Town History
The Town of Tishomingo was actually begun by the Tishomingo Township Company, which purchased the land, drew the town map and began to advertise and sell lots. The City was chartered July 6, 1908 by an official act of Mississippi Governor E.F. Noel.
The town was named for the Chickasaw Indian Chief Tishomingo. He was an important Chief whose image is today prominent on the flag of the Chickasaw Nation. George Washington commissioned him during the American Revolution and he served his country until his death on the march to Oklahoma. There is a Tishomingo, Oklahoma, also named for the chief.
Tishomingo was also the camping ground of General Andrew Jackson on his way to fight the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. He stayed 2 weeks to rest his troops and drink the water from what was called “Good Springs” and what would afterwards be called Jackson Springs. The spring still today supplies most of the water for the town.
The railroad was built in 1906 and the first train passed through in 1907. This was a special occasion and the tracks were lined with people to see this first train. The first Post Office was built in 1906. The mail came in each day on the train. The first school was built in 1908 in the area of today’s field house. The well used by the school remains. In March on 1913, a tornado destroyed most of the 6 store buildings in the town and heavily damaged those that remained standing. The school was picked up and turned over, but no children were seriously hurt.
The town was named for the Chickasaw Indian Chief Tishomingo. He was an important Chief whose image is today prominent on the flag of the Chickasaw Nation. George Washington commissioned him during the American Revolution and he served his country until his death on the march to Oklahoma. There is a Tishomingo, Oklahoma, also named for the chief.
Tishomingo was also the camping ground of General Andrew Jackson on his way to fight the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. He stayed 2 weeks to rest his troops and drink the water from what was called “Good Springs” and what would afterwards be called Jackson Springs. The spring still today supplies most of the water for the town.
The railroad was built in 1906 and the first train passed through in 1907. This was a special occasion and the tracks were lined with people to see this first train. The first Post Office was built in 1906. The mail came in each day on the train. The first school was built in 1908 in the area of today’s field house. The well used by the school remains. In March on 1913, a tornado destroyed most of the 6 store buildings in the town and heavily damaged those that remained standing. The school was picked up and turned over, but no children were seriously hurt.
In July 1916, the Town Board issued bonds to build a public school building. This became Tishomingo Agricultural High School. It was a boarding school and students came from great distances to attend classes here. The present classroom buildings were constructed in 1946 and 1959.
In 1915 Tishomingo had a cotton gin. Street lights were installed in 1927. The Tishomingo Bank opened in 1945. In 1953 Blue Bell Manufacturing opened a factory that employed several hundred people. (This was the original “Wrangler” jeans company before several name changes.) In 1960 Mid South Telephone went into operation and in 1964 a sewage lagoon was built and sewer lines installed.
The first church in Tishomingo was built about 1909, Old Neblets Chapel. The building was torn down and the material used to build the present Methodist Parsonage. The land for the present Methodist Church was sold to the church on November 12, 1915 by the Tishomingo Townsite Company for $50.00.
The old Tishomingo Baptist Church was destroyed in 1913 by the tornado. It was rebuilt in 1916 and remained until the present church was built in 1966.
The Tishomingo Church of Christ held its first meetings in a bush arbor on what is now the high school campus. Soon after the tornado of 1913 the first building was constructed.
In 1970 Bro. W.H. Burcham started having services in a store building and about one year later built the Gospel Lighthouse Pentecostal Church.
Many houses dating to the early days of the town remain today:
Many of these homes are named here as they are currently known although in a few cases, others originally built the house.
In 1916 a songwriter, Spencer Williams, passing through and spending some time in Tishomingo wrote “Tishomingo Blues”. The song became well known and is heard today as the opening theme music to Garrison Kellior’s “Prairie Home Companion.” In spite of the name, it is not a traditional blues song, but instead is a jazz number. “Tishomingo Blues” was also the name of a novel by Elmore Leonard although the story is not set in Tishomingo. Mr. Leonard did have a picture of himself at the city limits sign just outside of town posted on his web site.