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Macon, Mississippi
City
Noxubee County Courthouse in Macon
Noxubee County Courthouse in Macon
Location of Macon, Mississippi
Location of Macon, Mississippi
Macon, Mississippi is located in the United States
Macon, Mississippi
Macon, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Mississippi
County Noxubee
Area
 • Total 3.85 sq mi (9.98 km2)
 • Land 3.83 sq mi (9.92 km2)
 • Water 0.02 sq mi (0.06 km2)
Elevation
197 ft (60 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 2,582
 • Density 674.33/sq mi (260.34/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
39341
Area code(s) 662
FIPS code 28-44240
GNIS feature ID 0673046

Macon is a city in Noxubee County, Mississippi along the Noxubee River. The population was 2,768 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Noxubee County.

History

Founded on February 9, 1833 as Taladega, the name was changed to Macon on August 10, 1835. The Jackson Military Road crossed the Noxubee River just west of Macon, located at the old Choctaw village of Taladega, now the site of the local golf club. The city served as the capital city for the state of Mississippi during the Civil War.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2), all land.

Demographics

In 2016, Macon was the poorest town in the United States with a population between 1,000 and 25,000 people.

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1860 989 —
1870 975 −1.4%
1880 2,074 112.7%
1890 1,565 −24.5%
1900 2,067 32.1%
1910 2,024 −2.1%
1920 2,051 1.3%
1930 2,198 7.2%
1940 2,261 2.9%
1950 2,241 −0.9%
1960 2,432 8.5%
1970 2,612 7.4%
1980 2,396 −8.3%
1990 2,256 −5.8%
2000 2,461 9.1%
2010 2,768 12.5%
2020 2,582 −6.7%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Macon Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 383 14.83%
Black or African American 2,088 80.87%
Native American 3 0.12%
Other/Mixed 59 2.29%
Hispanic or Latino 49 1.9%

As of the 2020 United States Census, there were 2,582 people, 1,110 households, and 724 families residing in the city.

Arts and culture

The Noxubee County library is located in Macon. The building, which was constructed as a jail in 1907, still contains a gallows.

Education

Historically, the city of Macon had the largest schools in Noxubee County, including Macon High School (Mississippi). In 1917, the city proposed consolidation of the school district with Noxubee County, with the goal of replacing the single-teacher system prevalent throughout the county.

The City of Macon is now served by the Noxubee County School District. East Mississippi Community College offers some courses at Noxubee County High School in Macon.

When federal courts mandated integration of the public schools, a segregation academy, Central Academy, was built in Macon, secretly using public school funds to construct the private school. White student enrollment in public schools dropped from 829 to 71 during this period. Attendance at Central Academy eventually dwindled to 51 students, resulting in the shuttering of the school following the 2017 school year.

Media

The first newspaper in Macon was the Macon Intelligencer, which operated from 1838 to 1840. Another paper, the Macon Herald ran from 1841 to 1842. The Macon Beacon was established in 1849. It served Macon as a daily from 1859 to 1995. It continues to operate as a weekly, published on Thursdays. There is a local radio station, WPEZ 93.7 FM.

Notable people

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Macon (Misisipi) para niños

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