Bay Springs is a city in and the western county seat of Jasper County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,670 at the 2020 census,[3] down from 1,786 at the 2010 census.[4] State highways 15 and 18 intersect at the city. It is part of the Laurel, Mississippi (in Jones County) micropolitan area.
Bay Springs, Mississippi | |
|---|---|
 Location of Bay Springs, Mississippi | |
  Bay Springs, Mississippi Location in the United States | |
| Coordinates: 31°58′36″N 89°16′46″W / 31.97667°N 89.27944°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Mississippi |
| County | Jasper |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Donald Brown[1] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 15.01 sq mi (38.87 km2) |
| • Land | 14.94 sq mi (38.71 km2) |
| • Water | 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2) |
| Elevation | 423 ft (129 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 1,670 |
| • Density | 111.75/sq mi (43.15/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 39422 |
| Area code | 601 |
| FIPS code | 28-04060 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0666590 |
| Website | cityofbaysprings |
The area was settled in the 1880s by Joe Blankenship, who built the sawmill for the yellow pine timber industry that comprised the town's industrial base. The city was incorporated about twenty years later after railroads were constructed through it. That access attracted other industry and business, and the city was designated as the second county seat. Its population has declined slightly since 2000.
Geography
editBay Springs is located in western Jasper County at 31°58′36″N 89°16′46″W / 31.97667°N 89.27944°W (31.976761, -89.279574).[5] Mississippi Highway 15 (Court Street) passes through the center of town, leading north 27 miles (43 km) to Newton and south 24 miles (39 km) to Laurel. Highway 18 (Fifth Avenue) crosses Highway 15 in the center of town and leads northeast 21 miles (34 km) to Rose Hill and west 15 miles (24 km) to Raleigh.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.0 square miles (38.9 km2), of which 14.9 square miles (38.7 km2) are land and 0.1 square miles (0.2 km2), or 0.42%, are water.[4]
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 836 | — | |
| 1920 | 861 | 3.0% | |
| 1930 | 927 | 7.7% | |
| 1940 | 1,228 | 32.5% | |
| 1950 | 1,302 | 6.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,544 | 18.6% | |
| 1970 | 1,801 | 16.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,884 | 4.6% | |
| 1990 | 1,729 | −8.2% | |
| 2000 | 2,097 | 21.3% | |
| 2010 | 1,786 | −14.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,670 | −6.5% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 692 | 41.44% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 918 | 54.97% |
| Native American | 2 | 0.12% |
| Asian | 3 | 0.18% |
| Other/Mixed | 31 | 1.86% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 24 | 1.44% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,670 people, 776 households, and 712 families residing in the city.[3]
Economics
editBay Springs was the site of one of six Sunbeam plants in Mississippi. When Albert J. Dunlap downsized the company and closed the plant, 300 people lost their jobs. The last workers left the plant at the same time that Dunlap was negotiating a new contract for himself, worth over $46 million. The average annual salary at the Bay Springs plant had been less than $25,000.[8]
More recently, the Hol-Mac Corporation has located light industrial/manufacturing facilities in and around the Bay Springs area. One of the county's largest employers, this developing corporation has partnered with nearby Jones County Junior College with regard to job training and continues to expand employment opportunities in the local community.[9] Hol-Mac operates facilities in the town of Bay Springs and north of town in designated industrial areas between Bay Springs and the town of Louin. As of 2015, it has three main manufacturing facilities in the area, as well as additional office/HR support facilities.[10]
Georgia-Pacific Corporation has long had facilities to handle lumber and timber processing in the Bay Springs area.
The city has a county courthouse, as it is the second county seat in Jasper County. Originally there were limited roads from east to west across the county, and the two seats served local people.
Education
editBay Springs is served by the West Jasper School District.[11] Its comprehensive high school is Bay Springs High School.
The city also has a private school, Sylva-Bay Academy.
The county is in the zone for Jones College.[12]
Notable people
edit- Jesse L. Brown, first African-American aviator in the U.S., attended Bay Springs High School in 1940[13]
- Snoop Conner, National Football League player
- Carolyn Jones-Young, former professional basketball player[14]
- Haskins Montgomery, member of the Mississippi Senate[15]
- Cody Prewitt, former National Football League player[16]
- Johnny Stringer, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives[17]
- Johnny Thomas, head football coach of Alcorn State University from 1998 to 2007[18]
- Freddye Harper Williams. journalist and Oklahoma state legislator
Climate
editThe climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bay Springs has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[19]
References
edit- ^ "Elected City Officials". City of Bay Springs, Mississippi. Retrieved December 11, 2021.
On July 1st, 2021 Donald Brown became the new mayor of the City of Bay Springs, Mississippi.
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ a b "Bay Springs city, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 19, 2023.
- ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Census Summary File 1 (G001): Bay Springs city, Mississippi". American Factfinder. U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved August 10, 2018.
- ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 17, 2021.
- ^ Kellerman, Barbara (2004). Bad Leadership: What It Is, How It Happens, Why It Matters. Harvard Business Press. p. 139. ISBN 978-1-59139-166-1.
- ^ "Founder – Charles Belton Holder, Jr". Hol-Mac. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
- ^ "Facilities". Hol-Mac. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Jasper County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 26, 2022. Retrieved August 25, 2022.
- ^ "Profile". Jones College. Retrieved September 27, 2024.
- ^ Taylor, Theodore (2007). Flight of Jesse Leroy Brown. Naval Institute Press. p. 59. ISBN 978-1-59114-852-4.
- ^ "Carolyn Young WNBA Stats". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- ^ "Haskins Montgomery's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- ^ Blevins, Riley (May 2, 2015). "Ole Miss S Cody Prewitt goes undrafted, signs with Titans". Clarion-Ledger. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- ^ "Johnny Stringer's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- ^ "Alcorn State University-Johnny Thomas" (PDF). Alcorn State University. Retrieved September 22, 2021.
- ^ Climate Summary for Bay Springs, Mississippi