Historical Markers and War Memorials in Baldwyn, Mississippi
Tupelo is the county seat for Lee County
Baldwyn is in Lee County
Lee County(107) ► ADJACENT TO LEE COUNTY Chickasaw County(29) ► Itawamba County(21) ► Monroe County(30) ► Pontotoc County(30) ► Prentiss County(14) ► Union County(12) ►
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Advance forces of
General Forrest
and
General Sturgis'
cavalry met in
skirmish here.
The 3rd, 7th, 8th, and 12th
Kentucky (Confederate)
met the 4th Missouri, 3rd,
9th Illinois and 2nd New
Jersey shortly before
forming . . . — — Map (db m89093) HM
Built circa 192, 102 East Main Street was the first brick store building in Baldwyn operated by Jones, Pyle, Haney and McDonald as Baldwyn Dry Goods stores. Barber and Beauty Shop located in the basement. Renovated in 2011 by Farmers and Merchants . . . — — Map (db m155373) HM
Built in 1925 by Ben Caldwell as a blacksmith shop and converted in the Baldwyn Garage in 1928 by Bill Parton and Carl Davis. Later became Bondie Tapp’s Grocery Store followed by the Baldwyn Florist operated by the Gentry, Bishop, Hinds, and . . . — — Map (db m154984) HM
When General Sherman advanced on Atlanta, General Forrest sought to destroy the Union supply line between Nashville and Chattanooga. He had nearly reached the Tennessee River when he had to turn back to meet a Union force marching southeast from . . . — — Map (db m8365) HM
Organized in 1852 by the Alabama Presbytery, Bethany Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church had a charter membership of twenty-five including four slaves. The church was used as a hospital in 1864 following the Battle of Brice's Cross Roads. The . . . — — Map (db m60738) HM
Six-foot-three Baldwyn native “Country” Graham led the Bearcats to a state title in 1932. In 1938, he became the first All-American basketball player from Ole Miss and Mississippi. He pioneered the one-handed hook shot, “Country’s . . . — — Map (db m154980) HM
The Brice Home
stood
where monument is
located
The battle scarred,
two-story house, with
its blood-stained floors
and walls was used by
wounded of both armies
to escape shot and shell
as the battle raged. . . . — — Map (db m89045) HM
Maj. Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest "owned" northern Mississippi and southwestern Tennessee in mid-1864, but that was not where the war was being won or lost. Port Hudson, Louisiana, and Vicksburg, Mississippi, had fallen in July 1863, giving the Union . . . — — Map (db m62170) HM
By 10:00 a.m. on June 10, 1864, Col. George Waring's Federal cavalry had reached the Cross Roads. The troops deployed on either side of the Baldwyn Road, in the woods at the western edge of a cleared field, one-half mile east of the Cross Roads. . . . — — Map (db m62173) HM
Brig. Gen. Benjamin Grierson's Federal cavalry (3,300 troops) left Stubbs plantation (nine miles northwest of Brice's Cross Roads) at daybreak on June 10, 1864. By 10:00 a.m. the cavalry had reached Brice's Cross Roads and advance units had . . . — — Map (db m62172) HM
Six miles west of here,
on June 10, 1864, General
Forrest won his greatest
victory, crushing superior
Union forces of General
Sturgis and driving them
back to Memphis. — — Map (db m219973) HM
20th century commercial building constructed in 1918 by Nick Waters and Oscar Abrams as a two-story furniture and casket store; became McWhorter Hardware in 1921; later a John Deere dealership and then the General Electric Store opened by Bryson and . . . — — Map (db m155357) HM
Late Victorian architecture built in 1910 by Ben Caldwell and operated as McCarthy Hardward store for over 30 years. Converted to a fabric shop in 1965 and operated over the years by Johnson, McKay, Roberts, and Kesler families. Facade improvements . . . — — Map (db m155376) HM
Long before Civil War soldiers fought at this site in 1864, this land was part of the Chickasaw Nation. Tishomingo, whose name derived from the Chickasaw title tishu minko meaning "speaker for the chief" or "assistant chief" in the Chickasaw . . . — — Map (db m61924) HM
at 1:00 o'clock. General Forrest's men were all on the field ready for action. From a quarter of a mile north and extending more than a mile south across the Guntown Road the Confederates formed a pincers movement against the enemy. Confederate . . . — — Map (db m62106) HM
Pushing the Union forces back, General Forrest slowly closed his pincers movement, forcing General Sturgis nearer the Crossroads. This line was anchored on the Blackland Road 400 yards northwest. The southern end across the Guntown Road. . . . — — Map (db m62110) HM
Built by Buster McElroy, owner of the adjacent hardware store, about 1945, as a barber shop. Hardware store burned in 2002. Originally operated by Dewey Basden and "Red" Purvis, then Dayton Cagle. Since, operated by Peggy Grice and remodeled in . . . — — Map (db m155383) HM
A native of Baldwyn, Elijah Pierce
(1892-1984) was a barber, Baptist
minister and artist. In 1982, he
was awarded a National Heritage
Fellowship by the National
Endowment of the Arts for his
woodcarvings. His work has been
exhibited in the . . . — — Map (db m219976) HM
Post-war modern architecture; building completed in 1930 as Compton's Store. Later operated as Hugh Epting's 5 & 10, Riley's Shoe Shop, and The Trading Post. Restored in 2005.
