List of city nicknames in Mississippi explained

This partial list of city nicknames in Mississippi compiles the aliases, sobriquets and slogans that cities in Mississippi are known by (or have been known by historically), officially and unofficially, to municipal governments, local people, outsiders or their tourism boards or chambers of commerce. City nicknames can help in establishing a civic identity, helping outsiders recognize a community or attracting people to a community because of its nickname; promote civic pride; and build community unity.^[1] Nicknames and slogans that successfully create a new community "ideology or myth" are also believed to have economic value. Their economic value is difficult to measure, but there are anecdotal reports of cities that have achieved substantial economic benefits by "branding" themselves by adopting new slogans.^[2]

Some unofficial nicknames are positive, while others are derisive. The unofficial nicknames listed here have been in use for a long time or have gained wide currency.

• Artesia – Johnson Grass Capital of the World^[3]
• Belzoni – Catfish Capital of the World.^{[3] [4] [5]}
• Biloxi – The Playground of the South^[6]
• Columbus – Possum Town^[7]
• Greenwood – Cotton Capital of the World.^[8]
• Gulfport
  • Root Beer Capital of the World.
  • Where Your Ship Comes In^[9]
• Hattiesburg – Hub City^[10]
• Jackson
  • Chimneyville ^{[9] [11]}
  • City with Soul.^[12]
• Long Beach – Radish Capital of the World^[13]
• Meridian – The Queen City^{[14] [15]}
• Oxford
  • The literary center of the South^[16]
  • The Little Easy (in reference to New Orleans, the "Big Easy")^[16]
  • The Velvet Ditch
• Port Gibson – The town too beautiful to burn^[17]
• Senatobia – The Five Star City^[18]
• Starkville – Starkvegas^[19]
• Vicksburg
  • The Gibraltar of America.^[20]
  • Red Carpet City of the South^{[6] [9]}
  • Take Me to the River^[9]

See also

• List of city nicknames in the United States

Notes and References

1. Web site: Muench, David . Wisconsin Community Slogans: Their Use and Local Impacts . University of Wisconsin Extension . December 1993 . April 10, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130309175857/http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/economies/communityindicators/communityslogans.pdf . March 9, 2013.
2. Alfredo Andia, Branding the Generic City, MU.DOT magazine, September 10, 2007
3. Wanda McKinney, Our Favorite Town Slogans, Southern Living, April 2005
4. Web site: The World Capital of Whatever. The New York Times. Harold . Faber. 1993-09-12. 2018-11-15.
5. http://www.epodunk.com/slogans/fish.html Claims to Fame - Fish
6. http://www.taglineguru.com/monikerlist.html U.S. City Monikers
7. Web site: Columbus Mississippi, United States Britannica. 2022-01-28. www.britannica.com. en.
8. http://www.epodunk.com/slogans/agriculture.html Claims to Fame - Agriculture
9. http://www.taglineguru.com/citymottosmonikers.html Tagline Guru City Branding Survey
10. http://www.hattiesburgms.com/html/mayor.html Mayor's Message
11. Lynch, Adam. "Chump Change for Chimneyville", Jackson Free Press, April 4, 2007, accessed April 22, 2007
12. http://www.visitjackson.com/media-article.php?article_id=110 "Image Committee launches “City With Soul” campaign"
13. Web site: The Hancock Story: A Legacy of Strength, Stability, Service, & Opportunity. Hancock Bank.
14. Book: New Africa in America: the blending of African and American religious and social traditions among Black people in Meridian, Mississippi, and surrounding counties . 27 . 9780820424255 . Mozella G. Mitchell.
15. Book: Lauderdale County, Mississippi, four families, 1835-1936 . 102 . William Smith.
16. http://www.oxfordms.com/history.html History of Oxford
17. http://www.win.net/~kudzu/portgibs.html Port Gibson, Mississippi
18. http://www.cityofsenatobia.com City of Senatobia website
19. Mississippi State Unveils Design For New Floor Of Humphrey Coliseum . . August 31, 2016 . June 17, 2019 . In an additional display of that local pride, Starkvegas – the nickname for Starkville – has been placed specifically in front of the student section along the baseline..
20. http://www.nps.gov/archive/vick/vcweb/eduguide/chp_1/backgrnd.htm National Military Park Louisiana/Mississippi: Vicksburg