Corinth is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

of Alcorn County,

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

, United States. The population was 14,622 at the 2020 census. Its ZIP codes are 38834 and 38835. It lies on the state line with

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

History

Established in 1853, Corinth was first named Cross City for its location at the junction of the Mobile & Ohio and Memphis & Charleston railroads, it was renamed Corinth after the famous Greek crossroads city. Because of the town’s strategic location, it was a center of contention between Union and Confederate forces during the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

and was ultimately occupied by Union troops from 1862 to 1864. Confederate

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

P. G. T. Beauregard retreated to Corinth after the

Battle of Shiloh The Battle of Shiloh, also known as the Battle of Pittsburg Landing, was a major battle in the American Civil War fought on April 6–7, 1862. The fighting took place in southwestern Tennessee, which was part of the war's Western Theater of the ...

(April 1862), pursued by Union Major General Henry 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 siege of Corinth, also known as the first battle of Corinth, was an American Civil War engagement lasting from April 29 to May 30, 1862, in Corinth, Mississippi. A collection of Union forces under the overall command of Major General Henry H ...

. The Union sent Maj. Gen. William Rosecrans to Corinth as well and concentrated its forces in the city. The

Second Battle of Corinth The Second Battle of Corinth (which, in the context of the American Civil War, is usually referred to as the Battle of Corinth, to differentiate it from the siege of Corinth earlier the same year) was fought October 3–4, 1862, in Corinth, M ...

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 their camp was "widely regarded as a 'model' camp."

Locales on the National Register of Historic Places

* Battery Williams (also known as Fort Williams) *

Siege and Battle of Corinth Sites The Siege and Battle of Corinth Sites are a National Historic Landmark District encompassing surviving elements of three significant American Civil War engagements in and near Corinth, Mississippi. Included are landscape and battlefield features ...

* Coliseum Theatre- built in the early 20th century in the

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the arch ...

style * Corinth National Cemetery * Downtown Corinth Historic District * Dr. Joseph M. Bynum House—a home in the Late Gothic Revival style built in the late 19th century * Federal Siege Trench (also known as Harper Road Trench) * Fort Robinette (also known as Battery Robinette)—site of the Civil War Interpretive Center * Jacinto Courthouse (also called the Old Tishomingo County Courthouse)—built in the mid-19th century in the Federal style * L.C. Steele House * Midtown Corinth Historic District * Moores Creek site—a

prehistoric Prehistory, also called pre-literary history, is the period of human history between the first known use of stone tools by hominins million years ago and the beginning of recorded history with the invention of writing systems. The use o ...

Native American site from 3000 to 3500 B.C. * Old U.S. Post Office * Rienzi Commercial Historic District * Thomas F. Dilworth House * Union Battery F, Battle of Corinth * Union Earthworks * Veranda House (also known as the Curlee House)—built in 1857, it served as headquarters for Confederate generals during the Battle of Corinth

Geography

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 to Selmer,

, and south to Booneville. U.S. 72 runs through the southern part of the city, leading southeast to Burnsville and west to

Walnut A walnut is the edible seed of any tree of the genus '' Juglans'' (family Juglandaceae), particularly the Persian or English walnut, '' Juglans regia''. They are accessory fruit because the outer covering of the fruit is technically an i ...

. 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 United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 0.43%, is water.

Communities near Corinth

* Eastview,

, * Farmington, * Guys, Tennessee, * Kossuth, * Michie, Tennessee, * Ramer, Tennessee, * Selmer, Tennessee, 17.28 miles (27.81 km)

Rivers and streams

* Bridge Creek * Elam Creek * Phillips Creek * Turner Creek

Climate

The climate is humid subtropical (

Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...

: ''Cfa'') like all of

but with frequent and regular gusts of

snow Snow consists of individual ice crystals that grow while suspended in the atmosphere—usually within clouds—and then fall, accumulating on the ground where they undergo further changes. It consists of frozen crystalline water througho ...

Demographics

2020 census

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 A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 14,054 people, 6,220 households, and 3,800 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing 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 geog ...

was . There were 7,058 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 76.28%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 21.60%

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 0.09% Native American, 0.36% Asian, 0.12%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 0.84% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

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 Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

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 Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $15,452. About 18.2% of families and 22.2% 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 ...

