Quitman in Clarke County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)
Shirley-Owens Memorial Park
Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 23, 2025
1. Shirley-Owens Memorial Park Marker
This park was named in 2021 for the former Shirley-Owens Vocational High School, established in 1948. With roots in the Pearlie Grove Church. the school was named for William Shirley, the White superintendent of Clarke County schools, and Samuel Owens, the school's Black principal. A new high school opened in 1960 across the railroad from the original school. This park land served as a pathway for students attending the new school. The former Shirley- Owens High School became Quitman Junior High after integration.
Erected 2024 by Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Parks & Recreational Areas. A significant historical year for this entry is 2021.
Location. 32° 3.23′ N, 88° 43.769′ W. Marker is in Quitman, Mississippi, in Clarke County. It is at the intersection of West Lynda Street and North Thompson Avenue, on the left when traveling west on West Lynda Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Quitman MS 39355, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in East Mississippi. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Clarke County Confederate Soldiers Monument (approx. one mile away); Clarke County War Memorial (approx. one mile away); St. John Church and School
this page online
Photographed by Mark Hilton, October 23, 2025
2. Shirley-Owens Memorial Park & Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on October 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2025, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. This page has been viewed 49 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 25, 2025, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.
