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Bay Springs, Mississippi
Location of Bay Springs, Mississippi
Location of Bay Springs, Mississippi
Bay Springs, Mississippi is located in the United States
Bay Springs, Mississippi
Bay Springs, Mississippi
Location in the United States
Country United States
State Mississippi
County Jasper
Area
 • Total 15.01 sq mi (38.87 km2)
 • Land 14.94 sq mi (38.71 km2)
 • Water 0.06 sq mi (0.16 km2)
Elevation
423 ft (129 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total 1,786
 • Estimate 
(2019)
1,658
 • Density 110.95/sq mi (42.84/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
39422
Area code(s) 601
FIPS code 28-04060
GNIS feature ID 0666590

Bay Springs is a city in and the western county seat of Jasper County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,786 at the 2010 census, down from 2,097 at the 2000 census. State highways 15 and 18 intersect at the city. It is part of the Laurel, Mississippi (in Jones County) micropolitan area.

The area was settled in the 1880s by Joe Blankenship, who built the sawmill for the yellow pine timber industry that comprised the town's industrial base. The city was incorporated about twenty years later after railroads were constructed through it. That access attracted other industry and business, and the city was designated as the second county seat. Its population has declined slightly since 2000.

Geography

Bay Springs is located at 31°58′36″N 89°16′46″W / 31.97667°N 89.27944°W / 31.97667; -89.27944 (31.976761, -89.279574).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 38.4 km² (14.8 mi²), of which 38.3 km² (14.8 mi²) is land and 0.1 km² (0.04 mi²) (0.20%) is water.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop.
1910 836
1920 861 3.0%
1930 927 7.7%
1940 1,228 32.5%
1950 1,302 6.0%
1960 1,544 18.6%
1970 1,801 16.6%
1980 1,884 4.6%
1990 1,729 −8.2%
2000 2,097 21.3%
2010 1,786 −14.8%
2019 (est.) 1,658 −7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 census

Bay Springs racial composition
Race Num. Perc.
White (non-Hispanic) 692 41.44%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) 918 54.97%
Native American 2 0.12%
Asian 3 0.18%
Other/Mixed 31 1.86%
Hispanic or Latino 24 1.44%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 1,670 people, 641 households, and 392 families residing in the city.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Bay Springs has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.


Economics

Bay Springs was the site of one of six Sunbeam plants in Mississippi. When Albert J. Dunlap downsized the company and closed the plant, 300 people lost their jobs. The last workers left the plant at the same time that Dunlap was negotiating a new contract for himself, worth over $46 million. The average annual salary at the Bay Springs plant had been less than $25,000.

More recently, the Hol-Mac Corporation has located light industrial/manufacturing facilities in and around the Bay Springs area. One of the county's largest employers, this developing corporation has partnered with nearby Jones County Junior College with regard to job training and continues to expand employment opportunities in the local community. Hol-Mac operates facilities in the town of Bay Springs and north of town in designated industrial areas between Bay Springs and the town of Louin. As of 2015, it has three main manufacturing facilities in the area, as well as additional office/HR support facilities.

Georgia-Pacific Corporation has long had facilities to handle lumber and timber processing in the Bay Springs area.

The city has a county courthouse, as it is the second county seat in Jasper County. Originally there were limited roads from east to west across the county, and the two seats served local people.

Education

Bay Springs is served by the West Jasper School District.

The city also has a private school, Sylva-Bay Academy.

Notable people

  • Jesse L. Brown, first African-American aviator in the U.S., attended Bay Springs High School in 1940
  • Carolyn Jones-Young, former professional basketball player
  • Haskins Montgomery, member of the Mississippi Senate
  • Cody Prewitt, former National Football League player
  • Johnny Stringer, former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
  • Johnny Thomas, head football coach of Alcorn State University from 1998 to 2007

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Bay Springs para niños

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