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Pearl River County, Mississippi

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Pearl River County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. The population was 56,145 at the 2020 census.[1] Its county seat is Poplarville.[2] Pearl River County comprises the Picayune, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the New Orleans-Metairie-Hammond, LA-MS Combined Statistical Area. Pearl River County is a dry county,[3] and as such, the sale, transportation, and even private possession of beverage alcohol is prohibited by law,[4] except within Picayune and Poplarville.[5]

Pearl River County
County
Pearl River County Courthouse in Poplarville
Pearl River County Courthouse in Poplarville
Official seal of Pearl River County
Seal
Map of Mississippi highlighting Pearl River County
Location within the U.S. state of Mississippi
Map of the United States highlighting Mississippi
Mississippi's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°46′N 89°35′W / 30.77°N 89.59°W / 30.77; -89.59
Country United States
State Mississippi
Founded1890
Named forPearl River
SeatPoplarville
Largest cityPicayune
Area
 • Total
819 sq mi (2,120 km2)
 • Land811 sq mi (2,100 km2)
 • Water8.0 sq mi (21 km2)  1.0%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
56,145
 • Estimate 
(2023)
57,978
 • Density69/sq mi (26/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.pearlrivercounty.net

History

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Pearl River County was originally formed as Pearl County in 1872 from portions of Hancock and Marion Counties.[6] Because of low population density and a small tax base, Pearl County dissolved in 1878. Present-day Pearl River County was organized in 1890 by an act of the Mississippi Legislature utilizing the same land area as its predecessor Pearl County.[6]

On the night of April 24, 1959, Mack Charles Parker, an African-American accused of rape, was abducted from the Pearl River County jail in Poplarville by a mob[7] and shot to death. His body was found in the Pearl River 10 days later. The FBI investigated and even obtained confessions from some of the eight suspects.[8] However, the county prosecutor refused to present evidence to a state grand jury and a federal grand jury refused to indict. The case focused national attention on the persistence of lynching in the South[9] and helped accelerate the American Civil Rights Movement.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina inflicted heavy damage on the small town of Poplarville. The storm's most powerful, unofficially recorded gust of wind was reported at Pearl River Community College, at 135 mph (217 km/h). On September 2, 2005, the 1st Battalion, 134th Field Artillery (Ohio Army National Guard) arrived at the National Guard armory in Poplarville to assist the community and Pearl River County in recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. Initial efforts were the security of banks, pharmacies and gas stations as well as initial responses to rural emergencies. The unit stayed for three weeks ultimately checking on every family and structure in the county. On September 5, 2005, Poplarville played host to a visit by George W. Bush, Laura Bush, and Governor Haley Barbour to Pearl River Community College in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.[10]

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 819 square miles (2,120 km2), of which 811 square miles (2,100 km2) is land and 8.0 square miles (21 km2) (1.0%) is water.[11] It is the fourth-largest county in Mississippi by land area.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties and parishes

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National protected areas

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Media

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Newspaper

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Picayune's local newspaper is the Picayune Item.[12]

Radio

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The local radio station is WRJW 1320-AM.[13]

Television and Radio stations of New Orleans and Biloxi/Gulfport listening areas are part of Picayune area.

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
18902,957—
19006,697126.5%
191010,59358.2%
192015,64847.7%
193019,40524.0%
194019,125−1.4%
195020,6417.9%
196022,4118.6%
197027,80224.1%
198033,79521.6%
199038,71414.6%
200048,62125.6%
201055,83414.8%
202056,1450.6%
2023 (est.)57,978[14]3.3%
U.S. Decennial Census[15]
1790-1960[16] 1900-1990[17]
1990-2000[18] 2010-2013[19] 2018[20]

2020 census

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Pearl River County racial composition[21]
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 44,101 78.55%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 6,666 11.87%
Native American 256 0.46%
Asian 275 0.49%
Other/Mixed 2,563 4.56%
Hispanic or Latino 2,284 4.07%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 56,145 people, 21,020 households, and 15,078 families residing in the county.

2010 census

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As of the 2010 census Pearl River County had a population of 55,834. The ethnic and racial make-up of the population was 82.2% non-Hispanic white, 12.3% African-American, 0.6% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 0.1% non-Hispanic from some other race, 1.7% from two or more races (0.5% reporting being white and black) and 2.9% Hispanic or Latino.[22][failed verification]

2000 census

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As of the census[23][failed verification] of 2000, there were 48,621 people, 18,078 households, and 13,576 families residing in the county. The population density was 60 people per square mile (23 people/km2). There were 20,610 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile (9.7/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 85.55% White, 12.18% Black or African American, 0.50% Native American, 0.27% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. 1.41% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,078 households, out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.30% were married couples living together, 12.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.90% were non-families. 21.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.08.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.00% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 23.90% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 94.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,912, and the median income for a family was $35,924. Males had a median income of $30,370 versus $21,519 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,160. About 15.50% of families and 18.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.60% of those under age 18 and 12.50% of those age 65 or over.

