Warrenton, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Warrenton, Mississippi
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Old Hopewell Cemetery
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 Warrenton, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Warrenton, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Warren |
| Elevation | 105 ft (32 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 679355 |
Warrenton is a small community in Warren County, Mississippi. It's not officially a city or town, but a place where people live. It is located about 5 miles south of Vicksburg on U.S. Route 61. Warrenton is part of the larger Vicksburg area, which includes Vicksburg and nearby communities.
Contents
A Look Back: Warrenton's History
Early Days and Firsts
The very first settlement in this area was the Hopewell Methodist Church and Cemetery, started in 1805. This was the first church ever built in Warren County. You can still find the Hopewell Church and Cemetery a short distance east of Warrenton today.
Sometime after 1809, a brick courthouse was built in Warrenton. This made Warrenton the first "county seat" for Warren County. A county seat is the main town where the county government is located.
In 1811, a post office opened in Warrenton. By 1820, the town officially became an "incorporated" place, meaning it had its own local government. At this time, Warrenton was the biggest and most important place in the county.
Changes and Challenges
Soon, the nearby city of Vicksburg started to grow and become more successful. Vicksburg had a better place for boats to land and was built on higher ground, which was safer from floods. Because of this, the county seat was moved from Warrenton to Vicksburg in 1825.
Even after losing its status as the county seat, Warrenton continued to be a place where cotton was shipped out during the 1830s.
However, Warrenton was in a low, swampy area. This made it suffer from river floods and serious illnesses like yellow fever and cholera.
Civil War and Decline
During the American Civil War, soldiers from the Confederate side built a fort in Warrenton. The town was heavily damaged by bombs and cannon fire during the war.
In the 1870s, Warrenton became a stop on the Vicksburg, Pensacola and Ship Island Railroad. This was a train line that helped connect towns.
But after 1883, the Mississippi River changed its path. It moved westward, leaving a large sandbank between Warrenton and its port. This meant boats could no longer easily reach the town. Because of this, Warrenton quickly became less important. In 1903, the post office was closed down.
Warrenton Today
Today, Warrenton is a mix of farms and homes. Not much is left of the original settlement, except for the historic Hopewell Church and Cemetery. The Vicksburg Airport is now located at the south end of the Warrenton area.
