Uniontown, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Uniontown, Mississippi
|
|
|---|---|
 Uniontown, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Uniontown, Mississippi
Location in the United States
|
|
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Jefferson |
| Elevation | 187 ft (57 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 686442 |
Uniontown is a ghost town located in Jefferson County, Mississippi, United States. It was founded in the late 1700s along the historic Natchez Trace. This old road was also known as the "Old Natchez Road." Even though Uniontown is no longer a town, its main street can still be seen today. It runs right next to the old Natchez Trace.
Contents
The Story of Uniontown: A Ghost Town
How Uniontown Began
Uniontown was built south of Coles Creek. It was about 22 miles (35 km) northeast of the city of Natchez. A man named William Ferguson was one of the first people to settle in this area. He bought land in the late 1700s and started the town of Uniontown.
The town was carefully planned with streets. Around 1797, a factory that made cotton gins opened there. Cotton gins were machines that separated cotton fibers from their seeds. This was a very important invention for cotton farming.
Businesses in Early Uniontown
Uniontown had many different businesses. These included a place that made leather (a tannery) and a public cotton gin. There were also people who made wagons and plows. Other skilled workers included weavers, cabinet makers, and boot makers. You could even find someone who made bull-whips and coonskin caps! In 1804, the Bethel Presbyterian Church was also built in Uniontown.
Why Uniontown Disappeared
Several things led to Uniontown becoming a ghost town. One big reason was that it was not chosen to be the county seat. The county seat is the main town where the government offices for the county are located. This was a big deal because it meant other towns would grow instead.
Another important event was the death of William Ferguson in 1801. He was the person who started the town. Without his leadership, the town struggled. By 1810, a traveler passed through Uniontown and noticed it was already fading away. They wrote that it was "a small village of three or four houses in decay." This shows how quickly the town declined after its early start.
