Meridian (Mississippi)

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meridian
Nickname : Queen City
meridian
meridian
Location in Mississippi
Lauderdale County Mississippi Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Meridian Highlighted.svg
Basic data
Foundation : 1854
State : United States
State : Mississippi
County : Lauderdale County
Coordinates : 32 ° 22 ′  N , 88 ° 42 ′  W Coordinates: 32 ° 22 ′  N , 88 ° 42 ′  W
Time zone : Central ( UTC − 6 / −5 )
Residents : 39,968 (as of: 2000)
Population density : 341.9 inhabitants per km 2
Area : 118.8 km 2  (approx. 46 mi 2 ) of
which 116.9 km 2  (approx. 45 mi 2 ) is land
Height : 105 m
Postcodes : 39301-39307
Area code : +1 601
FIPS : 28-46640
GNIS ID : 0673491
Website : www.meridianms.org
Mayor : Percy L. Bland

Meridian (also Ragsdale City or Sowashee Station ) is the fifth largest city in the US state of Mississippi , the administrative seat of Lauderdale County and has about 40,000 inhabitants. The city, which is also called Queen City , extends over an area of ​​118.8 km² (as of 2000).

history

The area around Meridian was originally Choctaw Indian land, which was transferred to the United States with the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830. In 1831, Richard McLemore from Virginia was the first white settler to settle in the area. The original settlement area was in 1854 at the intersection of the "Mobile & Ohio" - and the "Vicksburg & Montgomery" railway lines and was initially called "Sowashee Station" after the nearby river Sowashee Creek. In 1860 the place was officially registered as a "Meridian", at that time about 15 families lived in the city.

In the American Civil War that followed, Meridian became the base of some Confederate military facilities because of its strategic location at the railroad crossings . In February 1864 reached General Sherman's northern states - Army town, the railway facilities were destroyed and the city almost completely burned down.

In the years that followed, the city and its facilities were rebuilt, and between 1890 and 1930, Meridian grew to become the largest city in the state of Mississippi. The opera house, which still exists today, was opened in 1890. By 1900 the city had about 25,000 inhabitants.

present

Today there are many historic houses in downtown Meridian, such as the “Carnegie Library”, which was built around the turn of the century and now houses an art museum, and the “Threefoot Building” skyscraper in the Art Deco style .

The company Peavey , one of the largest manufacturers of audio equipment, has its headquarters in Meridian.

sons and daughters of the town

Web links

Commons : Meridian, Mississippi  - collection of images, videos, and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. a b Rowland, Dunbar, ed. Mississippi. 3 vols. Atlanta: Southern Historical Publishing Association, 1907. v.2 / p.219.
  2. ^ Paul Davis (II) (1948-2008) , imdb.com