Imperial Bolivar 40 present time the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley eral important branches. The line from Mooi- Railroad operates 1,380 miles of line, of which head to Rulcville, built by another company 1148 miles are within the State of Missis­ in 1897, was acquired in July, 1900. This sippi This is 26 per cent of the total rail­ line was extended northward to Tutwiler and way mileage of the state. The combined mile- southward to Yazoo Junction, and through of the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Rail­ service between the two points was inaugu­ road and the ’Illinois Central in Mississippi rated in September, 1904. Further additions consists of approximately 40 per cent of the and extensions have been made from time to aggregate railway mileage in the state. time to the main lines since then, until at the METHODIST CHURCH. CLEVELAND Imperial Bolivar 41 Cleveland The Metropolis of Bolivar County LEVELAND, Bolivar County, Missis­ west, in Bolivar County, Mississippi, built a sippi, was founded by men of vision house and started farming. During the time C who dreamed of our present-day Im­ he wasn’t shooting deer and bear along the perial Bolivar and who set about the task of edge of his clearing he raised that famous building therein a capital city from which Bolivar County long staple cotton and shipped would radiate those lights that guide the it up the Mississippi River to Godfrey Frank forces and harmonize the interests of agricul­ & Co. of Memphis, Tenn. Along about the ture and commerce, business man and farmer. year 1884 a gang of section hands cut and The founders of the Metropolis of Imperial dug their way from Vicksburg straight up Bolivar were workers, and the wide-awake, the Delta, built a trestle across Jones Bayou progressive and cultured Cleveland that we two miles south of Col. Pcarman’s home, and know today—the child of their energies which when they had reached a point about oppo­ now has reached the urban dignity—is by far site his dwelling, stopped, threw up a small the most important city of its size to be found shack, called it a depot, and christened the in the Delta or any other section of Missis­ town Simms, although the postoffice was called sippi ; and the high eminence that she enjoys Fontaine. As soon as some steel was laid a today is appreciated best by those who have work train pulled up that far, the pay-car lived here, worked here, and seen here all that was set on a siding, and from that day until could be desired in the weaving of strong now this point has been a railroad division social and economic fabrics. Cleveland at­ and the more than three hundred railroad tracts those that seek metropolitan advan­ men now employed here get their pay at the tages in a town of three thousand people. same place where first stood the depot shack. This is no idle statement; it is a truthful Immediately opposite the coal chute and wa­ statement that, can and will be substantiated tering tank, Col. T. B. Johnson, who is today by an accurate portrayal of the character of one of Cleveland’s most prominent citizens her citizenry, and a true picture of the insti­ and business men, erected a small frame store, tutions wrought by their hands. and thus was born what is now known as Cleveland. Three or four years later the Early Cleveland Delta’s greatest philanthropist, W. A. Dock­ In the year 1869, Mr. W. L. Pearnian, who ery, settled in Cleveland and lived here seven passed to his reward only a few months ago, or eight years, but finally settled five or six made a clearing on the bank of Jones Bayou miles east of Cleveland on the Sunflower in the northwest corner of the northwest River, where he now lives. In 1886 Cleve­ quarter of Section 21, Township 22, Range 5 land was incorporated, and from this date MAIN STREET, CLEVELAND 42 Imperial Bolivar until 1901 her progress was hardly up to the Ideally Located expectations of her founders. From 1900 until today, 1923, Cleveland’s growth may be The town of Cleveland is ideally located as well divided into three distinct periods. a center of business, social and educational life. It is 114 miles south of Memphis and Court House Erected about the same distance north of Vicksburg, lying in the heart of the richest region on In 1901 the court house was erected on the earth, on the main line of the Y. & M. V. square donated by Mr. W. L. Pearman. Dur­ Railroad. Lying midway between Memphis ing the years immediately following, Cleve­ and Vicksburg, two of the most important land’s population was more than trebled. railroad terminals in the South, it is natural Cleveland became the center of Bolivar Coun­ that Cleveland should enjoy the privileges of ty and by far the most important town be­ a railroad division point, which advantage tween Clarksdale and Greenville, New cannot