National Register of Historic Places. — — Map (db m155366) HM
From 500 hundred yards north and extending more than a mile south, across the Guntown Road, this Line, behind rail fences and dense scrub-oak thickets fought stubbornly as the Confederates pushed on to the Crossroads. Hand to hand fighting along . . . — — Map (db m62108) HM
Federal's
Second Battle Line
General Sturis was able to use
his infantry here for the first
time in the battle. General Forrest
had beaten the Union Cavalry
before the infantry reached the
battlefield. Infantry and cavalry
formed . . . — — Map (db m89096) HM
First Shots of
the Battle of
Brice's Crossroads
were fired here
at 9:30
Morning of
June 10, 1864
Scouts from General
Nathan Bedford Forrest's
7th Tennessee (Confederate)
met scouts from General
Samuel D. Sturgis' 4th . . . — — Map (db m89091) HM
Along the ridge north-east, General Barteau's 2nd Tennessee flanked the Union forces, creating havoc among white and negro soldiers of General Sturgis' command. — — Map (db m61957) HM
To Hold
The Crossroads
Placing the 93rd Illinois,
8th Illinois and 114th
Illinois Infantry here and
immediately behind, he
placed his artillery
consisting of Battery B
of 2nd Illinois; 7th Wisconsin
Battery; 14th Indiana . . . — — Map (db m5738) HM
Welcome to the Mississippi's Final Stands Interpretive Center. After visiting our museum gallery, we hope that you will tour the Brice's Crossroads and Tupelo battlefields for yourself, with the help of our audio tour and roadside signage.
. . . — — Map (db m91147) HM
The county line drawn in 1836 to divide Itawamba and Tishomingo Counties in Downtown Baldwyn exist today as the boundary line for Lee county and Prentiss County, established in 1870. The line also signifies “wet and dry” boundaries for . . . — — Map (db m154986) HM
A native of Baldwyn, James H. “Babe” McCarthy began coaching basketball in 1941. During his career he coached high school, college, and professional teams. In 1963, McCarthy sneaked his all~white Mississippi State team out of Starkville . . . — — Map (db m154987) HM
Circa 1910 as The People's Bank. George Gentry's Cafe & Meat Market downstairs with the upper floor residence of the Claude Gentry family (1928-1940). In 1940, operated as Luna Stubbs Beauty Shop followed by Johnnie Arnold's Dry Goods. Later owned . . . — — Map (db m155355) HM
Late Folk Victorian architecture constructed in circa 1900 as two structures. Brinson's Dry Goods and Shoe Store was on the east side and the west side was Kirk Hardware. Expanded by Kirk to both sides and operated later by Rowland, Garrett, . . . — — Map (db m155378) HM
The original wood frame building was built in 1905 as Walker's, then Norman's Grocery. Later, Lampkin's and Morris' Barber Shop followed by Gene Prentice Barber Shop and Aliene Anderson's Fabric Store. A beauty shop operated in the back of the . . . — — Map (db m155377) HM
During the Great Depression, Morris Gorden, only 23, moved to Baldwyn, rented this building, and opened a dry goods business that would last 60 years. Gorden was a man of accomplishment. At age 9, Moijze Kordun and his family had escaped Lithuania . . . — — Map (db m155374) HM
In 1903 this site was a cobbler's shop and later Miss Jessie Archer's Millinery (hat) shop. In 1931, it was operated as Will McElroys' Grocery. Devastated by fire in 1938 and rebuilt by Knowles Archer, the new building later housed an Ice Cream . . . — — Map (db m155352) HM
(front)
Dedicated to
Morton's Battery
Forrest's Artillery
and
John W. Morton, Jr.
