Kemper County Mississippi
Wahalak47
The old town of Wahalak was situated on Wahalak creek, a branch
of the Noxubee River, eight miles south of the station of the
same name on the Mobile and Ohio railroad. It was laid off by
Victor Welsh in 1837. The name of the first mercantile firm that
did business at this place was Loomis Brothers. The town soon
had three churches and two flourishing schools, one for girls
and one for boys. It had two physicians for a number of years.
There were at this place at one time several business
enterprises, among which was a bank with a very remarkable
business record for the times." Unlike most of the early towns
of Mississippi, Wahalak had no grog shops during its entire
history.
When this place began to wane as an educational center, its
business enterprises also declined. The building of the Mobile
and Ohio railroad, which went only a few miles to the west of
Wahalak, completed its destruction.
Extinct Towns|
AHGP Mississippi
Footnotes:
47. The writer will give
only a brief outline of the history of Wahalak, as a very
interesting and complete sketch of this place appears in this
volume of the Publications under the title, "Recollections
of Pioneer Life in Mississippi," by Miss Mary J. Welsh of
Shuqualak, Mississippi.
Source: The Mississippi Historical
Commission Publications, Volume V, Edited by Franklin L. Riley,
Secretary, 1902.
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