Forrest County, Mississippi

Forrest County Education, Geography, and History

Forrest County is a county located in the state of Mississippi. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 74,934. Its county seat and largest city is Hattiesburg. The county was created from Perry County in 1908 and named in honor of Nathan B. Forrest, a Confederate general in the American Civil War and a member of the original Ku Klux Klan. Forrest County is part of the Hattiesburg, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Forrest County Name

Forrest is named for Nathan B. Forrest, Confederate general. Nathan Bedford Forrest (July 13, 1821 - October 29, 1877) was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. He is remembered both as a self made and innovative cavalry leader during the war and as a figure in the postwar establishment of the first Ku Klux Klan organization opposing the reconstruction era in the South.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Forrest County History

An act of the state legislature approved on April 19, 1906 called for the creation of a new county to be called Forrest County, named for the distinguished Confederate Cavalry leader, General Nathan Bedford Forrest. It was further provided that a special election should be held within the limits of the proposed county on the first Tuesday of May, 1907 to submit the question to the qualified electors. In response to the favorable vote cast that day the Governor issued a proclamation calling for the organization of Forrest County on the first Monday of January, 1908. Its organization and establishment therefore dates from January 6, 1908. Its area was made to embrace the Second Judicial District of what was then the County of Perry.

When Perry County was divided into two judicial districts HATTIESBURG was made the seat of justice of the Second District, and renamed thus after Forrest was created out of the Second District. The County seat is Hattiesburg, in honor of Captain W. H. Hardy's wife, Hattie Hardy.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 470 square miles (1,218 km²), of which, 467 square miles (1,208 km²) of it is land and 4 square miles (9 km²) of it (0.76%) is water.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Jones County (northeast)
• Perry County (east)
• Stone County (south)
• Pearl River County (southwest)
• Lamar County (west)
• Covington County (northwest)

Education

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