Rodney was a city in Jefferson County in southwest Mississippi, approximately 32 miles (51 km) northeast of Natchez. Rodney was founded in 1828, and in the 19th century, it was only three votes away from becoming the capital of the Mississippi Territory.[1] Its population declined to nearly zero after the Mississippi River changed course. The Rodney Center Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Today a small number of inhabitants remain[2] , but hard data is hard to find as the town is not listed as a separate entity by the census bureau.[3]
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Rodney Center Historic District
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Former First Presbyterian Church
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| Location: | Jefferson County, Mississippi |
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| Nearest city: | St. Joseph, Louisiana / Lorman, Mississippi |
| Area: | 60 acres (24 ha) |
| Architectural style: | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Federal |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: | 80002255[4] |
| Added to NRHP: | August 29, 1980 |
| Rodney, Mississippi | |
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| Nickname(s): Petit Gouffre, "Little Gulf" | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Jefferson County |
| Founded | 1828 |
| Population (2010)U6 | |
| • Total | >0 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-6) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-5) |
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Rodney was originally settled by the French in January 1763 and named Petit Gouffre,[1] meaning "Little Gulf". As a result of the French and Indian War, the area was taken by Great Britain. Spain would later control this area after taking West Florida from the British in 1781. Spain would hold the site until selling it to Thomas Calvit in 1798. The city was later renamed Rodney in 1828 in honor of Judge Thomas Rodney.[5]
The Old Rodney Presbyterian Church was dedicated in 1832. It is located at the middle section of the town, across the Rodney – Red Bone – Lorman Road from Alston Grocery Store. At the south edge of the town is a Sacred Heart Catholic Church built in 1869. On the southeast corner of Rodney lies Alston's Grocery, operated by the Alston family since 1915.[6] Alston's Grocery Store, actually a country general Store, was closed many years past, however, the building still stands. In the northeast corner of the town is a small park where regular band concerts were held by the Jefferson County Band. On the northwest corner are remains of a wooden drugstore. West of Alston's Grocery is one surviving structure on Batchelor street. Located at the southwest corner is a two-story brick structure. At the western end of Batchelor street is the Mt. Zion No. 1 Baptist Church, a white frame structure combining several styles of architecture which was constructed in 1850.
The Presbyterian Church has a solid shot above the middle window which appears to have been fired by a 12 lb. Napoleon. It was placed there when a group of officers from the U.S.S. Rattler decided to attend services one Sunday and a unit of Confederate cavalry from Grand Gulf began the process of arresting them all as prisoners of war. Shooting started and the Rattler returned fire striking the Church. The minister of the Church was known at the time as a Union sympathizer and left shortly thereafter.
Rodney was noted for its high level of culture, county fairs and business activity. Rodney once contained a bank, a newspaper, 500 people and 35 stores, artists, theater, lecture hall, schools, debating society, churches, jockey club and thespian groups. Cottonseed development, riverboat landings, taverns and high literacy made Rodney a leading river town.
Among the businesses fronting on Commerce and Magnolia Streets were a bank, wagon makers, tinsmiths, barbers, doctors, dentists, general mercantile stores, hotels, saloons, and pastry shops. Also, Mississippi Lodge # 56, Free and Accepted Masons was located in Rodney from the 1850's to the 1920's. it was not unusual for traveling thespians on the show boats to play at Rodney and use the Masonic Hall for their performances.
Also, there was / is a huge Rodney Town Cemetery. It is now abandoned and very heavily overgrown. Many people from across the Mississippi River brought their dead to Rodney and buried them above the overflow line.
