Holly Springs, Mississippi

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Holly Springs railroad depot

Holly Springs is a city in Marshall County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Marshall County^GR6. A short drive from Memphis, Tennessee, Holly Springs is the site of a number of well-preserved antebellum homes and other structures and has a strong tradition of historic preservation. Holly Springs is the site of Rust College, a historically black liberal arts college established in 1866 by the Freedman's Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal church. The Holly Springs National Forest is also nearby. Perhaps Holly Springs' most notable tourist attraction, however, is Graceland, Too, a home full of Elvis memorabilia owned by Paul MacLeod. Tours are given twenty-four hours a day, drawing Elvis fans from Memphis, Oxford, and other nearby cities.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Education
4 Health care
5 Famous residents
6 Trivia
7 External links

[edit] Geography

Montrose, a Holly Springs home.

Holly Springs is located at 34°46′24″N, 89°26′47″W (34.773435, -89.446519)^GR1. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 33.0 km² (12.7 mi²). 32.9 km² (12.7 mi²) of it is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) of it (0.16%) is water.

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 7,957 people, 2,407 households, and 1,699 families residing in the city. The population density was 241.9/km² (626.3/mi²). There were 2,582 housing units at an average density of 78.5/km² (203.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 22.81% White, 76.18% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.69% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.59% of the population.

There were 2,407 households out of which 36.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.3% were married couples living together, 31.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% were non-families. 27.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.22.

In the city the population was spread out with 25.1% under the age of 18, 19.1% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,408, and the median income for a family was $25,808. Males had a median income of $29,159 versus $20,777 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,924. About 27.5% of families and 32.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 44.6% of those under age 18 and 21.2% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

The City of Holly Springs is served by the Holly Springs School District.

[edit] Health care

Alliance Healthcare System

[edit] Famous residents

R. L. Burnside (blues musician, 1926-2005)
Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885; wintered in Holly Springs prior to his attack on Vicksburg, Mississippi during the Civil War)
Junior Kimbrough (blues musician, 1930-1998)
Syl Johnson, blues and soul singer, born 1936
Shepard Smith (Fox News Channel anchor, born 1964 in Holly Springs)
Ida B. Wells (civil rights and anti-lynching activist, 1862-1931; born in Holly Springs)
Absolom M. West (planter, politician, Civil War general and labor organizer, 1818-1894) resided in Holly Springs after the American Civil War until his death.

[edit] Trivia

In recent years Holly Springs has been used as a filming location, most notably for Robert Altman's Cookie's Fortune.
Mississippi's highest temperature ever recorded occurred here on July 29, 1930 reaching 115 degrees Fahrenheit.
Father Tim Kavanagh, the fictional protagonist of Jan Karon's novels, was born and bred in Holly Springs.