Sunflower Landing, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sunflower Landing, Mississippi
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 Sunflower Landing, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Sunflower Landing, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Coahoma |
| Elevation | 151 ft (46 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 692250 |
Sunflower Landing is a small, unincorporated community in Coahoma County, Mississippi, United States. This means it's a place with a shared identity but no official local government.
It sits on the eastern edge of Desoto Lake. This lake is special because it's an oxbow lake. An oxbow lake is a U-shaped lake that forms when a wide bend of a river is cut off from the main river. Before 1942, Desoto Lake was actually part of the mighty Mississippi River. At that time, Sunflower Landing was a busy riverport.
Contents
History
Early Explorers and River Life
In 1935, a special group set up by President Franklin D. Roosevelt looked into the past. They thought Sunflower Landing was the most likely spot where the explorer Hernando de Soto and his team crossed the Mississippi River way back in 1541.
It's believed that de Soto and his men spent about a month building special flatboats here. They then crossed the river at night. This was to avoid Native Americans who were watching the river. De Soto had not been friendly with them before. However, newer studies suggest other places in Mississippi might also have been where de Soto crossed.
By 1838, Sunflower Landing was already a well-known stop for steamboats. These boats were very important for moving goods and people along the river.
The Civil War and Changes to the River
During the American Civil War, in 1863, there was a small fight here. A group of Confederate soldiers, called the Bolivar Troop, fought against about 250 Union troops. The Union soldiers had been taking enslaved people and cotton from nearby farms.
Sunflower Landing even had its own post office. It was open from 1857 until 1892.
A big change happened in 1942. The United States Army Corps of Engineers changed the path of the Mississippi River. They cut off a large bend, which was called Sunflower Bend. This created the oxbow lake we know today as "Desoto Lake."
Images for kids
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An 1862 map showing the area around Sunflower Landing.
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