Mississippi

Mississippi got its name from the famous river that runs through the United States and spills from the state and into the Gulf Coast. Mississippi is popular amongst music and culture fanatics as they’re thrilled with the state’s unique sub-cultures, such as the Delta Blues music genre. This music was spawned from the Mississippi Delta region over a hundred years ago. While the Blues have been traced to a number of different locations, the Delta area is by far one of the historically richest.

The oldest Mississippi city, Natchez, is one of the most notable sites to explore for history buffs. This city sits at the end of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Nearby is the famous Indian Emerald Ceremonial Mound, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mississippi also features a number of notable Civil War Battlegrounds. It’s home to Vicksburg, Brices Cross Roads, and the Tupelo National Battlefield. These sites gather swarms of tourists and Civil War buffs each year, where they sometimes retrace the steps of soldiers on the battlefield and even reenact the battles.

Elvis Presley was born in Mississippi, which is unbeknownst to many, seeing as he gained most of his fame in Nashville. Two very well-known 20th century Southern fiction writers were also from Mississippi: William Faulkner and Eudora Welty.

One major industry in Mississippi that’s mostly unique to the state is catfish. Most of the farmed and harvested catfish in the United States come from Mississippi. Catfish farming is actually one of the most lucrative ways for locals to earn a living.

Mississippi in Numbers:   Horse Population: 82,400 horses Acres Used for Horse-Related Activities: 269,100 acres Capital: Jackson Population: 2,921,088 Land area: 46,907 sq. miles Counties: 82 Highest Point : Woodall Mountain: 806 feet Lowest Point : Gulf Coast at sea level