Sumrall, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sumrall, Mississippi
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Location of Sumrall, Mississippi
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 Sumrall, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Lamar |
| Area | |
| • Total | 3.76 sq mi (9.73 km2) |
| • Land | 3.74 sq mi (9.70 km2) |
| • Water | 0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2) |
| Elevation | 292 ft (89 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,765 |
| • Density | 471.42/sq mi (182.01/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
39482
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| Area code(s) | 601 |
| FIPS code | 28-71560 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0678406 |
Sumrall is a town located in Lamar County, Mississippi. It is part of the larger Hattiesburg, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2010, the town had a population of 1,421 people.
Contents
History
Sumrall was one of many new towns that grew along the Mississippi Central Railroad in the early 1900s. Before the railroad arrived, a man named Daniel Sumrall ran a grist mill (a mill for grinding grain) near Mill Creek. In 1890, the government opened a post office here and named the community Sumrall.
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The J. J. Newman Company chose Sumrall for a large sawmill. This area, known as South Mississippi's pine belt, was perfect for a big lumber mill. A huge short leaf pine tree from the area was even shown at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis. This tree was 160 feet tall and 6 feet 8 inches wide!
With the railroad's arrival, Sumrall grew fast. The town officially became incorporated (a recognized town) by the Mississippi Legislature on October 6, 1902. Some early residents wanted to change the town's name. This was because Daniel Sumrall, though from Mississippi, had fought for the Union in the Civil War. However, the government refused to change the post office name, so the town's name stayed Sumrall.
For almost 30 years, the Newman Lumber Company was the town's main business. Back then, timber companies would "cut out and get out." This means they would cut down all the profitable trees and then move on. When the mill ran out of trees in 1931, it closed down. This, along with the Great Depression, greatly affected the town. Sumrall had no major employer for nearly 20 years.
In 1949, the Movie Star Company opened a women's clothing factory in nearby Purvis. Soon after, they opened a similar factory in Sumrall. This factory gave steady jobs to many local women until the 1990s. From 1940 to 2000, the town's population stayed about the same or even dropped.
Today, the Hattiesburg metropolitan area is growing westward. This means Sumrall is now seeing new economic growth. The Longleaf Trace is a popular recreational trail that runs through the center of town. It follows the path of the old Mississippi Central Railroad. People enjoy cycling, hiking, and horseback riding on the Longleaf Trace, which goes from Hattiesburg to Prentiss, Mississippi.
In 2017, Cooperative Energy opened a solar farm (a large area with solar panels that make electricity) near Sumrall.
Geography
Sumrall covers a total area of about 2.2 square miles (5.7 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a very small part being water.
Climate
Sumrall has a climate known as a humid subtropical climate. This means the area has warm temperatures and rain spread out fairly evenly throughout the year. On climate maps, this type of climate is often called "Cfa."
Demographics
The population of Sumrall has changed over the years, as shown in the table below. This information comes from the U.S. Decennial Census, which counts people every ten years.
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1910 | 2,046 | — | |
| 1920 | 1,444 | −29.4% | |
| 1930 | 1,364 | −5.5% | |
| 1940 | 819 | −40.0% | |
| 1950 | 853 | 4.2% | |
| 1960 | 797 | −6.6% | |
| 1970 | 955 | 19.8% | |
| 1980 | 1,197 | 25.3% | |
| 1990 | 903 | −24.6% | |
| 2000 | 1,005 | 11.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,421 | 41.4% | |
| 2020 | 1,765 | 24.2% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 Census
The 2020 United States census counted 1,765 people living in Sumrall. There were 618 households (groups of people living together) and 454 families (groups of related people living together).
The table below shows the racial makeup of Sumrall based on the 2020 census:
| Race | Number of People | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (not Hispanic) | 1,385 | 78.47% |
| Black or African American (not Hispanic) | 275 | 15.58% |
| Native American | 3 | 0.17% |
| Asian | 5 | 0.28% |
| Other/Mixed | 56 | 3.17% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 41 | 2.32% |
Sports
Sumrall High School is well-known for its successful baseball teams. They won the 3A State Championships in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2015. They also won the 4A State Championships in 2022 and 2024. The 2009 team had a perfect season, winning every game. The 2010 and 2022 teams only lost one game each. Sumrall High School holds the Mississippi state record for the most consecutive high school baseball games won, with an amazing streak of 67 wins between 2008 and 2010.
Education
The Lamar County School District serves the town of Sumrall. The schools in Sumrall include Sumrall Elementary School, Sumrall Middle School, and Sumrall High School. The high school's sports teams are known as the Bobcats!
Notable People
Many interesting people have connections to Sumrall, including:
- Dawn H. Beam, who is a judge on the Supreme Court of Mississippi.
- Jake Brown, a former Major League Baseball player.
- Leonard Caston, a blues musician.
- Archie Cooley, a college football coach.
- Joey Fillingane, a member of the Mississippi State Senate.
- Cary Hudson, the lead singer and guitarist for the band Blue Mountain.
- Billy Lott, a former running back in the National Football League and American Football League.
- Sixty Rayburn, a former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives and Louisiana State Senate.
- Jordan Thomas, an NFL tight end.
See also
In Spanish: Sumrall para niños
