Westville, Simpson County, Mississippi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Westville, Mississippi
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 Westville, Simpson County, Mississippi
Location in Mississippi
Westville, Simpson County, Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Simpson |
| Elevation | 420 ft (128 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| GNIS feature ID | 671358 |
Westville was once a small, unincorporated community in Simpson County, Mississippi, United States. Today, it is considered a ghost town, which means it's a place where most or all of the people have left. It was located about 1.8 miles (2.9 km) southeast of a town called Pinola.
Contents
The Story of Westville
How Westville Got Its Name
Westville was named after a person called Colonel Cato West. In 1824, Westville was chosen to be the county seat for Simpson County. A county seat is the main town where the county government offices are located.
Moving the County Seat
Westville served as the county seat until the year 1900. At that time, the county seat was moved to a different town called Mendenhall. For a short time in 1905, the county seat was moved back to Westville. However, it was returned to Mendenhall the very next year. Westville officially became an incorporated town in 1836.
The Courthouse Fires
A courthouse was built in Westville in 1827. This building is where important legal and government work happened. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire just a few years later. A new courthouse was built using bricks. But this brick building also burned down! A second brick courthouse was then built in its place.
Why Westville Became a Ghost Town
After the county seat moved permanently to Mendenhall, Westville started to become much smaller. Fewer people lived there, and businesses might have closed. Over time, the town was mostly abandoned. This is why it is now known as a ghost town.
