| Official Name: | Leaf, Mississippi |
| Pushpin Map: | Mississippi#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | Leaf |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Mississippi |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Greene |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 3.06 |
| Area Land Km2: | 3.06 |
| Area Water Km2: | 0.00 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 1.18 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 1.18 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.00 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 62 |
| Population Density Km2: | 20.29 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | 52.54 |
| Timezone: | Central (CST) |
| Utc Offset: | -6 |
| Timezone Dst: | CDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -5 |
| Elevation M: | 29 |
| Elevation Ft: | 95 |
| Coordinates: | 31.0258°N -88.7956°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code |
| Postal Code: | 39456 |
| Blank Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank Info: | 693696 |
Leaf is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Greene County, Mississippi, United States.
Leaf is located east of Leaf River Wildlife Management Area, within the eastern boundary of De Soto National Forest.
The town is named for the Leaf River, which flows a few miles east.[2]
It was first named as a CDP in the 2020 Census which listed a population of 62.[3]
Leaf was settled in 1838, and originally called "Salem". Most of the early settlers in the region were Irish, Scottish or English, and Salem's first families were the Thomsons, Cowarts, McKays, and McLeods.[4]
Salem Academy was founded by W.W. Thompson, and operated between 1845 and 1862. Thompson later served as a Superintendent of Education of Greene County.[2]
Leaf was a stop on the Mobile, Jackson and Kansas City Railroad, which later became the Illinois Central Railroad.[5]
In 1902, three partners bought two sawmills in Leaf, as well as carts, oxen and wagons, and opened the Thomson Brothers Lumber Company. The mills had a total cutting capacity of 50000feet per day, and produced longleaf yellow pine timber and lumber, dressed and rough. In 1903, the company sold the sawmills and nearly 1600acres of timber, to William F. Green of Bay Minette, Alabama. Green operated the mill under the named W.F. Green Lumber Company. The sawmill was destroyed by fire in 1906, at a loss of $20,000. The mill was rebuilt, but its operations ceased in 1909 when W.F. Green moved to Hattiesburg, Mississippi.[6]
A post office operated under the name Leaf from 1874 to 1986.[7]
| White alone (NH) | 60 | 96.77% | |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 0 | 0.00% | |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2 | 3.23% | |
| Total | 62 | 100.00% |