Mississippi Highway 161 (MS 161) is a state highway designation for three highways in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, consisting of old alignments of U.S. Route 61 (US 61). Totaling at , the three sections are located in Bolivar, Coahoma, and Desoto counties. The Bolivar County section, designated in 2000, travels from Merigold to Mound Bayou and Shelby. In Coahoma County, MS 161 was designated in 2004 and runs through Clarksdale and

Lyon Lyon,, ; Occitan language, Occitan: ''Lion'', hist. ''Lionés'' also spelled in English as Lyons, is the List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, third-largest city and Urban area (France), second-largest metropolitan area of F ...

. In Desoto County, MS 161 travels through the town of

Walls Walls may refer to: *The plural of wall, a structure *Walls (surname), a list of notable people with the surname Places * Walls, Louisiana, United States * Walls, Mississippi, United States * Walls, Ontario, neighborhood in Perry, Ontario, C ...

and was created in 1999.

Merigold–Shelby

MS 161 starts at US 61 and

US 278 U.S. Route 278 (US 278) is a parallel route of US 78. It currently runs for from Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, to Wickes, Arkansas at US 71/ US 59, passing through five states in the process. Landmarks along its route includ ...

, south of the town of Merigold. After intersecting Merigold–Drew Road, the road travels north into the town, where it is known as Second Street. The route crosses over the Jones Bayou past South Street and intersects several streets inside Merigold before exiting city limits near Lee Street. It passes through a small tract of farmland and intersects South Lane Road. About later, MS 161 intersects Ford Road and enters the city limits of Mound Bayou. Inside the city, the road (now known as Edwards Avenue) is the boundary of the Mound Bayou Historical District from South Street to Martin Luther King Jr. Street. The

Taborian Hospital Taborian Hospital in Mound Bayou, Mississippi opened in 1942 to great fanfare by the International Order of Twelve Knights and Daughters of Tabor. Everyone on the staff, including doctors and nurses, were black. The facilities included two major o ...

is also located on the route, outside the historic district. MS 161 also passes by the John F. Kennedy Memorial High School and crosses the waterway known as Mound Bayou near Lampard Street. The route leaves the city near Mohawk Street, and it crosses northwesterly over US 61 and US 278. Past US 61 and US 278, the route intersects Moody Road, the closest connector to US 61 and US 278. The road enters Winstonville at Winston Street, crosses Mount Bayou near Bruce Street, and it leaves the town at Mack Williams Street. Near Tarsi Road, the route turns north and enters Shelby as Broadway Street. MS 161 travels through the residential area of Shelby, and downtown Shelby near Fourth Avenue. The route intersects MS 32 at Second Avenue and travels northward through the town. The road exits the city limits past Blue Cain Road, and it turns eastward past the intersection. MS 161 ends at a

three-way junction A three-way junction (or three-way intersection) is a type of intersection (road), road intersection with three arms. A Y junction (or Y intersection) generally has three arms of equal size coming at an acute angle, acute or obtuse angle to each ...

with US 61 and US 278 north of Shelby. In 2000, US 61 was rerouted between Merigold and Shelby, and its old alignment became MS 161. Before US 61 was relocated to a four-lane

divided highway A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...

, the two-lane road had stop signs and low speed limits that significantly slowed through traffic. ;Major intersections

Clarksdale–Lyon

MS 161 starts at an intersection with US 61, US 278, and MS 322 in Clarksdale. The route travels northeast,

concurrent Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to: Law * Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea'' * Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...

to MS 322, across several farms before reaching Sherard Road, where MS 322 continues westward to Sherard. Known as South State Street, MS 161 continues northeastward towards a commercial area of Clarksdale, and it crosses the Sunflower River. The road name changes to North State Street, and it intersects Desoto Avenue, which travels to downtown Clarksdale northbound and

US 49 U.S. Route 49 (US 49) is a north–south United States highway. The highway's northern terminus is in Piggott, Arkansas, at an intersection with US Route 62/ Highway 1/ Highway 139 (US 62/AR 1/AR 139). Its southern terminus ...

southbound. The intersection is home to the "Crossroads" sign, a sculpture that commemorates the alleged location where musician

Robert Johnson Robert Leroy Johnson (May 8, 1911August 16, 1938) was an American blues musician and songwriter. His landmark recordings in 1936 and 1937 display a combination of singing, guitar skills, and songwriting talent that has influenced later generati ...

sold his soul to the devil to learn how to play the blues. MS 161 turns east briefly at Lincoln Place, before continuing northeastward past Sycamore Street. The route travels along the edge of the city, and it soon intersects the western terminus of MS 6, which leads to US 278. The road enters Lyon north of the intersection, and it intersects Bobo and Fontaine Streets. MS 161 leaves the town north of Hopson Street and Roberson Road, and the road ends at a three-way junction with US 49 and US 61. US 61 was rerouted onto the new bypass around Clarksdale in August 2004, and MS 161 was designated on its old alignment. ;Major intersections

Walls

MS 161 starts at US 61 inside the city limits of

, and it travels along a two-lane road northeastward through a rural area. At Sullivan Road, the route enters the center of the town and begins to turn northward. MS 161 passes through the town, intersecting Second Street and Delta View Road. Past the center of the town, the road travels through more farmland and intersects MS 302 at a

T-intersection A three-way junction (or three-way intersection) is a type of road intersection with three arms. A Y junction (or Y intersection) generally has three arms of equal size coming at an acute or obtuse angle to each other; while a T junction (or T ...

. The route leaves the city limits of Walls, and it continues for before ending at US 61. In 1999, US 61 was rerouted out of Walls, and the old alignment became MS 161. ;Major intersections

References

External links

*{{commons category-inline 161 U.S. Route 61 Transportation in Bolivar County, Mississippi Transportation in Coahoma County, Mississippi Transportation in DeSoto County, Mississippi