NPS Form 10-9OO-b OMB No. 1024-0018 (Revised March 1992) United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Form This form is used for documenting multiple property groups relating to one or several historic contexts. See instructions in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Complete each item by entering the requested information. For additional space, use continuation sheets (Form 10-900-a). Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer to complete all items. X New Submission Amended Submission A. Name of Multiple Property Listing Historic and Architectural Resources of Copiah County, Mississippi B. Associated Historic Contexts (Name each associated historic context, identifying theme, geographical area, and chronological period for each.) I. The Plantati on Era in Copiah County, 1823-1865 II. Copiah County's Developnent fran the Post-Bellum Period to the End of World War II , 1866-1945 III. Development of Copiah County's Towns, 1823-1945 C. Form Prepared by name/title Brenda R. Crook/Architectural Historian organizationMississippi Dept. of Archives and History date October 5, 1995 street & number P.O. Box 571 telephone (601) 359-6940 city or town _---=.J.=a-=c:.:...k=s.=o:.:,n=---_______ state _..:.Mis=·=.::s:..:J.S::..:·=-s=-:1::..::;· pp:.:..:::...:.:i ___ _ zip code 39205-u571 D. Certification As the designated authority under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, I hereby certify that this documentation form meets the National Register documentation standards and sets forth requirements for the listing of related properties consistent with the National Register criteria. This submission meets the procedural and professional requirements set forth in 36 CFR Part 60 and the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Archeology and Historic Preservation. (0 See continuation sheet for additional comments.) January 24 t 1996 Signature and title of certifying official Date Deputy State Histori c Preservation Officer State or Federal agency and bureau I hereby certify that this multiple property documentation form has been approved by the National Register as a basis for evaluating related properties for listing in the National Register. Signature of the Keeper Date of Action HistorlC and Architectural ~esources of Copiah County MlSSiSSlppi Name of Multiple Property Listing State Table of Contents for Written Narrative Provide the following information on continuation sheets. Cite the letter and the title before each section of the narrative. Assign page numbers according to the instructions for continuation sheets in How to Complete the Multiple Property Documentation Form (National Register Bulletin 16B). Fill in page numbers for each section in the space below. Page Numbers E. Statement of Historic Contexts 1 - 53 (If more than one historic context is documented, present them in sequential order.) F. Associated Property Types (Provide description, significance, and registration requirements.) 54 - 74 G. Geographical Data 75 H. Summary of Identification and Evaluation Methods 75 - 78 (Discuss the methods used in developing the multiple property listing.) I. Major Bibliographical References 78 - 82 (List major written works and primary location of additional documentation: State Historic Preservation Office, other State agency, Federal agency, local government, university, or other, specifying repository.) Paperwork Reduction Act Statement: This Information is being collected for applications to the National Register of Historic Places to nominate properties for listing or determine eligibility for listing, to list properties, and to amend existing listings. Response to this request is required to obtain a benefit in accordance with the National Historic Preservation Act, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.). estimated Burden Statement: Public reporting burden for this form is estimated to average 120 hours per response including the time for reviewing instructions, gathering and maintaining data, and completing and reviewing the form. Direct comments regarding this burden estimate or any aspect of this form to the Chief, Administrative Services Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 37127, Washington, DC 2001~7127 ; and the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reductions Project (1024-0018), Washington, DC 20503. United State. Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Historic and Architectural Resources of Copiah County, Missis sippi Seotlon number __E_ Page __1_ E. STATEMENT OF HISTORIC CONTEXTS The multiple property nomination for Copiah County, Mississippi, is based on three historic contexts: the Plantation Era, 1823-1865; Development from the Post-Bellum Period to the End of World War II, 1866-1945; and Development of Copiah County's Towns, 1823-1945. I. THE PLANTATION ERA IN COPIAH COUNTY, 1823-1865 copiah County is a rural county located in southwest central Mississippi. The county is about 37 miles in length and about 24 miles in width, with a land area of 779 square miles. The county is bounded on the north by Hinds County, on the east by Simpson County, on the south by Lincoln and Lawrence Counties, and on the west by Jefferson and Claiborne Counties. The Pearl River forms its eastern boundary. The county is blessed with an abundance of running streams, creeks and bayous. The Pearl River is an extremely winding river too shallow at normal level for navigation; however, until the early twentieth century it was reported to be navigable for about six months of the year. The Little Bahala Creek rises from springs about three miles east of Hazlehurst and flows southeast to form the Big Bahala Creek, which drains the entire southeastern portion of the county and flows into the Pearl River. Copiah Creek rises southeast of Gallman, flows east and empties into the Pearl River south of Georgetown. Bayou Pierre, a sluggish stream flowing northwesterly through copiah into Claiborne County and eventually into the Mississippi River, drains a great portion of the western half of the county. The bottom lands along Bayou Pierre are the county's most extensive swamp lands. Several lesser creeks drain the bottom lands (Sartin: 6-7; Rowland, Mississippi I: 565). The general topography of Copiah County, except in the Pearl River bottom, is gently rolling. The Pearl River bottom and other small tracts of land along Bayou Pierre, Copiah, Bailey and other streams afford valleys of exceedingly fertile soil. The county historically had a considerable timber growth, consisting of pine, red post and white oak, hickory, elm, maple, poplar, gum and cypress. The most valuable of these were the long-leaf pine, which were extensively logged. Copiah County has a variety of fine sandy loam soil types suitable to the growing of vegetables and fruits as well as to such staples as cotton and corn (Sartin:1, 8; Rowland, Mississippi 1:565). ON. ~ No. fOHollO" United State. Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet Hi storic and Architectural Resources of Copiah County , Miss i ssippi Section number __E_ Page __2_ Establishment and Early Settlement of County On October 18, 1820, the Treaty of Doak's Stand relinquished Choctaw claim on the Delta and central Mississippi to the united states. This treaty opened a large area along the Mississippi, Yazoo, Big Black, and Pearl rivers to white settlement, and in the 1820s this was the fastest-developing area of the state. By 1830 the white population in this region was almost as large as that of the Natchez District, and the plantation system with its accompanying slave system was developing (Fortune: 252). Within the next sixteen years, nine counties were established from this area: Hinds, Simpson, Copiah, Rankin, Madison, Bolivar, Yazoo, Washington, and Holmes. Copiah County was established on January 21, 1823, being created out of Hinds County by an Act of the Mississippi Legislature. It was the eighteenth Mississippi county to be organized and was established just five years after Mississippi was admitted to the Union. Copiah County was originally larger than at present. In 1824 simpson County was formed from that portion of Copiah County lying east of the Pearl River, and in 1870 a strip of copiah's southern territory was given to Lincoln County. There are several versions of the derivation of the county's name,but the most widely accepted is that copiah derives its name from the Indian word "Kai Paya," meaning calling panther (Sartin: 12-13; Rowland, Mississippi I: 563). Along with the Pearl River, the county has a good number of running streams, creeks and bayous, and some of the earliest settlements of the county were located along these waterways. originally loca·ted on the Pearl River, Georgetown was one of the earliest settlements in the county, but in 1909, when the New Orleans Great Northern Railroad came through the county, the town was moved about one mile to the west along the rail line. When the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad came through the county in 1858, new towns sprang up along the rail line. Beauregard, Gallman, and Hazlehurst were founded in 1858 along the rail line, while Crystal Springs, which was established much earlier in 1825, was moved two miles east to the site of the rail line in 1857. Ea rly settlers carne from Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia, as well as from the southern counties of Mississippi. Copiah County was rural in character and its economy was based on agriculture, especially the cUltivation of cotton. Land was cheap and much of it was very OMI ApprfM/ No. IOHoOOIi United State. Cepartment of the Interior National Park Service National Register ot Historic Places Continuation Sheet Historic and Archit ec tural Resources of Copiah County, Mississippi Slotion number _..;;;E_ Pagl _ _3 _ productive, and in a few years there were a number of prosperous farmers and planters (Sartin: 13).