The 1850 United States Census listed the population of Rodney as 210.[7]
In June 1863, 40 Union cavalry troops were disembarked in Rodney to launch a surprise raid on the Confederate-controlled Mobile and Ohio Railroad. The Confederates would later capture the Union troops in September 1864. After the fall of Vicksburg, the Union Navy was left in charge of the Mississippi River. The Union gunboat Rattler was stationed in front of Rodney to ensure the Union had control of this important town. The admiral left strict orders that no sailor was to leave the ship, but on Sunday September 12, 1863, 22 sailors, a lieutenant, and a captain left the ship dressed in their best uniforms, and quietly seated themselves in the congregation. As the second hymn was being sung, a Lt. Allen of the Confederate Cavalry walked up the aisle to the pulpit. Apologizing to the Reverend Baker, he turned and announced his men had surrounded the building and demanded the Yankee sailors surrender. One of the Yankee sailors jumped behind a door and took a shot at Lt. Allen. A general melee broke out, and most of the citizens dove under their pews for safety. One Yankee sailor hid in the undergarments of his local southern girlfriend. One older lady, however, would not run. She stood on her pew and shouted "Glory to God!" A skeleton crew had remained on board the Rattler, and when they heard the commotion began firing their guns at the church. The church and four homes were hit. It was on this day that a cannonball lodged itself in the front wall of the Presbyterian Church. The Confederate Army had taken 17 prisoners, including the lieutenant and captain. The crew of the Rattler became the laughingstock of the nation, for it was the first time in history a small squad of cavalry captured the crew of an ironclad gunboat. (Local history tells us that the cannon ball that is imbedded very high up in the front of the Church was placed there many years later. The original one had fallen out.)
To eliminate all Confederate presence in Rodney, Union infantrymen landed in Rodney and plundered almost every house in town. Citizens of Rodney later formed Company D. 22nd Mississippi infantry to fight against the Union army.
Rodney was host to many notable visitors, including Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay and Zachary Taylor. Taylor was so taken by the area that he purchased Cypress Grove Plantation, complete with 81 slaves, in 1842.[8] It was at this time that Taylor's daughter, Sarah, eloped with Lt. Jefferson Davis, much to her father's dismay. Taylor's house, which was located on the property south of Rodney, would later cave in and fall into the Mississippi River.[8] (The Missisisppi River is very unstable in this area and frequently changes course.)
Although Rodney entertained some important political figures, one of its own residents made quite a name for himself. Dr. Haller Nutt, a native of Virginia, came to Rodney in 1815. It would be Dr. Nutt who led the south to become the cotton kingdom of the world. His contributions were two-fold. The cotton seed being used in the area had developed a rot that destroyed half-the crop. His extensive research led him to develop new methods to grow cotton. A new strain of cotton called "Egypto-Mexican" cotton was more resilient.
Haller Nutt also improved Eli Whitney's cotton gin. By connecting the gin to steam power, it became a practical and useful piece of equipment.
Haller Nutt's never-finished Natchez home, Longwood, was the last burst of southern opulence before war brought the cotton barons' dominance to an end. Longwood, fortunately, survived decades of neglect and near-abandonment to become one of Natchez's most popular attractions. Dr. Nutt's son, Haller, grew up at Laurel Hill, Dr. Nutt's house, just east of Rodney. Laurel Hill's fate was not so kind.
Early maps dating back to 1715 suggest that the site where Rodney stands today was originally a location where local American Indians crossed the Mississippi. The Rodney area has always been regarded as Local History tells us that Rodney has always been a favorite place for crossing the Mississippi River. Crossing the Missisisppi (The Great River.) has always been a major problem (Until the construction of bridges in the 1930's) . The earliest date Rodney was said to be the one of the early crossing places for the El Cameo Reale (The Spanish Gold Highway from Los Angeles or Mexico on the Pacific Ocean, to St Augustine on the Atlantic Ocean. The Spanish had discovered that to take the gold (ships) galleons into the hurricane prone Gulf of Mexico was very dangerous. (They were terrified.) Thus the Gold Highway. It depended upon the season when the gold train would arrived at the Mississeppi River. If in the Summer and Fall,(The low water Season.) they would pass down the high ridge of the Teche and cross in the vicinity of New Orleans and along the Mississippi Coast, etc. (This was the much preferred route. However if in the Winter and Spring, (The Mississippi River would be in flood and very dangerous.) the Gold Train must cross further upstream. Rodney was said to be the favorite crossing for this season Some say Natchez, 30 miles downstream. The Gold Trains made their way down the "Natural Levee" of the Red River to a point and then across the swamp to the Rodney area, crossed the great river, and then on to the Eastward.
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