Seminary, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Seminary, Mississippi
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Main Street in 2011
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Location of Seminary, Mississippi
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 Seminary, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States Of America |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Covington |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.54 sq mi (3.99 km2) |
| • Land | 1.53 sq mi (3.97 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 253 ft (77 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 305 |
| • Density | 198.83/sq mi (76.79/km2) |
| ZIP code |
39479
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| Area code(s) | 601 |
| FIPS code | 28-66400 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0677510 |
Seminary is a small town located in Covington County, Mississippi, in the United States. In 2010, about 314 people lived there.
A river called Okatoma Creek flows through Seminary. It's a great place for canoeing and kayaking, and it's part of the larger Pascagoula River system.
Contents
The Story of Seminary
Early Days: Zion Seminary
Before the American Civil War, not many people lived in the Seminary area. In 1845, a local pastor named A. R. Graves opened a boarding school called Zion Seminary. This school was for both men and women.
The seminary taught subjects like law, medicine, and religious studies. At its busiest, it had over 500 students living in dorms and cottages. During the Civil War, almost all of Zion Seminary's buildings burned down. It's believed that people who supported the Union side might have set the fire.
The school was rebuilt and continued until it burned down again in 1890. Today, the Seminary Attendance Center school stands on the same spot in the middle of town.
How the Town Began in 1899
In the late 1800s, many lumber companies were cutting down trees in the Piney Woods area of South Mississippi. New towns often grew up along the railroads, which were the main way to travel back then.
The population of Seminary grew quickly in the late 1800s. But when all the trees were cut, many people moved on to the next town. Even so, the people living in Seminary asked the state of Mississippi to make it an official town. They were granted this in 1899. The new town was named "Seminary" to remember the old Zion Seminary school.
Seminary Today
Seminary is still a small town. It has a few businesses like stores, banks, doctor's offices, a pharmacy, an art studio, a hardware store, a barber shop, and one restaurant.
However, the areas around Seminary are growing quite a bit. The number of people living in the town and nearby communities like Okahay, Eminence, Sanford, Lux, Foxtrot, Ora, Lone Star, and Richmond grew by over 10% between 2000 and 2010.
This growth is probably because the area has good schools. Also, it's close to Hattiesburg, a larger city about 10 to 20 minutes south. New businesses are also opening along Highway 49 just outside the town limits.
Where is Seminary Located?
Seminary is in the southern-central part of Covington County. U.S. Highway 49 runs west of the town. This highway goes northwest about 7 miles (11 km) to Collins, which is the main town of the county. It also goes southeast about 22 miles (35 km) to Hattiesburg.
The town covers about 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) of land. Only a very small part, about 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2), is water. Okatoma Creek flows along the western edge of the town.
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 526 | — | |
| 1920 | 360 | −31.6% | |
| 1930 | 325 | −9.7% | |
| 1940 | 291 | −10.5% | |
| 1950 | 345 | 18.6% | |
| 1960 | 288 | −16.5% | |
| 1970 | 269 | −6.6% | |
| 1980 | 327 | 21.6% | |
| 1990 | 231 | −29.4% | |
| 2000 | 335 | 45.0% | |
| 2010 | 314 | −6.3% | |
| 2020 | 305 | −2.9% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
What the 2010 Census Showed
In 2010, there were 314 people living in Seminary, making up 148 households. Most of the people (94.9%) were White. About 3.5% were African American, and a small number were from other backgrounds. About 1.6% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.
The population was spread out by age:
- 23.2% were under 18 years old.
- 19.7% were between 18 and 35.
- 18.2% were between 35 and 49.
- 20.4% were between 50 and 64.
- 21.7% were 65 years or older.
For every 100 females, there were about 73.6 males.
The average income for a household in Seminary was $32,500. For families, the average income was $46,250. About 12.5% of the town's population lived below the poverty line. This included 12.3% of those under 18 and 16.9% of those 65 or older.
Churches in Seminary
Several churches are located within the town of Seminary:
- St. Paul Baptist Church
- Seminary Church of Christ
- Seminary Methodist Church
- Grace Outreach Baptist Church
Schools in Seminary
The Covington County School District serves the town of Seminary. There are three schools in Seminary:
- Seminary Elementary (for grades Kindergarten to 4th grade)
- Seminary Middle School (for grades 5th to 8th grade)
- Seminary High School (for grades 9th to 12th grade)
Famous People from Seminary
- Martin Sennet Conner: He was the governor of Mississippi from 1932 to 1936.
- Dale Houston: A country music singer and songwriter.
- Sarah Cothran: A singer and songwriter.
- John Wilson Watson: He was the mayor of Seminary from 1882 to 1892. He also served in the Mississippi State Legislature.
See also
In Spanish: Seminary para niños
