Mississippi Highway 8 (MS 8) is an east–west state highway in northern

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

, running from MS 1 in Rosedale to U.S. Route 278 (US 278) northeast of

Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...

. Points of interest along the route include Great River Road State Park,

Delta State University Delta State University (DSU) is a public university in Cleveland, Mississippi, a city in the Mississippi Delta. History The school was established in 1924 by the State of Mississippi, using the facilities of the former Bolivar County Agricultu ...

, Grenada Lake, Hugh White State Park, and the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Route description

MS 8 begins in the

Mississippi Delta The Mississippi Delta, also known as the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta, or simply the Delta, is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi (and portions of Arkansas and Louisiana) that lies between the Mississippi and Yazo ...

region in Bolivar County at an intersection with MS 1 (which is part of the

Great River Road The Great River Road is a collection of state and local roads that follow the course of the Mississippi River through ten states of the United States. They are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Miss ...

) in Rosedale, just south of downtown, directly across the street from Great River Road State Park, and only two miles west of the banks of the mighty

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...

. MS 8 heads east as a two-lane highway to leave Rosedale and pass through farmland for several miles, where it passes just to the south of

Malvina Malvina is a feminine given name derived from the Scottish Gaelic ''Mala-mhìn'', meaning "smooth brow". It was popularized by the 18th century Scottish poet James Macpherson. Other names popularised by Macpherson became popular in Scandinavia o ...

, and just to the north of Mound City. It crosses Bogue Phalia as it travels through Pace, where it has an intersection with MS 817, before continuing east for several miles to enter

Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...

. The highway passes by

as it travels through neighborhoods along W Sunflower Road. MS 8 now enters downtown and comes to an intersection with US 61/ US 278 (Davis Avenue). The highway now widens to a four-lane undivided highway and passes through more neighborhoods along E Sunflower Road before leaving Cleveland, widening to a divided highway, and heading southeast to cross into Sunflower County. MS 8 now curves to the east as it passes through Dockery, where it travels past the Dockery Plantation and crosses the Sunflower River, and Ruleville, where it narrows to two-lanes and has an intersection with US 49W (unsigned MS 3). The highway now crosses the Quiver River before entering Leflore County. MS 8 continues east through farmland to pass through Minter City, where it has an intersection with US 49E and crosses an

Oxbow __NOTOC__ An oxbow is a U-shaped metal pole (or larger wooden frame) that fits the underside and the sides of the neck of an ox or wikt:bullock, bullock. A bow pin holds it in place. The term "oxbow" is widely used to refer to a U-shaped meand ...

of the Tallahatchie River, before entering Tallahatchie County. The highway now crosses the Tallahatchie and travels through

Philipp Philipp is both a surname and a given name. Notable people with the name include: "Philipp" has also been a shortened version of Philippson, a German surname especially prevalent amongst German Jews and Dutch Jews. Surname * Adolf Philipp (18 ...

and the Tallahatchie National Wildlife Refuge, where it passes through Wetlands and crosses another former alignment of the Tallahatchie, to enter Grenada County. MS 8 travels through Oxberry, where it becomes concurrent with MS 35, and they now climb into the North Central Hills region as they cross the Yalobusha River. The highway now travels through Holcomb, which MS 8 bypasses town on its north side as it splits from MS 35 and follows MS 7 towards Grenada. MS 7/MS 8 follow along the south bank of the Yalobusha for several to enter

Grenada Grenada is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean Sea. The southernmost of the Windward Islands, Grenada is directly south of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and about north of Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad and the So ...

, where they widen to a four-lane undivided boulevard and pass through an industrial area. The highway now comes to an interchange with I-55 (Exit 206), which MS 7 splits off and follows north, and MS 8 heads southeast into central Grenada, passing through a business district and neighborhoods to come to an intersection with

US 51 U.S. Route 51 or U.S. Highway 51 (US 51) is a major south–north United States highway that extends from the western suburbs of New Orleans, Louisiana, to within of the Wisconsin–Michigan state line. As most of the United States Numbered Hi ...

