Newton
Mississippi
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City Of Newton
Contrary to common belief the City of Newton, incorporated in 1860, was named for Newton Doolittle, whose father, Roger Doolittle, gave part of the land for the site, and not for Sir Issac Newton, the English philosopher-mathematician. Newton Doolittle's portrait hangs in the City Hall, presented by his descendants at the Centennial celebration in 1961. Newton County was admitted into the State in February, 1836. Settlers closely followed the Dancing Rabbit Creek Treaty and the Choctaw Land Purchase of 1830. Within 25 years there were several small towns and a railroad, the Southern--now Kansas City Southern.
Newton was one of the later towns in the county to be settled, with trading settlement first at Garlandsville on the stage coach route, then moving to Newton. The first train of cars on the Southern line arrived at Newton in September, 1860. In 1895 Newton had 12 businesses, a Post Office, three churches, three livery stables, a newspaper (Baptist Record), a barber shop, and two hotels that were used by "drummers" who did business here. There was a good two-story school building, costing $3,000, described as a "male and female college," where the Post Office is now. The Newton County Bank was organized in 1912, survived the 1929 panic and the depression of the 1930's, and continues to thrive today. The First National Bank, now Union Planters Bank, opened in 1953.
Post Office records show that in 1913 there were five rural routes and receipts allowing advancement from fourth to third class operation. Today the Post Office is first class with ever-increasing receipts. In 1928 Newton Public Library was established as a project of a woman's club now disbanded. Also that year Kraft Cheese Co. and Ford's Ice Cream Co. were established. "Foreign" industry came in 1947 with The Newton Company (slacks), in 1960 with La-Z-Boy South, Inc. (recliner chairs), and in 1970 with Esco (steel fabrications). Today, Newton is a thriving city strategically located at the intersection of I-20 and Hwy 15. Newton has blended a colorful past with a dynamic present to establish a promising framework for the future.
Newton was one of the later towns in the county to be settled, with trading settlement first at Garlandsville on the stage coach route, then moving to Newton. The first train of cars on the Southern line arrived at Newton in September, 1860. In 1895 Newton had 12 businesses, a Post Office, three churches, three livery stables, a newspaper (Baptist Record), a barber shop, and two hotels that were used by "drummers" who did business here. There was a good two-story school building, costing $3,000, described as a "male and female college," where the Post Office is now. The Newton County Bank was organized in 1912, survived the 1929 panic and the depression of the 1930's, and continues to thrive today. The First National Bank, now Union Planters Bank, opened in 1953.
Post Office records show that in 1913 there were five rural routes and receipts allowing advancement from fourth to third class operation. Today the Post Office is first class with ever-increasing receipts. In 1928 Newton Public Library was established as a project of a woman's club now disbanded. Also that year Kraft Cheese Co. and Ford's Ice Cream Co. were established. "Foreign" industry came in 1947 with The Newton Company (slacks), in 1960 with La-Z-Boy South, Inc. (recliner chairs), and in 1970 with Esco (steel fabrications). Today, Newton is a thriving city strategically located at the intersection of I-20 and Hwy 15. Newton has blended a colorful past with a dynamic present to establish a promising framework for the future.