bo over-estimated. Cleveland also lies churches were built; brick stores stood where midway between Clarksdale and Greenville, frame dwellings served before; the school and is by far the largest town and most im­ building was enlarged. Cleveland was coming portant business center in the territory lying into her own. But it was not until 1910, when between the capitals of Coahoma, on the she assumed the proportions of a thriving north, and Washington, on the south. In this little city, that the steady, uninterrupted connection it might be mentioned that in post- march began. Though she suffered a common office receipts, bank clearings, cotton receipts setback in 1914, along with other agricul­ and gross business clearings, Cleveland stands tural communities, her resourcefulness in the fourth in a list of real thriving, busy cities years that followed the outbreak of the Euro­ of the Delta. Cleveland is surpassed by only pean catastrophe laid a stronger foundation three cities—Clarksdale, Greenwood and for the years to come. Cleveland’s growth Greenville—and the smallest of these Delta since 1917 has been phenomenal, and the towns that outranks Cleveland in this respect gratifying thing about it all is that her pros­ has a population four times as great as our perity is a stable thing, an enduring strength. own. Cleveland is geographically the center Should one who left Cleveland in 1917 re­ of the great Yazoo and Mississippi Delta, and turn today he would not recognize his old its trade territory is by far the largest and home from its physical aspects. Cleveland’s richest section of Mississippi that any one population has doubled since that time, and town can command. Cleveland’s location the residential sections of the town have been makes it the logical educational center of the extended to include land taken up by cotton Delta, and with the establishment of the seven years ago. And today no town in the Delta Normal here next year, she will assume South can look forward with more assurance her proper place in that sphere. Cleveland’s to an unprecedented growth and development. natural advantages are most evident to those 'ft iri ii "isr COUNTY COURT HOUSE' AT CLEVELAND, IN COURSE OF CONSTRUCTION Imperial Bolivar 43 who understand the fertility of the Delta soil cant fact, reflecting the character of the citi­ and the stability of the Delta prosperity. zenry and giving a fair indication of the Bear in mind that Bolivar County produces social and educational standards of the com­ more cotton, and of a far better grade and munity. Cleveland is the home of cultured, staple, than all of the counties south of the refined and enterprising people, who are here A. & V. Railroad in Mississippi combined. By to build for their children and their children’s reference to your map you will find that the children. How well they have budded is at­ A. & V. Road, running from Vicksburg to tested in the edifices of worship that adorn Meridian, divides the state into practically her beauty and in the magnificence of her two equal parts. In a word, Bolivar County, school, which is, by the way, the largest con­ of which Cleveland is the most important and solidated school in the world, according to largest city, produces as much cotton as prac­ the state superintendent of education. Hon. tically half of the entire state. Bolivar Coun­ W. F. Bond. ty is largest in ai;ea, largest in population, and largest in assessed valuation in the state. Sciiools Great and promising indeed must be the fu­ The Cleveland Consolidated School District, ture of her metropolis! Her growth is and which embraces the town of Cleveland and will continue to be the natural development the territory within a five-mile radius, boasts of a town so ideally situated, supplemented of a school system, building, equipment and by the untiring energy and enterprise of those attendance without an equal anywhere. The who are directing her energies to a bigger, magnificent Cleveland Consolidated School better and brighter eminence among the im­ building, an illustration of which appears portant cities of the state. elsewhere, was built at a cost of $200,000 two years ago and is a useful and enduring monu­ Cultural Advantages ment to the high appreciation of cultural Cleveland has always taken pride in her values by those who had her destinies in hand. churches, schools, women’s clubs and other The school, like other schools in the county, civic institutions, because her citizens know was built for the future, and while the enroll­ that without these things to inspire and di­ ment today is far greater than that of any rect, no prosperity can endure and no real other consolidated high school in the state, it happiness nor community spirit can be nour­ is steadily increasing, and the physical equip­ ished to its highest fulfillment.