Located on the banks of the Tombigbee River, Aberdeen was one of the busiest Mississippi ports of the 19th century. Cotton was heavily traded in town, and for a time Aberdeen was Mississippi's second largest city. Aberdeen retains many historic structures from this period, with over 200 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. In the spring of each year, Aberdeen hosts pilgrimages to its historic antebellum homes. The most prominent of these antebellum homes is The Magnolias, which was built in 1850.
In 1540, Hernando DeSoto's expedition was the first occasion that Europeans traveled through the vicinity of Aberdeen.
Aberdeen was first settled in 1834 and chartered as a town in 1837. In 1849, it became the county seat when Monroe County was formed.
On February 18, 1864, during the American Civil War, a skirmish occurred between the Union army and the Confederate army in Aberdeen.[5] Lieutenant Colonel Burgh and the 9th Illinois Cavalry Regiment came into contact with rebel militias, driving them back and taking possession of Aberdeen. The battle resulted in the company taking 18 prisoners of war, as well as the destruction of Confederate food supplies and machinery.[6]
Aberdeen had a population of 3,708 in 1910.[8] Its population had risen to 5,920 by 1950.[9] Its population was 7,184 in 1980.[10]
Geography
Variant names are "Dundee" and "New Aberdeen".
Aberdeen is located southwest of the center of Monroe County. The downtown area lies on a low rise overlooking the original channel of the Tombigbee River to the east. U.S. Highway 45 passes through the south and west sides of the city as a bypass, leading north 35 miles (56 km) to Tupelo and south 27 miles (43 km) to Columbus. Mississippi Highway 8 passes through the south side of the city with US 45, leading northeast 14 miles (23 km) to U.S. Highway 278 at Wise Gap and west 30 miles (48 km) to Houston. State Highway 25 also passes through the south side of the city, leading north-northeast 15 miles (24 km) to Amory and southwest 18 miles (29 km) to West Point.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Aberdeen has a total area of 12.4 square miles (32 km2), of which 12.1 square miles (31 km2) are land and 0.3 square miles (0.8 km2), or 2.28%, are water.[1] The Tombigbee River and the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway flow southward through the east end of the city. Aberdeen Lock and Dam on the waterway is within the city limits, less than a mile south of the city's northern border.
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Aberdeen has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[11]
Climate data for Aberdeen, Mississippi (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1892–present)
As of the census[16] of 2000, there were 6,415 people, 2,398 households, and 1,661 families living in the city. The population density was 598.8 inhabitants per square mile (231.2/km2). There were 2,730 housing units at an average density of 254.8 per square mile (98.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 60.20% African American, 38.78% White, 0.09% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.06% from other races, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.56% of the population.
There were 2,398 households, out of which 36.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.8% were married couples living together, 29.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.7% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.58 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.8% under the age of 18, 8.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 19.8% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 78.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 69.7 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $23,530, and the median income for a family was $27,611. Males had a median income of $27,857 versus $17,090 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,584. About 26.3% of families and 29.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 42.2% of those under age 18 and 26.7% of those age 65 or over.
The city of Aberdeen is the subject of the HGTV show Hometown Renovation, where local makeup artist and designer Billy Brasfield sets to redesign and renovate some of the city's houses and landmarks.[40]
The city is the subject of the song "Aberdeen, Mississippi", by blues artist Bukka White, later covered by guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd as "Aberdeen".[41][42]
^Rowland, Dunbar. Encyclopedia of Mississippi history: comprising sketches of counties, towns, events, institutions and persons, Volume 2. S. A. Brant, 1907.
^The Farm Journal Complete Atlas of the World, 1912 Edition
^Encyclopædia Britannica Atlas, 1959 Edition, p. 298
.jpg)
