Work crew repaving Taylor Street, 1930[4]"Crossroads of the Confederacy"
Corinth was founded in 1853 as Cross City, so-called because it served as a junction for the Mobile & Ohio and Memphis & Charleston railroads. It was the town's early newspaper editor, W. E. Gibson, who suggested its current name for the city of Corinth in Greece that also served as a crossroads.
Corinth's location at the junction of two railroads made it strategically important to the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Confederate GeneralP. G. T. Beauregard retreated to Corinth after the Battle of Shiloh (April 1862), pursued by UnionMajor GeneralHenry W. Halleck. General Beauregard abandoned the town on May 29 when General Halleck approached, letting it fall into the Union's hands. Since Halleck had approached so cautiously, digging entrenchments at every stop for over a month, this action has been known as the Siege of Corinth.
The Union sent Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans to Corinth as well and concentrated its forces in the city. The Second Battle of Corinth took place on October 3−4, 1862, when Confederate Maj. Gen. Earl Van Dorn attempted to retake the city. Corinth ultimately became a destination for refugees from slavery called contrabands and was "widely regarded as a 'model' camp."[5]
Inside the Civil War Interpretive Center in Corinth.
Locales on the National Register of Historic Places
Veranda House (also known as the Curlee House)—built in 1857, it served as headquarters for Confederate generals during the Battle of Corinth
Geography
Alcorn County Courthouse and Confederate Memorial
Corinth is located in northeast Mississippi at the intersection of (north/south) U.S. Route 45 and (east/west) U.S. Route 72. U.S. 45 runs to the west of the city as a bypass, leading north 19 mi (31 km) to Selmer, Tennessee, and south 21 mi (34 km) to Booneville. U.S. 72 runs through the southern part of the city, leading southeast 14 mi (23 km) to Burnsville and west 23 mi (37 km) to Walnut. It is the county seat of Alcorn County, which is the smallest county by area in the state of Mississippi.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 30.3 square miles (78.4 km2), of which 30.2 square miles (78.1 km2) is land and 0.12 square miles (0.3 km2), or 0.43%, is water.[6]
As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 14,622 people, 6,087 households, and 3,555 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the census[12] of 2000, there were 14,054 people, 6,220 households, and 3,800 families residing in the city. The population density was 461.5 people per square mile (178.2 people/km2). There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of 231.8 per square mile (89.5/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 76.28% White, 21.60% African American, 0.09% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 0.84% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.73% of the population.
There were 6,220 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.9% were married couples living together, 14.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. Of all households, 35.6% were made up of individuals, and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.8% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.7% from 45 to 64, and 19.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.0 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,436, and the median income for a family was $35,232. Males had a median income of $29,027 versus $21,071 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,452. About 18.2% of families and 22.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 23.9% of those age 65 or over.
Education
Borroum's Drug StoreDowntown Corinth between Fillmore Street and Cruise Street
Corinth High School—grades 9–12 with an enrollment of 473
Corinth Middle School-grades 5–8 with an enrollment of 265
Corinth Elementary School—grades K–4
Easom High School (the only African American school in the city before desegregation; Became home of South Corinth Elementary School teaching 5th and 6th Grade until the 2009–2010 school year, when it ceased to be used until 2014 when a health clinic opened in the building)
Russell Keaton, aviation cartoonist, first illustrator for the Sunday edition of the Buck Rogers cartoon and first cartoonist to feature women in leading roles in an aviation cartoon. See Flyin' Jenny.
^"Station: Corinth 7 SW, MS". U.S. Climate Normals 2020: U.S. Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
