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Evolution of Transportation in Mississippi Fostering Growth

Explore the vital role of transportation in shaping settlement and growth in Mississippi from early river travel to the modern interstate highway system. Discover the impact on trade, industry, and urban development.

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Evolution of Transportation in Mississippi Fostering Growth

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  1. CHAPTER 3 Transportation, settlement, & growth

  2. TRANSPORTATION • Has always been linked to: • Settlement • Growth • Determines where people live and businesses develop • The main source of transportation in early MS was rivers

  3. TRANSPORTATION • 3 most important rivers for travel and trade • Mississippi • Yazoo • Big Black

  4. ROADS • Early roads were Indians Trails and Buffalo Paths • Rivers were better than roads for the following reasons • Roads were more difficult and dangerous than boat • Couldn’t carry as much as boat • Roads were more expensive • The first roads were called post roads

  5. ROADS • The Natchez Trace was the most famous road ever created in MS • Connects Natchez to Nashville • Stands (hotels or inns) were built along the Natchez Trace

  6. ROADS • Roads then were not like today • Mainly dirt trail • Widened by cutting trees • Muddy • Couldn’t carry much • No bridges • Used ‘fords’ to cross rivers • Ford - shallow spot of water that can be crossed • Not as efficient as water, but went were water wasn’t located

  7. STEAMBOATS • Created by Robert Fulton • Made upstream transportation possible • Carry as much as several flatboats • It allowed for the interior of MS to be opened for cotton plantations

  8. NEW ORLEANS

  9. RAILROADS • By 1900, Steamboats had mostly been replaced as way to travel & move goods • Civil War increased the need for Railroads • Reasons: ship soldiers and supplies • Advantages to the Railroad • Could be built anywhere • Faster & safer than steamboats • Opened settlement and economic development to areas without rivers • Economic development = more farmland

  10. HIGHWAYS • 1920’s cars, trucks, & buses began appearing in MS • Roads were a problem • Dirt & gravel not good enough • Washed out and couldn’t handle loads • Bridges were unsafe or didn’t exist • No bridges crossed MS River (now 4) • Demands for government to build roads increased

  11. HIGHWAYS • 1930’s – modern highway system began with federal money • Link major MS towns together and big towns in neighboring states • 1940’s bridges built over MS River at Vicksburg, Natchez, & Greenville

  12. HIGHWAYS • 1960’s – 1970’s Federal Interstate Highway System constructed • At least 4 lane divided highway with same system across the country • Even #s go East and West • Odd #s go North and South • 3 digits are bypasses • About 42,800 miles and growing

  13. HIGHWAYS

  14. INTERSTATES • MS’s Interstate’s • 55 runs the length of the state from Memphis to McComb • 20 runs across the state from Atlanta to Texas (crossing Meridian and Vicksburg • 10 runs across the coastal states • 59 runs from Hattiesburg to New Orleans

  15. MS Counties, Towns, & Cities • Till 1940, MS almost all rural • Made living by farming • Lived off land, shopped at country stores, country doctors • Identified with their county • Paid taxes to county, law enforcement – sheriff • County school districts • Only in last 60 years have people moved to towns and cities

  16. COUNTIES • 1st counties – Adams & Jefferson – 1799 • 13 counties in 1817 • Wayne County was 1st county east of Pearl River • Large land areas – small population

  17. COUNTIES • Indian Treaties signed over land • 1820 – Treaty of Doak’s Stand • Choctaws ceded area of west central MS • Organized into Hinds County • Later split into 14 counties • 1830 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek • Choctaws ceded the rest of their land in MS • 1832 Treaty of Pontotoc Creek • Chickasaw Indians cede their land in NE MS • Became 13 counties in MS

  18. INDIAN TREATIES

  19. COUNTIES • New land – government wanted it settled so sold land cheap to draw in new settlers • RR and lumber boom in 1880 brought in more people to Piney Woods • Big counties started splitting up because people lived to far from county seats

  20. TOWNS • Still today more people in MS live in rural area • MS is 4th most rural state in USA • Civil War only 4 towns of size: • Natchez, Vicksburg, Columbus, & Jackson • River cities – steamboats • After Civil War – Vicksburg would be MS largest city for 40 years • Steamboat and railroad center

  21. TOWNS • 1910 railroad made Jackson & Meridian large towns • 1930 Jackson becomes and stays largest town in state • Metropolitan areas • Area with population of more than 100,000 • Several towns and cities grown into each other

  22. TOWNS • MS Metropolitan Areas • Jackson Metro Area • Inside Hinds, Madison, & Rankin Counties • Gulf Coast • Desoto County – South Memphis • Hattiesburg

  23. METROPOLITAN AREAS

  24. 2010 CENSUS • About 2,967,000 people in MS • Most people in state still live in rural area even if they work in cities • Houston • 3,500 • Chickasaw County • 18,000

  25. 2010 CENSUS • Largest Cities • Jackson – 173,000 • Gulfport – 68,000 • Southaven – 49,000 • Hattiesburg – 46,000 • Biloxi – 44,000 • Largest Counties • Hinds – 245,000 • Harrison – 187,000 • Desoto – 161,000 • Rankin – 142,000 • Jackson – 140,000

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