Mize, Mississippi
It is the home of the Mississippi Watermelon Festival.
History
Mize was settled by Europeans by the early 1900s on the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad lines, though immigrants from Scotland may have settled the area as early as 1810. Choctaw Indians had lived in the area for thousands of years, and were being forced westward by the early 1800s. It is proximate to Sullivan's Hollow, Mississippi, the home of outlaw William Cicero "Wild Bill" Sullivan.
On April 6, 2005, an F-3 tornado struck Mize High School. The school's second floor was ripped off and the entire structure was severely damaged. Reconstruction efforts were completed in 2007.
The mayor of Mize is Joe Hancock.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6.0 km), all land.
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910 | 321 | — | |
| 1920 | 332 | 3.4% | |
| 1930 | 429 | 29.2% | |
| 1940 | 561 | 30.8% | |
| 1950 | 430 | −23.4% | |
| 1960 | 371 | −13.7% | |
| 1970 | 372 | 0.3% | |
| 1980 | 363 | −2.4% | |
| 1990 | 312 | −14.0% | |
| 2000 | 285 | −8.7% | |
| 2010 | 340 | 19.3% | |
| 2020 | 317 | −6.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
| Race | Num. | Perc. |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 294 | 92.74% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 5 | 1.58% |
| Other/Mixed | 13 | 4.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 5 | 1.58% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 317 people, 88 households, and 64 families residing in the town.
Education
The Town of Mize is served by the Smith County School District. Mize Attendance Center (K-12) provides education for the area. The school's mascot is Bully the Bulldog. The school's colors are blue and gold.
Notable people
- Eugene Sims, former professional football player for St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (2010–2016)
- Prentiss Walker, the first Republican to represent Mississippi in the U.S. House of Representatives since Reconstruction
See also
- Sullivans Hollow, a nearby valley