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Ripley, Mississippi facts for kids

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Ripley, Mississippi
Tippah County Courthouse
Tippah County Courthouse
Location of Ripley, Mississippi
Location of Ripley, Mississippi
Ripley, Mississippi is located in the United States
Ripley, Mississippi
Ripley, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Mississippi
County Tippah
Area
 • Total 11.46 sq mi (29.67 km2)
 • Land 11.43 sq mi (29.60 km2)
 • Water 0.03 sq mi (0.07 km2)
Elevation
499 ft (152 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 5,395
 • Estimate 
(2019)
5,273
 • Density 461.33/sq mi (178.12/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
38663
Area code(s) 662
FIPS code 28-62600
GNIS feature ID 0691645

Ripley is a city in Tippah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,395 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Tippah County.

Colonel William Clark Falkner, great-grandfather of authors William Faulkner and John Faulkner, was a prominent resident of Ripley in the mid to late-19th century. W.C. Falkner's exploits in and around Ripley served as the model for Faulkner's character of Colonel John Sartoris.

Ripley is located in the Hills region of North Mississippi, an important region for the birth of American music. The area is known as the birthplace of the hill country blues.

Geography

Ripley is located at 34°43′57″N 88°56′49″W / 34.73250°N 88.94694°W / 34.73250; -88.94694 (34.732363, -88.947055).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 11.5 square miles (30 km2), of which 11.5 square miles (30 km2) is land and 0.04-square-mile (0.10 km2) (0.35%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1860 683
1870 422 −38.2%
1880 637 50.9%
1890 574 −9.9%
1900 653 13.8%
1910 767 17.5%
1920 856 11.6%
1930 1,468 71.5%
1940 2,011 37.0%
1950 2,383 18.5%
1960 2,668 12.0%
1970 3,482 30.5%
1980 4,271 22.7%
1990 5,371 25.8%
2000 5,478 2.0%
2010 5,395 −1.5%
2019 (est.) 5,273 −2.3%
U.S. Decennial Census
Tippah County Cooperative - NARA - 280388
Ripley, Mississippi (1938)

2020 census

Ripley Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 3,140 57.49%
Black or African American 1,482 27.13%
Native American 9 0.16%
Asian 9 0.16%
Other/Mixed 178 3.26%
Hispanic or Latino 644 11.79%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 5,462 people, 1,735 households, and 1,100 families residing in the city.

Culture

Historic district

US Post Office, Old Ripley Tippah County, MS
The old Ripley Post Office, part of the historic district, is also listed separately on the National Register of Historic Places

The Ripley Historic District in central Ripley is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

First Monday Trade Day

Ripley is the home of the First Monday Trade Day held the weekend prior to the first Monday of every month. It is one of the oldest outdoor flea markets in the United States. It started around the turn of the 20th century at the old square but is now held south of Ripley along Highway 15 across from the Tippah County Fair Grounds. It has seen publicity by various news channels over the years for its tolerance of a controversial live animal market housed at the back edge of the trading grounds.

William Faulkner Festival

There is an annual walking tour of historic William Faulkner sites during Ripley’s annual Faulkner Festival in early November.

Education

The City of Ripley is served by the South Tippah School District. The Ripley school system includes Ripley Elementary School, Ripley Middle School and Ripley High School.

Notable people

  • Super Bowl winner Jim Miller punted for the San Francisco 49ers when they won Super Bowl XVI
  • Super Bowl winner Kendall Simmons was an offensive lineman for the Pittsburgh Steelers when they won Super Bowl XL
  • Author John Grisham attended Ripley Elementary School
  • Award-winning gospel music artist Carroll Roberson resides in Ripley
  • Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal columnist Robert Bruce Smith, IV, author and historical lecturer
  • U.S. Representative Thomas Spight
  • State Senator Lee Yancey

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Ripley (Misisipi) para niños

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