Government

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Supervisors[24]
  • District 1: Donald Hart
  • District 2: Malcolm Perry
  • District 3: Hudson Holliday
  • District 4: Jason Spence
  • District 5: Sandy Kane Smith
Countywide Elected Officials
  • Sheriff - David Allison
  • Circuit Clerk - Nance Fitzpatrick Stokes
  • Chancery Clerk - Melinda Smith Bowman
  • Tax Assessor/Collector - Gary Beech
  • County Prosecutor - Michael E. Patten[25]
  • Coroner - Derek Turnage
  • County Court Judge - Richelle Lumpkin
State Legislature
  • Senator Angela Burks-Hill - District 40
  • Senator Joseph "Mike" Seymour - District 47
  • Rep. Jansen Owen - District 106
  • Rep. Stacey Wilkes - District 108
  • Rep. Timmy Ladner - District 93
United States presidential election results for Pearl River County, Mississippi[26]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2024 20,438 82.74% 3,982 16.12% 281 1.14%
2020 19,595 81.53% 4,148 17.26% 290 1.21%
2016 17,782 81.26% 3,604 16.47% 497 2.27%
2012 17,549 78.96% 4,366 19.65% 309 1.39%
2008 17,881 79.67% 4,320 19.25% 242 1.08%
2004 14,896 76.44% 4,472 22.95% 119 0.61%
2000 11,575 70.25% 4,611 27.98% 291 1.77%
1996 8,212 57.12% 4,892 34.03% 1,273 8.85%
1992 7,726 52.21% 4,683 31.65% 2,388 16.14%
1988 10,220 71.30% 3,939 27.48% 174 1.21%
1984 9,978 76.10% 3,085 23.53% 49 0.37%
1980 6,822 56.19% 5,028 41.41% 291 2.40%
1976 4,332 44.82% 5,024 51.98% 309 3.20%
1972 7,487 88.04% 901 10.60% 116 1.36%
1968 1,298 15.69% 926 11.19% 6,050 73.12%
1964 4,009 84.51% 735 15.49% 0 0.00%
1960 651 18.69% 1,276 36.64% 1,556 44.67%
1956 1,129 39.64% 1,274 44.73% 445 15.63%
1952 1,741 45.80% 2,060 54.20% 0 0.00%
1948 46 2.17% 146 6.88% 1,929 90.95%
1944 84 3.79% 2,131 96.21% 0 0.00%
1940 88 4.15% 2,022 95.47% 8 0.38%
1936 81 6.53% 1,156 93.23% 3 0.24%
1932 99 6.14% 1,500 92.99% 14 0.87%
1928 918 51.09% 879 48.91% 0 0.00%
1924 164 14.67% 855 76.48% 99 8.86%
1920 53 10.21% 464 89.40% 2 0.39%
1916 35 6.28% 521 93.54% 1 0.18%
1912 7 2.24% 290 92.95% 15 4.81%

Communities

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Cities

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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Education

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School districts include:[27]

Former school districts:[28]

The county is in the service area of Pearl River Community College.[30]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Pearl River County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ^ "Alcoholic Beverage Wet-Dry Map". Mississippi Department of Revenue. Archived from the original on June 25, 2014.
  4. ^ Mississippi Code §67-1-9, §67-3-13.
  5. ^ "Poplarville voters decide to turn the dry city wet". Archived from the original on July 28, 2014. Retrieved July 16, 2014.
  6. ^ a b "Welcome to Pearl River County on the Web". www.pearlrivercounty.net. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  7. ^ Thompson, Julius E. (2006). Lynchings in Mississippi: A History, 1865-1965. McFarland. p. 169. ISBN 9781476604251.
  8. ^ "Mack Charles Parker" (index of investigation reports). Federal Bureau of Investigation. Archived from the original on August 10, 2004.
  9. ^ Rushdy, Ashraf H. A. (June 18, 2012). The End of American Lynching. Rutgers UP. p. 135. ISBN 9780813552934.
  10. ^ "President Visits with Residents of Poplarville, Mississippi" (press release). White House. September 5, 2005.
  11. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  12. ^ "The Picayune Item (Picayune, Miss.) 1916-Current". Library of Congress. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  13. ^ "WRJW 1320 AM". Radio Station USA. Retrieved December 23, 2023.
  14. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  15. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  16. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  17. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  18. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 27, 2010. Retrieved November 6, 2014.
  19. ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved September 5, 2013.
  20. ^ "QuickFacts. Pearl River County, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 8, 2019.
  21. ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  22. ^ 2010 census report for Pearl River County
  23. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  24. ^ "Pearl River County Board Of Supervisors". pearlrivercounty.net. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  25. ^ Pittari, Jeremy (October 16, 2018). "Interim county prosecutor picked via draw of straws". Picayune Item. Retrieved July 22, 2020.
  26. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
  27. ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Pearl River County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved July 18, 2022. - Text list - In 2020 there were four school districts
  28. ^ "SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Pearl River County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 25, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2022. - Text list - In 2010 there were four school districts, but at the time Lumberton district had territory in the county while Lamar County district did not have any.
  29. ^ Ciurzak, Ellen (June 8, 2018). "Lawsuit fails to derail Lumberton schools consolidation". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved October 19, 2019.
  30. ^ "2014-2016 Catalog" (PDF). Pearl River Community College. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2015. Retrieved April 13, 2022.
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  Media related to Pearl River County, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons

30°46′N 89°35′W / 30.77°N 89.59°W / 30.77; -89.59

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