(Commerce Street/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard). MS 8 now crosses Batupan Bogue into the Futheyville neighborhood, where it has an intersection with MS 333 Scenic (which provides access to Grenada Lake and Grenada Dam) and Old Highway 8 (which provides access to Hugh White State Park). The highway narrows to two-lanes and leaves Grenada to pass along the south shore of Grenada Lake for several miles to pass through Gore Springs, where it has an intersection with former MS 335 (Graysport Crossing Road). It crosses into Calhoun County. MS 8 passes through Sabougla, bypassing Dentontown just to the north, to have a Y-Intersection and become concurrent with MS 9 and they immediately head northeast to cross Topashaw Creek. The highway then crosses the Yalobusha for the final time to enter Calhoun City, where MS 8 splits off to pass through Derma at a traffic circle in downtown (which is also where it meets the other end of Old Highway 8 (Veterans Avenue), which leads to the village of Big Creek). MS 8 heads east to pass straight through downtown Derma before leaving the Calhoun City-Derma area and passing northeast through farmland for several miles. It now passes through Vardaman, where it has an intersection with MS 341, before entering Chickasaw County. MS 8 passes through Pyland before having an interchange with MS 15 and passing straight through downtown

Houston Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...

, where it has an intersection with MS 389. The highway now leaves Houston and jogs southeast for a few miles to have an interchange with the Natchez Trace Parkway. MS 8 turns east again and passes through Trebloc, where it has an intersection with MS 47, before passing through a wooded as it crosses Tibbee Creek. The roadway enters Monroe County shortly thereafter. MS 8 immediately has an interchange with US 45 Alternate before heading east to pass through Gibson before entering

at an interchange with

US 45 U.S. Route 45 (US 45) is a major north-south United States highway and a border-to-border route, from Lake Superior to the Gulf of Mexico. A sign at the highway's northern terminus notes the total distance as . US 45 is notable for incorporati ...

. MS 8 becomes concurrent with four-lane US 45, bypassing downtown along its western and southern sides, while becoming concurrent with MS 25 and having an intersection with MS 145. US 45/MS 8/MS 25 now cross the

Tombigbee River The Tombigbee River is a tributary of the Mobile River, approximately 200 mi (325 km) long, in the U.S. states of Mississippi and Alabama. Together with the Alabama, it merges to form the short Mobile River before the latter empties i ...

( Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway) to leave Aberdeen and MS 8/MS 25 split from US 45 immediately thereafter at an interchange just north of Lackey, with MS 8 splitting off on its own not to far after. MS 8 passes northeast through farmland for a few miles before entering the wooded Appalachian Foothills, bypassing

Athens Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...

to the south before coming to an end at an intersection with US 278 (former MS 6) at the community of Wise Gap, near the

Alabama Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...

state line.

History

Prior to the construction of Grenada Dam, which created Grenada Lake, in 1954, MS 8 ran farther north than it does today between

and Calhoun City. It split off the current alignment at Futheyville at the intersection with MS 333 Scenic, headed east to pass through what is now Hugh White State Park, and followed the Yalobusha River to pass through Big Creek before entering downtown Calhoun City along Veterans Avenue. The majority of this route is now underwater, though some sections of the highway can be seen at low tide.

Major intersections

References

External links

*{{commons category-inline

008 008, OO8, O08, or 0O8 may refer to: * "008", a fictional 00 Agent In Ian Fleming's James Bond novels and the derived films, the 00 Section of MI6 is considered the secret service's elite. A 00 (pronounced "Double O") is a field agent who ho ...

Transportation in Bolivar County, Mississippi Transportation in Sunflower County, Mississippi Transportation in Leflore County, Mississippi Transportation in Tallahatchie County, Mississippi Transportation in Grenada County, Mississippi Transportation in Calhoun County, Mississippi Transportation in Chickasaw County, Mississippi Transportation in Monroe County, Mississippi