New Albany

History

New Albany was founded in 1840 at the site of a grist mill and sawmill on the Tallahatchie River near the intersection of two Chickasaw trade trails. The town developed as a river port and as a regional center for agriculture and commerce. During the Civil War, the United States Cavalry under Benjamin Grierson passed through New Albany on their way to raid Vicksburg, when they encountered Confederate troops attempting to destroy the bridge over the Tallahatchie. The Confederate troops fled and the bridge was preserved. Union County was formed from parts of neighboring Pontotoc, and Tippah Counties in 1870, with New Albany designated as county seat. In the late 1880s, two railroads (the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad and the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad) came to New Albany, about the time its population of 600 were rebuilding after a severe fire. In 2013, a section of railroad was paved to become the Tanglefoot Trail, following the path of a rail that was once operated by author William Faulkner's grandfather. In 1925, L. Q. Ivy, a 17-year-old African American boy, was accused of beating and raping a 21-year old White woman. A crowd of 4,000 gathered in New Albany and despite efforts from the victim's father and US senator Hubert D. Stephens to prevent a lynching, the crowd gained control, torturing and killing Ivy.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (0.35%) is water.

Race & ethnicity

Largest nearby schools

• NEW ALBANY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
  Elementary · New Albany · 1,048 students · 13.1:1 ratio
• MYRTLE ATTENDANCE CENTER
  Other · MYRTLE · 704 students · 13.8:1 ratio
• WEST UNION ATTENDANCE CENTER
  Other · MYRTLE · 659 students · 13.7:1 ratio
• INGOMAR ATTENDANCE CENTER
  Other · NEW ALBANY · 654 students · 13.3:1 ratio
• NEW ALBANY HIGH SCHOOL
  High · New Albany · 584 students · 15.8:1 ratio
• NEW ALBANY MIDDLE SCHOOL
  Middle · New Albany · 482 students · 15.5:1 ratio
• SCHOOL OF CAREER AND TECHNICAL ED
  High · New Albany
• NEW ALBANY/S.TIPPAH/UNION CO. ALT
  Other · New Albany