Ruleville, Mississippi

ruleville
—  City  —
Location of Ruleville, Mississippi
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Mississippi
County Sunflower
Area
 • Total 2.5 sq mi (6.6 km2)
 • Land 2.5 sq mi (6.6 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 135 ft (41 m)
Population (2000)
 • Total 3,234
 • Density 1,278.3/sq mi (493.5/km2)
Time zone Central (CST) (UTC-6)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 38771
Area code(s) 662
FIPS code 28-64200
GNIS feature ID 0676950

Ruleville is a small city in the fertile Mississippi Delta region in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,234 at the 2000 census.

Contents

Geography

Ruleville is located at (33.726883, -90.549191)[1].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2), of which, 2.5 square miles (6.5 km2) of it is land and 0.39% is water.

Ruleville is about 15 miles (24 km) away from the Mississippi State Penitentiary (Parchman).[2]

Demographics

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 3,234 people, 1,020 households, and 774 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,278.3 people per square mile (493.5/km²). There were 1,096 housing units at an average density of 433.2 per square mile (167.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 80.77% Black, 18.65% White, 0.43% Asian, 0.06% Native American, 0.03% from other races, and 0.06% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.87% of the population.

1,020 households out of which 36.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.5% were married couples living together, 34.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 21.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.55.

In the city the population was spread out with 31.3% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 23.0% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 15.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 80.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 71.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $21,351, and the median income for a family was $23,036. Males had a median income of $25,104 versus $21,063 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,664. About 29.5% of families and 36.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 47.7% of those under age 18 and 27.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The City of Ruleville is served by the Sunflower County School District.[4] Schools serving Ruleville and in Ruleville include Ruleville Central Elementary School, Ruleville Middle School, and Ruleville Central High School.[5]

North Sunflower Academy is in an unincorporated area of Sunflower County, about 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Ruleville.[6][7] The school originated as a segregation academy.[8]

Delta State University[1] is located ten miles away in neighboring Bolivar County, Mississippi.

Transportation

Ruleville-Drew Airport is in unincorporated Sunflower County, between Ruleville and Drew.[9] The airport is jointly operated by the cities of Ruleville and Drew.[10]

Famous Rulevillians

Festivals

Ruleville is home to the Annual Ruleville Fall Roast, a two-day community celebration that takes place in Rule Park in downtown Ruleville each September. The weekend's activities include local and regional musicians, a BBQ contest, a hog calling contest, fireworks show, and many vendors and craftsmen. This festival brings together all members of the community for fun, food, and fellowship.

Area Attractions

Mississippi Blues Trail [2] markers dot the Mississippi landscape, especially throughout the Mississippi Delta. In close proximity to Ruleville are the Blues Trail markers at Dockery Plantation, where blues artist Charlie Patton lived, the Peavine Railroad in Boyle, MS, the birthplace of BB King in Berclair, MS and many others.

Ruleville is home to the John Wayne Museum, owned by Luster Bayless, founder of the American Costume Corporation and personal costume designer to John Wayne for over ten years.

The Ole Place Bed and Breakfast, owned by Luster Bayless.

The Quiver and Sunflower Rivers provide outdoor recreation options.

The North Sunflower Medical Center [3] both serves the health care needs of Ruleville, MS and also brings people into the community from neighboring counties. The Medical Center hosts a clinic open until midnight 7 days a week, hospital, two nursing homes, and home health care services.

Fannie Lou Hamer Park and Rule Park serve as community gathering places.

References

  1. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
  2. ^ "Tornado Damages Mississippi Homes." Associated Press at the Daily Union. Sunday November 27, 1988. Page 4. Retrieved from Google News (3 of 20) on July 4, 2011.
  3. ^ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  4. ^ "Ruleville Schools." Sunflower County School District. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
  5. ^ "Sunflower County." Mississippi Department of Education. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
  6. ^ "Driving directions." North Sunflower Academy. Retrieved on August 10, 2010.
  7. ^ Murray, Coddy. "SERVICE NOTES." St. Charles Post at the St. Louis Post Dispatch. July 2, 1998. Retrieved on February 27, 2011. "He is a graduate of North Sunflower Academy of Ruleville, Miss.,[...]"
  8. ^ Moye, J. Todd. Let the People Decide: Black Freedom and White Resistance Movements in Sunflower County, Mississippi, 1945-1986. UNC Press Books, 2004. 243. Retrieved from Google Books on March 2, 2011. "Sunflower County's two other segregation academies— North Sunflower Academy, between Drew and Ruleville, and Central Delta Academy in Inverness— both sprouted in a similar fashion." ISBN 0807855618, 9780807855614.
  9. ^ FAA Airport Master Record for M37 - Retrieved on September 23, 2010.
  10. ^ "Poplarville, Hattiesburg among airports receiving grants." WDAM. March 12, 2010. Retrieved on September 23, 2010.