, including 26.2% of those under age 18 and 23.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Public schools

Corinth School District: * 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) Alcorn School District: *Alcorn Alternative School * Alcorn Central Elementary—grades K–4, with enrollment of 520 * Alcorn Central Middle School—grades 5–8 with an enrollment of 539 * Alcorn Central High School—grades 9–12 with an enrollment of 515 * Biggersville Elementary—grades K–6 with an enrollment of 161 * Biggersville High School—grades 7–12 with an enrollment of 236 *Kossuth Elementary School—grades K–4 with an enrollment of 562 * Kossuth High School—grades 9–12 with an enrollment of 438 * Kossuth Middle School—grades 5–8 with an enrollment of 499

Libraries

* Corinth Public Library—part of the Northeast Regional Library System

Museums

* Northeast Mississippi Museum * Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center (part of the National Park Service) * Artist Guild Museum and Shop * Museum of Southern Culture * Black History Museum

Health care

* Veranda Health Center * Magnolia Regional Health Center

Transportation

Highways

* U.S. Route 45—runs north–south from

Lake Superior Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface areaThe Caspian Sea is the largest lake, but is saline, not freshwater. Lake Michigan–Huron has a larger combined surface area than Superior, but is normally considered tw ...

to the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...

* U.S. Route 72—runs east–west from

Chattanooga Chattanooga ( ) is a city in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. It is located along the Tennessee River and borders Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the south. With a population of 181,099 in 2020, it is Tennessee ...

to Memphis * Mississippi Highway 2—runs southwest from the Tennessee state line to Hickory Flat *

Mississippi Highway 145 Mississippi Highway 145 (MS 145) is the designation for the parts of the old U.S. Route 45 (US 45) roadbed that the state continues to maintain or has designated. Those ten sections travel through Waynesboro, near Boice, ...

Air travel

Roscoe Turner Airport is a

general aviation General aviation (GA) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) as all civil aviation aircraft operations except for commercial air transport or aerial work, which is defined as specialized aviation services for other ...

airport just outside Corinth. The nearest airports with regularly scheduled commercial service are Tupelo Regional Airport, about south of Corinth, and Memphis International Airport, about west of Corinth.

Media

Newspapers

* '' Daily Corinthian''

FM and AM radio stations

* WKCU 1350, Country music * WXRZ 94.3, News and Talk / Supertalk Mississippi (Mississippi political and local) *

WADI Wadi ( ; ) is a river valley or a wet (ephemerality, ephemeral) Stream bed, riverbed that contains water only when heavy rain occurs. Wadis are located on gently sloping, nearly flat parts of deserts; commonly they begin on the distal portion ...

95.3, 95.5 The Bee (Country) * Radio Mexico 107.9 (Spanish)

Notable people

* Neal Brooks Biggers Jr., federal judge *

Don Blasingame Donald Lee Blasingame (March 16, 1932 – April 13, 2005), nicknamed "Blazer", was an American professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the St. Louis Cardinals (1955–1959), San Francisco Giants (1960� ...

, baseball player * Ezekiel S. Candler Jr., U.S. congressman * Bert Cumby, Army intelligence officer *

Larry Dorsey Larry Darnnell Dorsey (born August 15, 1953) is an American former American football, football player and coach. He played professionally as a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). Dorsey played college football for the Tennessee ...

, football coach * Bobby Emmons, songwriter and keyboardist of The Memphis Boys * Steve Gaines, pastor * Frances Gaither, novelist * George Grace, linguist * Philip Henson, scout and spy * Etheridge Knight, poet * Peggy Smith Martin, Illinois state representative'Illinois Blue Book 1977–1978,' Biographical Sketch of Peggy Smith Martin, pg. 119 *

Jimbo Mathus James H. Mathis Jr. (born August 1967), known as Jimbo Mathus, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and member of the gypsy jazz, hot jazz band Squirrel Nut Zippers. Early life and career He was born in Oxford, Mississippi to Jimmy Math ...

, musician * Thomas K. McCraw, educator * Maty Noyes, singer * John F. Osborne, editor and journalist * Rubel Phillips, politician *

Thomas Hal Phillips Thomas Hal Phillips (October 11, 1922 – April 3, 2007) was an American novelist, actor and screenwriter. Biography Early life Phillips was born on October 11, 1922, on a farm between Corinth, Mississippi, Corinth and Kossuth, Mississippi, ...

, author * J.E. Pitts, poet and songwriter * Saving Abel, rock band * Everett Sharp, football player * Jackie Simpson, professional football player. * Orma Rinehart Smith, federal judge * John Benjamin Splann, Mississippi state senator *

Roscoe Turner Roscoe Turner (September 29, 1895 – June 23, 1970) was a record-breaking American aviator who was a three-time winner of the Thompson Trophy air race and widely recognized by his flamboyant style and his pet, Gilmore the lion, Gilmore the L ...

, aviator * Jack Yarber, musician

References

External links

* * * {{authority control 1853 establishments in Mississippi Cities in Alcorn County, Mississippi Cities in Mississippi County seats in Mississippi Micropolitan areas of Mississippi Populated places established in 1853 Railway towns in Mississippi