| Raleigh, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
| — Town — | |
| Smith County Courthouse in Raleigh | |
| Location of Raleigh, Mississippi | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Smith |
| Area | |
| • Total | 5.1 sq mi (13.1 km2) |
| • Land | 5.0 sq mi (13.1 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2) |
| Elevation | 545 ft (166 m) |
| Population (2000) | |
| • Total | 1,255 |
| • Density | 249.0/sq mi (96.1/km2) |
| Time zone | Central (CST) (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) |
| ZIP code | 39153 |
| Area code(s) | 601 |
| FIPS code | 28-60840 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0694503 |
Raleigh is a town in Smith County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,462 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat and second largest town (after Taylorsville) in Smith County.[1]Named for the famous English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, Raleigh has been home to such famous Mississippians as Governor Robert Lowry, Governor/U.S. Senator Anselm McLaurin and Pioneer William H. Hardy.
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Raleigh was first established as the community of Indian Springs and was renamed when the county seat was moved from Fairfield to Raleigh in 1834. The town of Raleigh and its citizens were very active in the Civil War, it was home to numerous companies of the Army of Mississippi and a training camp. In 1863 Raleigh was part of the famous Grierson's Raid which played a major role in the defeat of the Confederate Army at Vicksburg.
Harrison Hotel is a famous hotel that is no longer running. Many Mississippi politicians, governors and U.S. Senators have stayed there, including Theodore G. Bilbo and Jefferson Davis.
The Smith County Courthouse is the major focal point of the town. Two prior courthouses were destroyed in fires in the 1800s. The current court house was completed in 1912, a leak in the roof of the court house caused the loss of its signature dome. In 2005, a dedication service was held in honor of the new dome that had been built to replace the original dome.
A new Chancery Court building was completed in 2009 to make room for county offices and added court room space. The new Chancery Court building is designed in a similar greek revival design which resmbles the Smith County Courthouse.
Raleigh's tornado activity is slightly above the state's average and 187% above the national average.
Raleigh is located at (32.033008, -89.522893)[2].
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 5.1 square miles (13 km2), of which, 5.0 square miles (13 km2) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2) of it (0.40%) is water.
As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 1,255 people, 482 households, and 334 families residing in the town. The population density was 249.0 people per square mile (96.1/km²). There were 550 housing units at an average density of 109.1 per square mile (42.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 59.76% White, 39.68% African American, 0.08% Native American, 0.32% from other races, and 0.16% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.64% of the population. 4% of the population claim German descent and 9% claim Irish descent.
There were 482 households out of which 34.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.17.
In the town the population was spread out with 27.7% under the age of 18, 8.2% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 23.4% from 45 to 64, and 14.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 83.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.0 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $26,316, and the median income for a family was $31,458. Males had a median income of $28,646 versus $16,417 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,982. About 18.9% of families and 24.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.1% of those under age 18 and 25.7% of those age 65 or over.
Raleigh is served by the Smith County School District.
Raleigh High School is the educational center for the towns of Raleigh, Polkville, and Sylvarena. Its school colors are maroon and white. Its mascot is Rah-Lee the Lion.
Raleigh is the site of the annual Raleigh heritage festival and is the former home of The National Tobacco Spitting Contest.
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