Meridian (Mississippi)

Lauderdale County

28-46640

Meridian (also Ragsdale City or Sowashee Station) is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, county seat of Lauderdale County and has about 40,000 inhabitants. The city, which is also called the Queen City, covers an area of ​​118.8 km ² (as of 2000).

History

The area around Meridian was originally the land of the Choctaw Indians, which was transferred by the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830 to the United States. 1831 settled with Richard McLemore from Virginia down the first white settlers in the area. The original settlement area was in 1854 at the crossroads of " Mobile & Ohio " - and the " Vicksburg & Montgomery " railway lines and was initially called " Sowashee station " after the nearby river Sowashee Creek. 1860, the town was officially known as " Meridian " is entered, at this time about 15 families inhabited the city.

In the following the American Civil War Meridian was because of the strategic location of the crossings to the base of some Confederate military facilities. In February 1864 General Sherman reached confederate town, the railway facilities were destroyed and the city almost completely burned down.

In the following years the city and its facilities were rebuilt, and 1890-1930 Meridian grew into the largest city in the state of Mississippi. 1890, the still existing opera house was opened. In 1900 the city had about 25,000 inhabitants.

Presence

Today in downtown Meridian are many historic houses such as the " Carnegie Library ", which was built around the turn of the century and now houses an art museum or the Art Deco skyscraper "Three Foot Building".

The company Peavey, one of the largest manufacturers of audio equipment, is headquartered in Meridian.

Sons and daughters

  • John Luther Adams ( born 1953 ), composer
  • Earl Aycock ( born 1930 ), country and rockabilly musicians
  • Moe Bandy (1944 ), country singer
  • James Earl Chaney (1943-1964), civil rights
  • Chris Ethridge (1947-2012), country musician, guitarist and bassist
  • Alvin Fielder ( born 1935 ), R & B and jazz drummer
  • Greg Keyes ( b. 1963 ), fantasy and science fiction author
  • Diane Ladd ( b. 1932 ), actress
  • Fred Phelps ( born 1929 ), homophobic Baptist preacher
  • Jimmie Rodgers (1897-1933), country singer
  • Jimmy Ruffin ( born 1939 ), soul singer
  • Richard Harrison Truly ( born 1937 ), astronaut
  • Sela Ward ( born 1956 ), actress
  • Hayley Williams ( * 1988), singer of the band Paramore
  • Al Wilson (1939-2008), soul musician
County (United States) Lauderdale County (Mississippi) Federal Information Processing Standards William Tecumseh Sherman Union (American Civil War) Peavey Electronics Richard H. Truly Al Wilson (singer)
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