The Southwest corner of Mississippi is one of the fastest growing areas in the state. This region contains many bustling communities, such as McComb, Brookhaven, Wesson, Magnolia and Summit. These towns are located 40 to 60 miles south of Jackson in the midst of rolling pines, clean rivers and streams, urban sprawl, yet a small town charm. For those of you who are wanting to get out of the city for a weekend, Brookhaven, McComb and Southwest Mississippi are definitely worth discovering.
Southwest Mississippi boasts fine community colleges, some of the best medical facilities, great restaurants from gourmet to down home plus cultural, historical and civic events abound year round. The two biggest cities in the area are Brookhaven and McComb with Summit nestled in between.
Brookhaven is a small city filled with impressive architecture and beautiful landscape. It¹s history traces back to 1818, when Samuel Jayne opened up a post office and a store along the Bogue Chitto River in an area of land known as “Old Brook”. The settlement expanded forty years later when the railroad from New Orleans to Jackson began running through Brookhaven. Milton Whitworth built a sawmill in Brookhaven and began shipping lumber through the rail line, and his success brought Brookhaven its first church and college, now known as Whitworth college. Brookhaven has many historic structures, such as the Edgewood Bed and Breakfast, which is a Greek Revival mansion furnished with antiques and marble statues. Four Cedars Country Inn is another Bed and Breakfast with historic charm. The town’s center offers the excursionist many choices for dining and shopping, and one only has to stroll through some of the neighborhoods around downtown Brookhaven to appreciate the landscape of the homes, which are filled with Camellia bushes and Japanese maples. For those looking to experience some outdoor fun, Lake Dockery and Lake Mary Crawford offer many activities, such as canoeing, fishing, camping, tubing, and picnicking, just to name a few. Brookhaven is a charming city with a variety of different things to offer citizens and visitors alike.
McCombCity’s history is also rooted in the development of the railroad. In 1872, three small communities in McCombCity, Elizabeth town, Burglund and Harveytown, agreed to consolidate and incorporate. Thus, the Jackson and Northern Railroad extended its line 105 miles north of New Orleans. The new railroad terminal became the center of the new municipality, McComb, named after one of the railroad officials, Henry Simpson McComb. The shops and restaurants developed in accordance around the old depot. Throughout the years, McComb has experienced a flourish of big industry from a sawmill to a steel car shop to an ice plant.
While McComb’s downtown area today offers quaint shops and old South dining, outside the city, one can experience outdoor activities such as fishing, hunting, tennis, and golf at area state parks and clubs. Known as the “CamelliaCity of America”, McComb boasts of having the largest variety of camellias in the country. The people in McComb have a slogan: “It’s a privilege to live in McComb”. Three years in a row, McComb was selected as “The Hospitality City” of “The Hospitality State”. One visit to McComb and it’s easy to see why. And it’s easy to see why all of Southwest Mississippi welcomes you.