Roseacres, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Roseacres, Mississippi
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 Roseacres, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Roseacres, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Coahoma |
| Elevation | 177 ft (54 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 676869 |
Roseacres is a small place in Coahoma County, Mississippi, in the United States. It is an unincorporated community, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town.
This area has had a few different names over the years. It was first known as "Mound Place." Later, it was called "Priddy" before finally being named Roseacres.
Contents
History of Roseacres
Early Days and a Future Governor
In 1844, a man named James L. Alcorn started a large cotton farm here. He called his farm "Mound Place." James L. Alcorn was also a lawyer and had an office nearby. He later became the Governor of Mississippi, which is like the leader of the state.
Mound Place even had its own post office for a while, from 1854 to 1871.
The Civil War and Mound Place
During the American Civil War in 1863, soldiers from the Union Army were trying hard to capture Vicksburg. This important city was about 75 kilometers (47 miles) south on the Mississippi River.
The Union Army tried a plan called the Yazoo Pass Expedition. They sent their gunboats into Yazoo Pass, a waterway right next to Mound Place. Their goal was to find a long, winding water route to Vicksburg.
Union forces made it as far as Greenwood. There, soldiers from the Confederate side sank one of their own ships to block the Union boats. For several weeks, Union ships passed by Mound Place. They used Mound Place as a temporary camp. Reports say the soldiers used Alcorn's cattle for food. They also damaged his property, like rolling his carriages into the Yazoo Pass.
Railroads and Health Challenges
In the 1870s, the Mobile and Northwestern Railroad built train tracks through the area. A train station was set up at Mound Place and was called "Priddy." This train line was used for many years but was eventually closed in 1983.
In 1882, there was an outbreak of smallpox in Roseacres. Twenty people got sick, and five of them sadly passed away.
The Rose Plantation Era
A company called the United States Nursery Company bought the plantation in 1910. They then renamed the settlement "Roseacres." This new name made sense because it became a huge rose farm. It was the biggest rose plantation in the southern United States.
Over 700 acres (283 hectares) of land were used to grow beautiful roses. These roses were shipped all across the United States. However, the company stopped growing roses here in 1924.
Roseacres also had its own post office during this time, from 1910 to 1924.
Gallery
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James L. Alcorn, who owned the land that became Roseacres.
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The cover of a catalog from the United States Nursery Company, 1915.
