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Tishomingo County, Mississippi facts for kids

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Tishomingo County
County of Tishomingo
Tishomingo County Courthouse
Tishomingo County Courthouse
Map of Mississippi highlighting Tishomingo County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Mississippi
Founded February 9, 1836
(189 years ago)
 (1836-02-09)
Named for Tishomingo
Seat Iuka
Largest city Iuka
Area
 • Total 445 sq mi (1,150 km2)
 • Land 424 sq mi (1,100 km2)
 • Water 20 sq mi (50 km2)  4.6%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 18,850
 • Estimate 
(2023)
18,507 Decrease
 • Density 42.36/sq mi (16.355/km2)
Time zone UTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district 1st

Tishomingo County is a special area in the northeastern part of Mississippi, a state in the United States. It is called a county. In 2020, about 18,850 people lived here. The main town, where the county government is located, is Iuka.

History of Tishomingo County

1888 Tishomingo County Mississippi Courthouse
The old Tishomingo County Courthouse

Tishomingo County was created on February 9, 1836. It was formed from lands that once belonged to the Chickasaw people. The Chickasaw were a Native American tribe. They had to move from their homes to new lands in what is now Oklahoma. This was part of a big move of Native American tribes.

The first main town for Tishomingo County was Jacinto. Its old courthouse building is very important. It is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special historical site.

Some parts of Tishomingo County were battlegrounds during the American Civil War. The famous Battle of Shiloh took place partly in this area.

In 1870, Tishomingo County was divided into three smaller counties. These were Alcorn, Prentiss, and the new Tishomingo County. After this, the main town for Tishomingo County moved to Iuka.

Geography and Nature

Woodall Mountain Mississippi
Woodall Mountain is the highest point in Mississippi.

Tishomingo County covers about 445 square miles. Most of this area is land, about 424 square miles. The rest, about 20 square miles, is water.

The highest natural point in the state of Mississippi is here. It is called Woodall Mountain and is about 806 feet tall. Tishomingo County is also special because it is the only county in Mississippi with natural limestone rocks showing on the surface.

Neighboring Counties

Tishomingo County shares its borders with several other counties:

Main Roads in the County

Many important roads run through Tishomingo County. These roads help people travel and connect different towns.

  • U.S. Route 72
  • Mississippi Highway 4
  • Mississippi Highway 25
  • Mississippi Highway 30
  • Mississippi Highway 172
  • Mississippi Highway 350
  • Mississippi Highway 364
  • Mississippi Highway 365
  • Mississippi Highway 366
  • Mississippi Highway 760
  • Natchez Trace Parkway

Protected Natural Areas

Natchez Trace Parkway Logo
The Natchez Trace Parkway logo.

A part of the Natchez Trace Parkway is located in Tishomingo County. This is a special road and area that protects history and nature.

People and Population

Historical population
Census Pop.
1840 6,681
1850 15,490 131.9%
1860 24,149 55.9%
1870 7,350 −69.6%
1880 8,774 19.4%
1890 9,302 6.0%
1900 10,124 8.8%
1910 13,067 29.1%
1920 15,091 15.5%
1930 16,411 8.7%
1940 16,974 3.4%
1950 15,544 −8.4%
1960 13,889 −10.6%
1970 14,940 7.6%
1980 18,434 23.4%
1990 17,683 −4.1%
2000 19,163 8.4%
2010 19,593 2.2%
2020 18,850 −3.8%
2023 (est.) 18,507 −5.5%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
1990-2000 2010-2013

In 2020, there were 18,850 people living in Tishomingo County. These people lived in 7,635 homes, and 5,035 of these were families.

Most people in Tishomingo County are White. There are also smaller groups of Black or African American, Native American, and Asian people. Some people are of two or more races. About 2.85% of the people are Hispanic or Latino.

Fun Things to Do

Tishomingo County offers many outdoor activities and places to visit.

  • Bay Springs Lake is a large lake that is part of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. It was created by a dam called the Jamie Whitten Lock and Dam. The lake is about nine miles long and is a great spot for water activities.

Towns and Communities

Tishomingo County has several towns and communities where people live.

City

  • Iuka (This is the main town and the county seat.)

Towns

Villages

Census-designated place

Unincorporated communities

These are smaller communities that are not officially organized as cities or towns.

Ghost town

  • Holcut (This was once a town, but now it is abandoned.)

Education in Tishomingo County

All the public schools in the county are part of the Tishomingo County Schools system. For students who want to continue their education after high school, Northeast Mississippi Community College serves Tishomingo County.

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Tishomingo para niños

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