Mississippi
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| Abbreviation | MS Source: United States Postal Service – Abbreviations |
|---|---|
| Capital | Jackson |
| Population | 2,967,297 Source: Resident Population Data – 2010 Census |
| Governor | Phil Bryant (Republican, to January 2016) |
| Entered the Union | December 10, 1817 as the 20th state |
| Motto | Virtute et armis (By valor and arms) |
| Nickname | The Magnolia State |
| Flower | Flower or bloom of the magnolia or evergreen magnolia |
| Bird | Mockingbird |
| Song | Go, Mississippi |
| Professional Sports Teams | No NFL, MLB, NBA, WNBA, MLS, or NHL teams. (sports listing policy) |
| Origin of Name | Named for the Mississippi river which forms the state’s western boundary. According to the State of Mississippi’s “About Mississippi” page, the name means “Father of Waters,” roughly translated from Native American folklore. The translation comes from the Chippewa (or Ojibwa) words “mici zibi” meaning “great river” or “gathering in of all the waters” and the Algonquin word “Messipi.” |
| Historical Sites | Pre-Civil War mansions, Vicksburg National Military Park, Brices Cross Roads National Battlefield, Tupelo National Battlefield, and part of Natchez Trace National Parkway |
| Points of Interest | Bienville, Delta, Desoto, Holly Springs, Homochitto, and Tombigbee Nation Forests; Gulf Coast |
| Bordering States | Mississippi borders Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee. |
| Flag |  |
Follow these links to read articles about Mississippi from Encyclopedias and Almanacs:
Official State Links
- Mississippi: the Official State Web Site of Mississippi
http://www.ms.gov/
This is the official website for the State of Mississippi. - The Mississippi Library Commission
http://www.mlc.lib.ms.us/
Here is the homepage for the Mississippi State Library Agency. - Mississippi Historical Society
http://mshistory.k12.ms.us/mississippi-historical-society/18/
Here is the homepage for the Mississippi State Historical Society. - Museum of Mississippi History
Here is the homepage for the Mississippi State Museum. - Mississippi Department of Archives & History
Here is the homepage for the Mississippi State Archives. - Mississippi State Parks
http://www.ms.gov/ms_sub_sub_template.jsp?Category_ID=40
Here is the homepage for Mississippi State Parks. - Visit Mississippi.org
http://www.visitmississippi.org/
Here is the official state tourism website for Mississippi.
Other State Links
- 50states.com: Mississippi
http://www.50states.com/mississi.htm
The site provides a wealth of information about Mississippi. It includes everything from the highest point to county profile to climate. - Things To Do in Mississippi
http://www.thingstodo.com/states/MS/index.htm
ThingsToDo.com is an online guide to information about Mississippi’s entertainment, recreation, and travel, and includes the state’s interesting facts, famous people, and special events. - Roadside America: Mississippi Attractions
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/ms.html
Roadside America describes itself as an online guide to offbeat attractions. This site offers reviews of “weird sites along the highway” in Mississippi. - FedStats: MapStat: United States: Mississippi
http://www.fedstats.gov/qf/states/28000.html
Fast access to statistics from more than 100 federal agencies on “economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more” in Mississippi.
- The Mississippi state tree is the Magnolia, state bird is the Mockingbird, state stone is Petrified wood, state fish is the Largemouth o r black bass, state insect is the Honeybee, state shell is the Oyster shell, state water mammal is the Bottlenosed dolphin or porpoise, state fossil is the Prehistoric whale, state land mammal is the White-tailed deer, state waterfowl is the Wood duck, and the state beverage is Milk.
- Hernando de Soto, a Spanish explorer, discovered the Mississippi River in 1540. Spain did not relinquish its claims on the Mississippi region until 1798.
- Although cotton is the most important crop in Mississippi, corn, peanuts, pecans, rice, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, soybeans, food grains, poultry, eggs, meat animals, dairy products, feed crops and horticultural crops are all important to the state’s economy.
- Nearly 60% of Mississippi is covered by forests, and more than 100 species of trees are found in the state.
Some Famous People from this State
- Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977), popular rock-and-roll singer.
- Tennessee Williams (1911 – 1983), playwright, received Pulitzer prizes for A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
- Hiram R. Revels (1822 – 1901), clergyman, first African American to sit in the U.S. Senate (1870 – 1871).