New Albany is a city in and the county seat of Union County, Mississippi, United States. According to the

2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, the population was 7,626.

History

New Albany was first organized in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and saw mill on the

Tallahatchie River The Tallahatchie River is a river in Mississippi which flows from Tippah County, through Tallahatchie County, to Leflore County, where it joins the Yalobusha River to form the Yazoo River. The river is navigable for about . At Money, Mississi ...

and was developed as a river port. New Albany is the birthplace of author William Faulkner as well as

Eli Whiteside Dustin Eli Whiteside (born October 22, 1979) is an American former professional baseball catcher who is currently a roving catching instructor for the San Francisco Giants. He stands tall, weighs . He batted and threw right-handed. He played in ...

and Bettie Wilson and the adopted home of Morris Futorian, father of the Northeast Mississippi furniture industry. As of 2010 New Albany has a population of 8,526 and is known for its education system, well-educated labor force and strong work ethic. The city houses modern factories, robust neighborhoods and vibrant shopping centers, while at the same time preserving its historic downtown area. Organized in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and a saw mill on the Tallahatchie River near the intersection of two historic Chickasaw Indian trade trails, the town developed as a river port and as a regional center for agriculture and commerce. The Civil War interrupted this progress, however, as Union troops swept through the city and burned all but a few buildings. Union County was formed from parts of neighboring Lee, Pontotoc, and Tippah Counties in 1870, with New Albany designated as county seat. The city's new role as a center of government led to renewed economic activity. Citizens’ efforts in the late 1880s to secure a railroad through New Albany were rewarded with two railroads connecting the community to points north, south, east and west. A depot clerk for one of the railroads was the father of William Faulkner. Born in 1897 in a single-story clapboard house, Faulkner went on to write 19 novels and 75 short stories, winning the Nobel Prize and two

Pulitzer Prizes The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had ma ...

for his work. In 1925 L. Q. Ivy, a 17 year old African American boy, was accused of assaulting a white woman at Rocky Ford, Mississippi. Sheriff John Roberts transported him to New Albany, then to neighboring Lee County to avoid a

lynch Lynch may refer to: Places Australia * Lynch Island, South Orkney Islands, Antarctica * Lynch Point, Marie Byrd Land, Antarctica * Lynch's Crater, Queensland, Australia England * River Lynch, Hertfordshire * The Lynch, an island in the Rive ...

mob. However, by the next day, a group of Union County residents secured a writ to have Ivy returned to Union County. Upon learning of his arrival, a mob formed, kidnapped Ivy, and tortured him before burning him alive at Rocky Ford, Mississippi (present day Etta).

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.35%) is water.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

, there were 7,626 people, 2,971 households, and 1,911 families residing in the city.

2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 8,526 people, 3,049 households, and 3,027 families residing in the city. The population density was 476.1 people per square mile (172.3/km). There were 3,329 housing units at an average density of 195.2 per square mile (75.4/km). The racial makeup of the city was 63.98% White, 32.98%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of enslav ...

, 0.17% Native American, 0.35% Asian, 1.54% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.83% of the population. There were 3,049 households, out of which 31.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.0% were married couples living together, 17.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.5% were non-families. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.02. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 27.1% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was $28,730, and the median income for a family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $29,457 versus $20,579 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,507. About 14.7% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.0% of those under age 18 and 23.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Almost all of the city of New Albany is served by the New Albany School District while small portions are in the Union County School District. The city is the location of a satellite campus of

Northeast Mississippi Community College Northeast Mississippi Community College (NEMCC) is a public community college in Booneville, Mississippi. History The college was founded in 1948 as ''Northeast Mississippi Junior College,'' and became known primarily as an agricultural school ...

located at 301 North Street. The New Albany High School Bulldogs boys basketball team won consecutive state Class 3A titles in 1985, 1986, and 1987. Former NBA player John Stroud coached the 1987 team.

Transportation

New Albany is bisected by

Interstate 22 Interstate 22 (I-22) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of Mississippi and Alabama, connecting I-269 near Byhalia, Mississippi, to I-65 near Birmingham, Alabama. I-22 is also Corridor X of the Appalachian Development Highway System ...

( US Highway 78). New Albany is connected to

Ripley Ripley may refer to: People and characters * Ripley (name) * ''Ripley'', the test mannequin aboard the first International Space Station space station Dragon 2 space test flight Crew Dragon Demo-1 * Ellen Ripley, a fictional character from the Al ...

in the North and Pontotoc to the South by State Highway 15. Highway 30 connects New Albany and Oxford to the West and Booneville to the Northeast, although when traveling from Oxford towards Booneville an alternate route must be taken within the city limits. New Albany is served by

BNSF Railway BNSF Railway is one of the largest freight railroads in North America. One of seven North American Class I railroads, BNSF has 35,000 employees, of track in 28 states, and nearly 8,000 locomotives. It has three Transcontinental railroad, tr ...

(formerly

St. Louis – San Francisco Railway ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

) and the

Ripley and New Albany Railroad The Ripley & New Albany Railroad is a shortline railroad that runs from New Albany to Falkner, Mississippi, and previously extended from Houston, Mississippi, to Middleton, Tennessee, along former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad trackage. RNA ...

(formerly Gulf, Mobile and Ohio). The two railroads cross downtown. New Albany was once a stop for Gulf, Mobile and Ohio's famous "

Rebel A rebel is a participant in a rebellion. Rebel or rebels may also refer to: People * Rebel (given name) * Rebel (surname) * Patriot (American Revolution), during the American Revolution * American Southerners, as a form of self-identification ...

" streamlined passenger train. The town serves as the northern terminus of the

Tanglefoot Trail The Tanglefoot Trail is an asphalt-covered rail trail in northeastern Mississippi. Ranging in the right-of-way of the Ripley and New Albany Railroad, it is the longest rail-trail in the state. It runs through three counties (Chickasaw, Pontotoc, ...

, a major

rail-trail A rail trail is a shared-use path on railway right of way. Rail trails are typically constructed after a railway has been abandoned and the track has been removed, but may also share the right of way with active railways, light rail, or streetca ...

within the state.

Notable people

Willie Daniel William Paul Daniel (November 10, 1937 – June 29, 2015) was an American football defensive back who played nine seasons in the NFL. Career Daniel was born in New Albany, Mississippi. He played high school football at Macon High School and in ...

, football player * William Faulkner, Nobel Prize-winning author * Doc Marshall, baseball player *

Estus Pirkle Estus Washington Pirkle (March 12, 1930 – March 3, 2005) was an American Baptist minister, evangelist, and filmmaker. Early life Estus Washington Pirkle was born in Vienna, Georgia on March 12, 1930. He was one of ten children to Grover Wa ...

, Baptist minister and filmmaker * Mike Ratliff, basketball player * Hubert D. Stephens, U.S. senator from Mississippi * John Stroud, basketball player *

, catcher and coach for the San Francisco Giants * Bettie Wilson, woman who lived to 115 * Marcus Green, NFL player *

Ethan Paquin Ethan Paquin is an American poet and a native of New Hampshire. Biography Ethan Paquin grew up in Londonderry, New Hampshire. He earned a BA in English/writing from Plymouth State University in Plymouth, New Hampshire, and his MFA in creative wri ...

, poet *

Ronnie McNutt On August 31, 2020, Ronnie McNutt, a 33-year-old American man, committed suicide by shooting himself under the chin with a single shot rifle on a Facebook livestream, which went viral on social media platforms. The case became notable for both ...

, U.S. Army Veteran

References

External links

{{authority control Cities in Mississippi Cities in Union County, Mississippi County seats in Mississippi