New Albany is a city in and the county seat of Union County,

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 ...

, United States. According to the

2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, the population was 7,626.

History

New Albany was first organized in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and saw mill on the

Tallahatchie River The Tallahatchie River is a river in Mississippi which flows from Tippah County, through Tallahatchie County, to Leflore County, where it joins the Yalobusha River to form the Yazoo River. The river is navigable for about . At Money, Mississi ...

and was developed as a river port. New Albany is the birthplace of author

William Faulkner William Cuthbert Faulkner (; September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer known for his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, based on Lafayette County, Mississippi, where Faulkner spent most o ...

as well as Eli Whiteside and Bettie Wilson and the adopted home of Morris Futorian, father of the Northeast Mississippi furniture industry. As of 2010 New Albany has a population of 8,526 and is known for its education system, well-educated labor force and strong work ethic. The city houses modern factories, robust neighborhoods and vibrant shopping centers, while at the same time preserving its historic downtown area. Organized in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and a saw mill on the Tallahatchie River near the intersection of two historic Chickasaw Indian trade trails, the town developed as a river port and as a regional center for agriculture and commerce. The Civil War interrupted this progress, however, as Union troops swept through the city and burned all but a few buildings. Union County was formed from parts of neighboring Lee, Pontotoc, and Tippah Counties in 1870, with New Albany designated as county seat. The city's new role as a center of government led to renewed economic activity. Citizens’ efforts in the late 1880s to secure a railroad through New Albany were rewarded with two railroads connecting the community to points north, south, east and west. A depot clerk for one of the railroads was the father of William Faulkner. Born in 1897 in a single-story clapboard house, Faulkner went on to write 19 novels and 75 short stories, winning the

Nobel Prize The Nobel Prizes ( ; sv, Nobelpriset ; no, Nobelprisen ) are five separate prizes that, according to Alfred Nobel's will of 1895, are awarded to "those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind." Alfr ...

and two

Pulitzer Prizes The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made ...

for his work. In 1925 L. Q. Ivy, a 17 year old African American boy, was accused of assaulting a white woman at Rocky Ford, Mississippi. Sheriff John Roberts transported him to New Albany, then to neighboring Lee County to avoid a lynch mob. However, by the next day, a group of Union County residents secured a writ to have Ivy returned to Union County. Upon learning of his arrival, a mob formed, kidnapped Ivy, and tortured him before burning him alive at Rocky Ford, Mississippi (present day Etta).

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of t ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.35%) is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

, there were 7,626 people, 2,971 households, and 1,911 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses in ...

of 2010, there were 8,526 people, 3,049 households, and 3,027 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical ...

was 476.1 people per square mile (172.3/km). There were 3,329 housing units at an average density of 195.2 per square mile (75.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 63.98%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...

, 32.98%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.17% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 1.54% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.97% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...

or Latino of any race were 2.83% of the population. There were 3,049 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.02. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,730, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $29,457 versus $20,579 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $16,507. About 14.7% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 23.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Almost all of the city of New Albany is served by the New Albany School District while small portions are in the Union County School District. The city is the location of a satellite campus of

Northeast Mississippi Community College Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) is a public community college in Booneville, Mississippi. History The college was founded in 1948 as ''Northeast Mississippi Junior College,'' and became known primarily as an agricultural school a ...

located at 301 North Street. The New Albany High School Bulldogs boys basketball team won consecutive state Class 3A titles in 1985, 1986, and 1987. Former NBA player John Stroud coached the 1987 team.

Transportation

New Albany is bisected by

Interstate 22 Interstate 22 (I-22) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of Mississippi and Alabama, connecting I-269 near Byhalia, Mississippi, to I-65 near Birmingham, Alabama. I-22 is also Corridor X of the Appalachian Development Highway System. ...

( US Highway 78). New Albany is connected to Ripley in the North and Pontotoc to the South by State Highway 15. Highway 30 connects New Albany and

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

to the West and Booneville to the Northeast, although when traveling from Oxford towards Booneville an alternate route must be taken within the city limits. New Albany is served by BNSF Railway (formerly St. Louis – San Francisco Railway) and the

Ripley and New Albany Railroad The Ripley & New Albany Railroad is a shortline railroad that runs from New Albany to Falkner, Mississippi, and previously extended from Houston, Mississippi, to Middleton, Tennessee, along former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad trackage. RNA ...

(formerly Gulf, Mobile and Ohio). The two railroads cross downtown. New Albany was once a stop for Gulf, Mobile and Ohio's famous "

Rebel A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification; ...

" streamlined passenger train. The town serves as the northern terminus of the Tanglefoot Trail, a major rail-trail within the state.

Notable people

* Willie Daniel, football player *

, Nobel Prize-winning author * Doc Marshall, baseball player * Estus Pirkle, Baptist minister and filmmaker *

Mike Ratliff Michael D. Ratliff (born June 7, 1951) was an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played with the Kansas City-Omaha Kings. Ratliff attended William Horlick High School in Racine, Wisconsin Racine ...

, basketball player * Hubert D. Stephens, U.S. senator from Mississippi * John Stroud, basketball player * Eli Whiteside, catcher and coach for the

San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco, California. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West division. Founded in 1883 as the New Y ...

* Bettie Wilson, woman who lived to 115 * Marcus Green, NFL player * Ethan Paquin, poet * Ronnie McNutt, U.S. Army Veteran

References

External links

{{authority control Cities in Mississippi Cities in Union County, Mississippi County seats in Mississippi