Perkinston, Mississippi
Perkinston, Mississippi | |
---|---|
Coordinates: 30°46′56″N 89°8′17″W / 30.78222°N 89.13806°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Mississippi |
County | Stone |
Elevation | 135 ft (41 m) |
Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
ZIP code | 39573[1] |
Area code | Area code 601 |
GNIS feature ID | 675617[2] |
Perkinston is an unincorporated community in central Stone County, Mississippi, United States.[3] It is situated along U.S. Highway 49, approximately five miles south of Wiggins. The community is part of the Gulfport–Biloxi, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
[edit]Established in 1880, Perkinston is the oldest settlement in Stone County.[4] The village is named for John C. Perkins (1840–1928), who homesteaded the area after serving in the Confederate Army.[5]
Abundant forests established timber and turpentine production as early industries.[6]
The Perkinston community benefited from the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad, which was constructed through the village in the late 1890s. Beginning in 1911, Perkinston served mainly as a campus for the Harrison County Agricultural High School, which developed into Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.[7] Through time, the village had few commercial establishments, but did have a post office, general store, churches, and a gasoline service station.[8]
The WLOX TV Tower in Perkinston, a 1,319 ft (402 m) guyed mast tower, is listed as one of the tallest structures in the United States by height.
In 2005, a 250-acre (100 ha) ATV park opened west of Perkinston.[9]
Education
[edit]- The Perkinston community is served by the Stone County School District.
- The main campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is located in Perkinston.
Transportation
[edit]- Highway: U.S. Route 49.
- Railroad: Kansas City Southern Railroad.
Notable people
[edit]- Mary S. Graham, academic administrator
References
[edit]- ^ "Perkinston ZIP Code". zipdatamaps.com. 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
- ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Perkinston, Mississippi
- ^ Hometown Locator (Perkinston, Mississippi) Retrieved 2013-02-23
- ^ "BORN TO BE A SOUTHERN TIMBER TOWN". Stone County.
- ^ John Perkins Retrieved 2013-06-11
- ^ McElvaine, Robert S. (1988). Mississippi: The WPA Guide to the Magnolia State. University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781604732894.
- ^ A History of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Archived 2013-06-10 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2013-06-11
- ^ Blackwell, Len. 2010. The Perk Paperboy. West Bow Press, Bloomington, Indiana.
- ^ Miles, Toni (May 24, 2005). "New ATV Park To Open In South Mississippi". WorldNow and WLOX.