James "Cool Papa" Bell (1901-1991) was born in Starkville. Renowned as the fastest man to ever play baseball. During his career (1922-1950), Bell played for or managed teams primarily in the Negro Leagues. In his career, Bell never hit below .300. . . . — — Map (db m140782) HM
Organized July 28, 1839. Thirteen original members, one a slave. Used as a Confederate hospital during War Between the States. L. S. Foster, founder of Mississippi Baptist Orphanage, ordained here. General Stephen D. Lee, first president of A. & M. . . . — — Map (db m140704) HM
On May 6, 1821, seven local citizens, including Rev. Cyrus Kingsbury, established the Mayhew Church in the area known as Mayhew Mission. This congregation was received into the Tombeckbee Presbytery in 1829 and moved to Starkville in 1834. The first . . . — — Map (db m121845) HM
This historic district, placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, contains thirty historically and architecturally significant structures built along Old Greensboro Road from 1865 to 1930. Residents have included a university . . . — — Map (db m51624) HM
During the Vicksburg Campaign, a Union cavalry raid led by Colonel Benjamin H. Grierson moved from LaGrange, Tennessee, toward the Southern Railroad at Newton, Mississippi. On the afternoon of April 21, 1863, Grierson's cavalrymen rode into . . . — — Map (db m102566) HM
Methodist circuit rider Jacob Matthews conducted this area's first Methodist worship service near this site in 1834. The first meeting, held in a grove of sweet gum trees next to a spring known by the Choctaw Indians as Hicashabaha, led to the . . . — — Map (db m51617) HM
In the early morning hours of May 11, 1965, Johnny Cash was arrested for public drunkenness after he was found picking flowers on this site following a show at Mississippi State University the previous evening. Cash, who spent the night at the . . . — — Map (db m235196) HM
Also known as the Old Presbyterian Cemetery, this cemetery was established in 1834 and contains approximately forty nine graves. Among those buried here are Dr. Araunah Bardwell and David Ames. Bardwell came to the area as a member of the Mayhew . . . — — Map (db m140703) HM
This neighborhood was Starkville's first subdivision. Most of these houses were built between 1932 and 1939 during the Great Depression. Houses in the block-long historic district are of Tudor Revival, Craftsman, and Colonial Revival styles. . . . — — Map (db m102652) HM
The Needmore Community, one of Starkville's earliest African American neighborhoods, was first settled in the late 1800s with the construction of the Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Having a number of homes, churches and businesses, Needmore was . . . — — Map (db m140762) HM
One of the oldest black cemeteries in Mississippi. Here are buried many who made significant contributions to the growth of Mississippi and the advancement of the black race. Restoration begun 1975. — — Map (db m140702) HM
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Oktibbeha County has produced several blues artists who achieved fame for their recordings and live performances in Chicago, California, or other areas. Blues Hall of Famer Big Joe Williams (c. 1903-1982), who waxed the classic . . . — — Map (db m102869) HM
Listed in the National Register of Historic
Places in 2017, Oktibbeha Gardens was platted
in 1937 as Starkville's first large, planned
subdivision. Most of its houses were in place
by the 1960s and were built predominantly in
the Colonial . . . — — Map (db m235116) HM
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1992, the Overstreet School Historic District is representative of Starkville's development from 1870 to 1940. The focal point of the district is the Overstreet Elementary School, originally . . . — — Map (db m140761) HM
This small community was named for
Captain S. D. Sessums, a Confederate
veteran who. owned a large amount of land
in this area. The Sessums community
developed around a branch line of the
Mobile and Ohio Railroad, which ran
from Artesia to . . . — — Map (db m244528) HM
1830 The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek, which ceded land from the Choctaw Indians to the
U.S.government, ushered in white settlement and slavery.
1869 Mississippi passed a new constitution granting African-American men the right to vote.
. . . — — Map (db m237444) HM
Established as Boardtown in 1831, this was among the first settlements in this area. In 1837 the town received its charter and was renamed Starkville, in honor of Revolutionary War general John Stark. The same year Starkville became the county . . . — — Map (db m221676) HM
The Borden Company opened this milk condensing plant in April 1926. The plant helped bring over 1,200 dairy farm and milk distributing operations to Oktibbeha County. The plant closed in 2005, and the property was sold in 2009. Following extensive . . . — — Map (db m102644) HM
Eminent educator & agriculturist. Pres. of Miss. State U. & first Pres. of USM. Served as State Rural School Supervisor & State Supt. of Ed. Founded first Boys Corn Club in 1907, forerunner of 4-H & FFA Clubs. — — Map (db m51201) HM
