Athens, Mississippi Explained

Official Name:Athens, Mississippi
Pushpin Map:Mississippi#USA
Pushpin Label:Athens
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Mississippi
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Monroe
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation Ft:302
Coordinates:33.8722°N -88.4417°W
Area Code:662
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:691677

Athens is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, Mississippi.

History

Athens was founded in 1830 and became the second county seat of Monroe County when Monroe County was split to form Lowndes County. Athens was named for the city in Greece, as the community's founders hoped it would become a "city of learning."[1] Athens was located on a stagecoach line that ran from the Natchez District to Eastport.[2]

Athens was once home to six stores, three hotels, two churches, two taverns, and a school. In the 1840s, Athens had a population of 500. In 1849, the courthouse in Athens burned down and by 1857 the county seat was moved west of the Tombigbee River to Aberdeen. After the county seat moved, Athens slowly began to lose its population.[3]

A post office operated under the name Athens from 1830 to 1873.[4]

The former Monroe County Jail (also known as the Athens Jail) was built in 1845 and is the oldest existing public building in Monroe County. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[3]

A historical marker in Athens gives a brief description of its history.[5]

Notable people

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rowland, Dunbar . Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form . Southern Historical Publishing Association . 1907 . 1 . 172.
  2. Book: Howell . Elmo . Mississippi Back Roads: Notes on Literature and History . 1998 . Langford & Associates . Memphis, Tennessee . 9780962202667 . 4 .
  3. Web site: Monroe County Jail . npgallery.nps.gov . National Park Service . August 23, 2023.
  4. Web site: Monroe County . Jim Forte Postal History . August 22, 2023.
  5. Web site: Athens Historical Marker . hmdb.org . August 22, 2023.