Towns and Places of the Magnolia State Quiz

Answer: Magnolia

Magnolia became an incorporated city in 1859, named in honor of its abundance of magnolia trees years. This evergreen tree became the state tree in 1938 and the state flower in 1952. The Magnolia became the state's symbol, after the legislature was influenced by the vote of school children to make it the state's official state tree. Because of the climate and rich land in the state, the Magnolia tree has become one of the attractions of Mississippi.

Answer: Diamondhead

Diamondhead was named after a volcanic tuff cone, known to the Hawaiians as "Lçʻahi" and is located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. Diamondhead, Mississippi was planned to be a retirement community in the 1970s, and the Hawaiian names were designed to attract tourists and residents. Over time, this small community has grown into a tourist suburb because of its close location to the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulfport city metropolitan area.

Answer: Biloxi

Jefferson Davis' home is a registered national and state landmark in Mississippi, located in the town of Biloxi. The house was restored after damage was done by Hurricane Katrina. However, two cottages, the president's library and reproduction barracks were destroyed by the storm.

It has remained a remarkable piece of United States history and an emblem of Southern life during the Civil War time period.

Answer: Jackson

Jackson is the state capital of Mississippi. Jackson started out by the Pearl River, as a French trading post operated by a French-Canadian trader named Louis LeFleur. The trading area was known as LeFleur's Bluff, but years later the city was renamed in honor of Andrew Jackson. Jackson was a war hero and general who later became the seventh president of the United States. Today, Jackson is home to the beautiful white and cream capitol dome building that hosts the state legislature and the governor's offices.

Inside the dome building is a tribute to Mississippi's heritage. The interior of the dome contains scenes of two Indians, a Spanish explorer, a Confederate general, and 750 lights pointing to a blindfolded lady representing justice. The golden eagle on top of the capitol dome is another symbol and reminder of liberty and freedom.

Answer: Chunky

Chunky was originally a Choctaw village known as "Chanki Chitto", which means "Big Chunky". The name came from a Native American game called "Chunka". Indianola, Biloxi, and Natchez also have Native American names. Indianola was built on the site of a Native American camp of the Choctaw Indians, and according to legend, was named after an Indian princess "Ola". Biloxi was the name of a Native American tribe who also called themselves "Teneks" or "first people". Natchez was the original ceremonial village and name of an American tribe that lived in the area.

Answer: Belzoni

Belzoni is the county seat of Humphreys County. The city was named after the Italian explorer Giovanni Battista Belzoni, an archaeologist and studier of Egyptian antiquities. Belzoni was nicknamed the "Catfish Capital of the World" by Governor Cliff Finch in 1976, who claimed Humphreys County produced more farm raised catfish than any other county in Mississippi.

This town has an annual catfish festival and museum for tourists that come to see the catfish farms in the area.

Answer: Woodall Mountain

Woodall Mountain is located in the southwestern Appalachian Mountains. It was originally known as Yow Hill, but in 1878 it was rechristened and named Woodall Mountain after Zephaniah Woodall. Woodall was a sheriff of Tishomingo County, where the mountain is located. During the Civil War, this mountain was the site of the battle of Inka on September 19, 1862, a Union victory against the Confederates. Because it is a state landmark, and the highest land point in Mississippi, the mountain is a skiing attraction for many of the locals and tourists in the area.

Answer: Pearl River

The Pearl River starts near Philadelphia, Mississippi and flows 485 miles from the origin to its mouth in Louisiana. As the river flows south, it also passes through Jackson, Mississippi, the capital city of the Magnolia State. It ends in Pearl River, Louisiana, flowing into Lake Borgne, a lagoon in the Gulf of Mexico.

The lower end of the river makes up 116 miles of Mississippi's and Louisiana's eastern boundary.

Answer: Flora

Flora is home to the Mississippi Petrified Forest, which has preserved trees that are estimated to be over 36 million years old. The trees were destroyed by a flood and were buried under the mud. Over time the mud and glaciers preserved these fine logs into stone.

Many of these preserved trees are estimated to have been 1000 years old and over 100 ft tall when they were living. This is the only petrified forest east of the Mississippi River in the United States.

Answer: Tupelo

Tupelo is nicknamed the "All American City" and is known to many as the birthplace of Elvis Presley. At the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum, visitors can view the cottage, replicas of furniture, and many items from Elvis' childhood. Close to the site is the church where Elvis Presley started his singing career. Elvis Presley's birthplace draws over 100,000 visitors each year, and is the main attraction in Tupelo's tourism industry.