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Jacinto, Mississippi
"For all sad words of tongue and pen, The saddest are these, 'It might have been..."
 
- John Greenleaf Whittier

Jacinto (Pronounced locally as Jay-center), founded in 1836 and originally called Cincinnati (but changed so as not to confuse it with another young town by name of Cincinnati, Ohio), was named for the Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas Revolution. Jacinto currently sits in the middle of the geographical triangle of Corinth, Booneville, and Iuka. Jacinto was located in the geographic center of the original Tishomingo County, Mississippi, a county of nearly one million acres. Within ten years of its founding, Jacinto became a flourishing town with stores, hotels, schools, churches, taverns, newspapers, lawyers, a doctor, a Masonic Hall, a boy's prep school, a carriage maker, an early telegraph line, and coach service that ran four times a day, serving as the center of government and commerce for the county. By 1860, Jacinto's population would expand to 6,681 citizens with a total population in the county of 24,149. Built in 1854, the county courthouse was built for "old" Tishomingo County (which included the present day counties of Alcorn, Prentiss, and Tishomingo counties) replacing the original log cabin courthouse built in 1837. To this day, the courthouse is considered the finest example of 'Early Federal Architecture' this side of Williamsburg, Virginia. Jacinto is located in the geographic center of those three counties, but is today located in Alcorn County. The railroads that came near Jacinto bypassed it in favor of Iuka, Booneville, and Corinth which eventually led the citizens of Jacinto to move away to more 'modern' towns with rail service. The Civil War also ravished Jacinto even more almost to the breaking point with over four major battles and over sixty skirmishes and other engagements taking place within the county. The final nail in the coffin of Jacinto, which came in 1870 during Reconstruction, was the break-up of Tishomingo County into the three present day counties previously mentioned. The other two newly formed counties created their own county seats which lessened the importance and grip of Jacinto on the region. Jacinto also lost it's county seat status to Iuka. Today the only remaining original structure in Jacinto is the courthouse which now serves to remind Jacinto's current population of approximately 25 citizens of what might have been...

(9-2012) Enlarge Jacinto Historic Marker:
 
Originally located 9 miles from the present day remains of Jacinto, Mississippi, this historic marker now sits on the Jacinto Courthouse Square in front of the only remaining building original to the once prosperous town of Jacinto. Jacinto was the county seat of Old Tishomingo County over 150 years ago

Enlarged Views-Select Back Button to Return

(9-2012) Enlarge Jacinto Courthouse (1853):
 
By 1852 Tishomingo County (about 1,000,000 acres in size) increased in population and size that a new courthouse was needed to replace the original 1841 log courthouse originally located on the grounds of the courthouse square. J.J. Blythe built the new courthouse for the agreed upon sum of $6,798.00. Blythe's contract stated that the building have "outer walls to be 18 inches thick and inner walls to be 13 inches thick". The dimensions of the building were to be 40 feet by 56 feet with two stories, topped by an octagonal shaped belfry. The bricks were hand made and the wood hand hewn. The foundation was made of hand cut stone. At it's completion in 1854, $200.00 extra was spent on copper gutters and rain spouts, $25.00 for lightning rods, and $26.72 for a carpet in the courtroom

(9-2012) Enlarge Jacinto Courthouse (Back) & Museum (Front):
 
In restoring the courthouse, original brick from in between the original 13 inch thick walls was used to replace missing brick. The courthouse originally cost about $7,000.00 to build and about $88,000 to restore in 1973. This building was used as a courthouse until 1870. The building was used as a school from 1870 until 1908. From 1908 until 1960 is was used as a Methodist Church. When the congregation played out the remaining Church members sold the building to a wrecking company for $600.00 for brick salvage rights. Concerned local citizens wanted to save the building and it's history and a Doctor in West Point, Mississippi heard about their plight and wrote a check for $2,000 from his personal bank account to purchase the building from the wrecking company, who originally wanted $2,500. That was the beginning of the 'Jacinto Foundation, inc.' who, with the assistance of a HUD grant, restored the courthouse as a museum in 1973 and it has been opened to the public ever since

(9-2012) Enlarge Courthouse Square:
 
Courthouse Square sits in it's original location from a time when Jacinto was a prosperous growing community which consisted of over 50+ blocks of homes and businesses. The location of the Jacinto Jail was right across the street from Courthouse Square to the left of this view

(9-2012) Enlarge Courthouse Square Well:
 
Located directly behind the courthouse, this well served the water needs for the Courthouse

(9-2012) Enlarge Jacinto Jail & Hanging Tree Site (Across From Courthouse Square):
 
This is the original site of the Jacinto Jail and the Hanging Tree. The short walk across the street from the courthouse to the hanging tree was the final walk of many a man. The jail was located near the location of the modern day brick building in this view which was taken from behind the Courthouse Square fence