Moorhead, Mississippi

Moorhead is a city in Sunflower County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 2,405.

Moorhead, Mississippi
City
Entrance sign
Location of Moorhead, Mississippi
Moorhead, Mississippi Location in the United States
Coordinates: 33°26′57″N 90°30′17″W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Sunflower
Area [1]
• Total	1.29 sq mi (3.35 km^2)
• Land	1.29 sq mi (3.35 km^2)
• Water	0.00 sq mi (0.00 km^2)
Elevation	115 ft (35 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	2,405
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	2,063
• Density	1,593.05/sq mi (614.94/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	38761
Area code(s)	662
FIPS code	28-48760
GNIS feature ID	0673795

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²), of which 1.3 square miles (3.4 km²) is land and 0.77% is water.

Moorhead is along U.S. Route 82, east of Indianola. Moorhead is located at the intersection of the Southern and Yazoo Delta railroads. This is the origin of the legendary blues crossroads phrase "where the Southern cross the Dog".[3]

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	437		—
1910	506		15.8%
1920	1,600		216.2%
1930	1,553		−2.9%
1940	1,504		−3.2%
1950	1,749		16.3%
1960	1,754		0.3%
1970	2,284		30.2%
1980	2,358		3.2%
1990	2,417		2.5%
2000	2,573		6.5%
2010	2,405		−6.5%
Est. 2019	2,063	[2]	−14.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 2,405 people living in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 82.2% Black, 16.3% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian and 0.2% from two or more races. 0.7% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census[5] of 2000, there were 2,573 people, 688 households, and 520 families living in the city. The population density was 1,988.9 people per square mile (770.1/km²). There were 720 housing units at an average density of 556.6 per square mile (215.5/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 20.44% White, 78.97% African American, 0.19% Asian, 0.27% from other races, and 0.12% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.24% of the population.

There were 8,391 households, out of which 37.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.7% were married couples living together, 34.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.3% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.14 and the average family size was 3.67.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.1% under the age of 18, 26.7% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 16.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.8 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $20,401, and the median income for a family was $23,000. Males had a median income of $26,538 versus $17,697 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,631. About 32.4% of families and 38.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 46.3% of those under age 18 and 33.5% of those age 65 or over.

Arts and culture

Mississippi Blues Trail marker in downtown Moorhead

A historic plaque in Moorhead is located where the Southern Railroad once crossed the Yazoo Delta Railroad (known as the "Yellow Dog"). The Southern travelled east-west, and later became the Columbus and Greenville Railway, while the Yellow Dog travelled north-south, and later became the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad. The level junction (diamond) is still preserved as an historic site, though the north-south line has since been abandoned through Moorhead. This railroad crossing is very significant in the history of blues music. It is widely believed that W. C. Handy, after hearing an old man singing about "where the Southern cross the Yellow Dog", was moved by the sound and began what came to be known as the "blues".[6]

Education

The City of Moorhead is served by the Sunflower County Consolidated School District (formerly Sunflower County School District). Schools serving Moorhead and in Moorhead include James Rosser Elementary School and Moorhead Middle School.[7]

As of 2012 it was zoned to Ruleville Central High School (now Thomas E. Edwards, Sr. High School), at the time the sole school of the district.[8]

Moorhead is home to Mississippi Delta Community College's main campus.

The Sunflower County Library operates the Kathy June Sheriff Public Library in Moorhead.[9]

Notable people

• Chester H. Pond, founder of town
• Charley Booker, musician
• Phil Bryant, governor of Mississippi
• Johnny Russell, country musician

References

1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
2. "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". United States Census Bureau. May 24, 2020. Retrieved May 27, 2020.
3. Moye, J. Todd. Let the People Decide: Black Freedom and White Resistance Movements in Sunflower County, Mississippi, 1945-1986. University of North Carolina Press, November 29, 2004. 28. Retrieved from Google Books on February 26, 2012. ISBN 0-8078-5561-8, ISBN 978-0-8078-5561-4.
4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
6. "Where the Southern Crosses the Dog". The Official Tourism Resource for the State of Mississippi.
7. "Moorhead Schools." Sunflower County School District. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.
8. "Schools." Sunflower County School District. September 14, 2012. Retrieved on July 8, 2017.
9. "Sunflower County Library Directory." Sunflower County Library. Retrieved on July 21, 2010.

External links

• Media related to Moorhead, Mississippi at Wikimedia Commons
• Moorhead Middle School
• James C. Rosser Elementary School