 2020, the census counted 5,640 people living in Pontotoc. There were 1,906 households and 1,342 families.

Education

Most of Pontotoc city is served by the Pontotoc City School District. A small part of the city is in the Pontotoc County School District.

Pontotoc High School and South Pontotoc High School are located in Pontotoc. The Pontotoc County School District, which serves areas around the city, has its main office in Pontotoc. These schools are known for being among the best in Mississippi. Pontotoc High School received the Blue Ribbon Award. South Pontotoc High School got a Level 5 rating, which is the highest for a school in the state. In 2017, the city's band was the Grand Champion in Mississippi.

Notable People

Many interesting people have connections to Pontotoc:

• Marshal T. Adams, a member of the Mississippi State Senate.
• Terry "Harmonica" Bean, a blues musician who lived in Pontotoc his whole life.
• N. W. Bradford, a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate.
• Delaney Bramlett, a singer, songwriter, and musician born in Pontotoc.
• Nickey Browning, a member of the Mississippi State Senate.
• Thad Cochran, a former U.S. Senator from Mississippi.
• Alfred Oscar Coffin, the first African-American man to get a Ph.D. in biological sciences.
• DeVan Dallas, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
• Glen H. Davidson, a senior United States district judge.
• Borden Deal, a novelist and short-story writer from Pontotoc.
• Ruby Elzy, a pioneering Black opera singer. She played Serena in George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess.
• Lanny Flaherty, an actor known for his role in the film Blood In Blood Out.
• Wayne Flynt, a former history professor and author.
• Lee Gates, a blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter.
• Cyrus Harris, a Chickasaw politician who was moved to Indian Territory.
• Mac Huddleston, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
• Kent Hull, a former NFL player for the Buffalo Bills.
• Cowan F. "Bubba" Hyde, a Negro league baseball player.
• William H. Inzer, a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.
• Cordell Jackson, a guitarist born in Pontotoc.
• Estes C. McDaniel, a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
• Max Palmer, a professional wrestler from Pontotoc.
• Romie J. Palmer, an Illinois judge and legislator.
• Steve Pegues, a former Major League Baseball player from Pontotoc.
• R. C. Pitts, a basketball player who played in the 1948 Summer Olympics.
• James L. Roberts Jr., a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.
• Kermit Scott, a philosophy professor.
• Wesley Walls, a former National Football League tight end.
• Jim Weatherly, a singer, songwriter, and musician.
• Elizabeth H. West, a librarian and archivist.
• Roger Wicker, a U.S. Senator from Mississippi.
• Thomas Hickman Williams, a U.S. Senator.
• Thomas J. Word, a member of the United States House of Representatives.
• Daniel W. Wright, a justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi.

See also

In Spanish: Pontotoc para niños