Byhalia, Mississippi

Byhalia /baɪheɪljə/ bye-HAY-lyah),[3] pronounced "bye-HAIL-yah" by some residents, is a town in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,302 as of the 2010 census.

Byhalia, Mississippi
Town
The Byhalia Historic District along Church Street is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Location of Byhalia, Mississippi
Byhalia, Mississippi Location in the United States
Coordinates: 34°52′10″N 89°41′17″W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Marshall
Area [1]
• Total	7.19 sq mi (18.62 km^2)
• Land	7.17 sq mi (18.57 km^2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km^2)
Elevation	361 ft (110 m)
Population  (2010)
• Total	1,302
• Estimate  (2019)[2]	1,210
• Density	168.74/sq mi (65.15/km^2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	38611
Area code(s)	662
FIPS code	28-10060
GNIS feature ID	0667879
Website	www.byhalia-ms.com

History

Byhalia was founded in the 1830s and named after Byhalia Creek, which flows past the site.[4]

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.9 square miles (7.5 km²), all land.

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	346		—
1890	474		37.0%
1900	760		60.3%
1910	511		−32.8%
1920	514		0.6%
1930	565		9.9%
1940	543		−3.9%
1950	581		7.0%
1960	674		16.0%
1970	702		4.2%
1980	757		7.8%
1990	955		26.2%
2000	706		−26.1%
2010	1,302		84.4%
Est. 2019	1,210	[2]	−7.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[5]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 1,302 people living in the town. 51.4% were White, 44.9% Black or African American, 1.7% of some other race and 2.1% of two or more races. 4.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

The following demographic information is based on 2000 Census information; however, the population of Byhalia has significantly increased in recent years due to immigration and a 2005 annexation of adjacent area. The population in 2007 was estimated at over 2,000.[6]

As of the census[7] of 2000, there were 706 people, 275 households, and 188 families living in the town. The population density was 246.8 people per square mile (95.3/km²). There were 306 housing units at an average density of 107.0 per square mile (41.3/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 60.76% White, 35.69% African American, 0.14% Native American, 3.12% from other races, and 0.28% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.12% of the population.

There were 275 households, out of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 22.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.6% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.13.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.5% under the age of 18, 10.8% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 22.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 79.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $26,618, and the median income for a family was $35,313. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $19,219 for females. The per capita income for the town was $15,156. About 25.0% of families and 26.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 31.2% of those under age 18 and 39.2% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The town of Byhalia is served by the Marshall County School District, one of the districts being supported by the Mississippi Teacher Corps.[8]

Notable person

• The soul singer Jan Bradley was born in Byhalia in 1943.
• The Nobel Prize-winning author William Faulkner died in Byhalia in 1962.

In popular culture

• The original field recording of "Sea Lion Woman", sung by Katherine and Christine Shipp, was recorded in Byhalia by Herbert Halpert on May 13, 1939.[9]
• The play "Byhalia, Mississippi" by Evan Linder premiered in January 2016.[10][11][12]

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. Keith A. Baca Native American place names in Mississippi
4. Baca, Keith A. (2007). Native American Place Names in Mississippi. University Press of Mississippi. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-60473-483-6.
5. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
6. Town of Byhalia General Development Plan, Working Draft, p. 13, August 18, 2008. http://www.gobyhalia.com/images/stories/townofbyhalia.pdf Archived 2011-07-11 at the Wayback Machine
7. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
8. "Home - Marshall County School District". marshallcountysd.org. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
9. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-12-06. Retrieved 2008-10-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
10. "Byhalia Mississippi: World Premiere Conversation- Home". wpconvo.com. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
11. Jones, Chris. "Theo Ubique leads non-Equity Jeff Award nominations". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
12. Jones, Chris. "'Byhalia, Mississippi' is a story of love, class, race and family". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2017-02-25.