Hopoca, Mississippi Explained

Official Name:Hopoca, Mississippi
Pushpin Map:Mississippi#USA
Pushpin Label:Hopoca
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Name:United States
Subdivision Type1:State
Subdivision Name1:Mississippi
Subdivision Type2:County
Subdivision Name2:Leake
Timezone:Central (CST)
Utc Offset:-6
Timezone Dst:CDT
Utc Offset Dst:-5
Elevation M:121
Elevation Ft:397
Coordinates:32.8342°N -89.5064°W
Area Code:601 & 769
Blank Name:GNIS feature ID
Blank Info:691942

Hopoca is an unincorporated community in Leake County, Mississippi, in the United States.

History

The etymology of Hopoca is unclear. According to one source, Hopoca is a Choctaw name likely meaning either "distant" or "one who picks or grazes".[1] The community was founded in the 1830s by W. M. Hall, who moved to the area from Tennessee.[2] A post office operated under the name Hopoca from 1894 to 1907.[3]

In 1842, the Choctaws Claim Commission met in Hopoca. The Commission was formed to disperse land after the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek. Commissioners present included J.F.H. Claiborne, William M. Gwin and Charles Fisher (who was a former member of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina and was serving as a land agent at the time).[4]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Baca, Keith A.. Native American Place Names in Mississippi. 2007. Univ. Press of Mississippi. 978-1-60473-483-6. 41.
  2. Book: McIntosh . James T. . The Papers of Jefferson Davis . 1974 . Louisiana State University Press . Baton Rouge, Louisiana . 0-8071-0082-X . 413 . 2nd . 2 .
  3. Web site: Leake County . Jim Forte Postal History . January 16, 2023.
  4. Book: Young . Mary Elizabeth . Redskins, Ruffleshirts, and Rednecks . 1961 . University of Oklahoma Press . Norman, Oklahoma . 0-8061-3435-6 . 63.