Gen. N.B. Forrest's
Chief of Artillery and
the Confederacy's
youngest artillery captain
Morton's Battery fought here
during the . . . — — Map (db m89046) HM WM
Originally a wood-framed built in 1920 by W.M.B. Cox as the People's Bank. The upstairs was used as a Masonic Hall. A Piggly Wiggly grocery store occupied the east side, and later, Haddon Palmer's Pool Room. The west side was occupied by Jones and . . . — — Map (db m155367) HM
Edgar McDonald, Jack Lampkin, Dewey Basden & Claude rogers worked the chairs here in the early 1900's. McDonald's wife Ethel began a cleaning business for shop patrons at the back in the 20's, ad dry cleaning soon became this spot's predominant . . . — — Map (db m155361) HM
One mile northwest is the birthplace of Private John Allen (1846~1917), soldier, statesman, sage, and wit. He kept Congress laughing from 1885 to 1901. — — Map (db m154988) HM
In 1926, Nick Waters moved a budding casket business into this building, formerly D.H. Thomas Grocer. Yet on a "few" bodies were ever actually embalmed here, to the great relief of current residents. In the 1950's, Claude Gentry's Lyric Theater . . . — — Map (db m155356) HM
Verner McGee operated a meat market here from the 1930's to the late 50's. He and wife Virginia once lived above this store, and "Son" could always be found in those days with his sidekick, a short-haired terrier who rode shotgun on daily deliveries . . . — — Map (db m155362) HM
As Confederate cannon rained fire on exhausted Union troops waiting to cross Tishomingo Creek, a somewhat orderly retreat turned into a panicked rout. Soldiers swam across the creek, bypassing the clogged and bottlenecked bridge and ran into the . . . — — Map (db m61930) HM
Built in 1910, as two stores, Late Folk Victorian, Baldwyn Dry Goods Store (east side) and Nanney's Grocery on the west side; later operated as dry goods stores by Cochran and Shellnut. Houston's Grocery Store also occupied the east side followed by . . . — — Map (db m155375) HM
Built circa 1900, Ed Cochran operated a General Merchandise store here in 1928 named the Green Front Store. The store is a backdrop for Ed's son, Louis Cochran's book, Hallelujah, Mississippi, written about pre-World War I Baldwyn. Later, Wallis and . . . — — Map (db m155381) HM
An "Opera House" once stretched west inside a now-vanished 2nd story of this building. As many as 300 guests enjoyed live theater and silent movies up there in the early decades of the 1900's, while merchants like J.A. Bonds and John Youngblood . . . — — Map (db m155359) HM
Completed in the 1930's by Audie Coggins; later owned and operated by Claude Gentry as the Ritz Theater. The west side was Gentry Insurance. Restored by Wayne Stone in 1981 as Stone's Jewelry & Gifts.
National Register of Historic Places. — — Map (db m155360) HM
The Federal retreat at the Battle of Brice's Crossroads was funneled onto a small bridge across Tishomingo Creek. The structure was too narrow for Sturgis' Expeditionary Force, and the span quickly became a bottleneck as horses, wagons, cannon, and . . . — — Map (db m61927) HM
Retreating wagons blocked bridge. General Forrest captured 200 Wagons, 14 pieces of artillery and hundreds of men. Artillery fire from the Crossroads killed hundreds of Federals here. — — Map (db m61953) HM
This store became Baldwyn's most iconic business in the mid-20th century when owner Tom Mauldin erected the neon sign that still hangs. Constructed by the Steeds, a family of masons, the building originally housed City Drug & Jewelry Co. Guy Stocks, . . . — — Map (db m155363) HM
Twentymile Bottom, now cultivated, was typical of the many low areas along streams through which the Natchez Trace passed.
In 1812 Reverend John Johnson stopped at Old Factors Stand, near this bottom, and wrote this account of bottomland . . . — — Map (db m84764) HM
A frame building built on this site housed McWhorter Hardware and burned in the fire of 1914. In 1915, Baldwyn's U.S. Post Office was relocated here in a brick structure until 1952. Magers and Poole Appliance Store, Gladys Barber's Dollar Store, . . . — — Map (db m155380) HM
From a log cabin built in 1859 as Wallis Blacksmith Shop, the current structure (1925) was built as Union Drug Store and operated by Archie Frost (for over 50 years) and Sam Rowan. Popeye Gentry's Watch Repair was in the back of the drug store. Mr. . . . — — Map (db m155379) HM
A critical factor in the Union defeat at Brice's Crossroads was the decision by an unknown officer to bring most if not all of the Union supply train across the Tishomingo Creek Bridge and into the field across the road from where you now stand. . . . — — Map (db m62176) HM
Constructed in 1925 as a block row building and operated as White’s Grocery in 1928. Later became Will Jones Dry Goods, followed by Baldwyn Cash Specialty operated by Outlaw, Landrum and Spivey in the 1940’s. Followed by Bryson’s General Electric . . . — — Map (db m154985) HM
As Union troops retreated toward Tishomingo Creek, they faced not only a blocked bridge and a rain-swollen creek, but also deadly cannon fire coming from this ridge. Confederate artillerymen rained fire upon the scrambling Yankees with four field . . . — — Map (db m72155) HM
Major General Nathan Bedford Forrest's cavalry had routed Brigadier General Benjamin Grierson's Federal cavalry one-half mile east of the Cross Roads and the Federal infantry that was thrown into battle line one-quarter mile east of the Cross Roads. . . . — — Map (db m72267) HM
The bottleneck created by the Tishomingo Creek Bridge and the flanking movement of Confederate Colonel Barteau's 2nd Tennessee regiment almost spelled diaster for Union troops retreating from the Cross Roads in front of Forrest's main force. The . . . — — Map (db m72150) HM
George Wardlaw (1927-2019) was a
native of Baldwyn and a renowned
artist and professor of art at Ole
Miss, Yale and Amherst. During
his 40-year career, he produced
paintings, metal sculptures and
modern art forms which have been
exhibited in . . . — — Map (db m219978) HM
Even as late as 1864, northeast Mississippi was sparsely populated. Just thirty years earlier the whole area had belonged to the Chickasaw Nation, and many of the local white landowners had moved here after 1845. The Bethany Associate Reformed . . . — — Map (db m72152) HM
