Austin is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Tunica County, Mississippi, United States.[2] Per the 2020 Census, the population was 51.[3]
Once a thriving shipping port on the Mississippi River, Austin served as county seat from 1847 to 1888. Earlier county seats were Commerce and Peyton.[4][5]
History
Austin was founded in 1847 and named for Austin Miller, who donated the land on which the town and a courthouse were built.[5]
Austin was burned in 1863 by Union soldiers of the Mississippi Marine Brigade under the command of Alfred W. Ellet. Two houses were spared.[6]
The town rebuilt and was incorporated in 1871, though it is no longer incorporated.[5]
In 1884, the area was flooded when a nearby levee broke. When waters receded, a large sandbar had been left between the town and the Mississippi River, and steamboats could no longer land. The completion of the Louisville, New Orleans and Texas Railway 3 mi (4.8 km) east of Austin in the late 1880s further contributed to its isolation.
In 1888, the county seat was moved to Tunica, a more accessible location.[5]
The construction of the Hardin Cutoff in 1942, which created Tunica Lake, moved the Mississippi River an additional 7 mi (11 km) west of Austin.[7]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 51 | — | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] 2020[9] | |||
2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020[9] | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 3 | 5.88% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 44 | 86.27% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Some Other Race alone (NH) | 0 | 0.00% |
| Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) | 3 | 5.88% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1 | 1.96% |
| Total | 51 | 100.00% |
Education
Residents are in the Tunica County School District.[10] Rosa Fort High School is the district's comprehensive high school.
Notable person
- Sport McAllister (1874–1962), professional baseball player.[11]
References
- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
- ^ "Austin". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Austin CDP, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
- ^ Ensign, Bridgman & Fanning's Lake and River Guide: Being a Traveler's Companion to the Cities, Towns, and Villages on the Western Waters of the United States. Ensign, Bridgman & Fanning. 1856.
- ^ a b c d "Communities of Tunica County, Mississippi". MSGenWeb. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
- ^ Jones, Terry L. (2002). Historical Dictionary of the Civil War. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810866119.
- ^ Bragg, Marion (1977). "Historic Names and Places on the Lower Mississippi River" (PDF). Mississippi River Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 24, 2013.
- ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
- ^ a b "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Austin CDP, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ "2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Tunica County, MS" (PDF). U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 31, 2022. - Text list
- ^ "Sport McAllister". BaseballReference.com. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
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