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1921 Map of Meridian

Name: 1921 Topographic Map of Meridian
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1921
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1921

About this map

Meridian serves as the bustling rail center of Lauderdale County in the early 1920s, defined by the convergence of the Southern Railway, Alabama and Vicksburg RR, and the New Orleans and Northeastern RR. Beyond the city's structured grid, the landscape transitions into a network of rural settlements and family-named landmarks like Magnolia White Place and Jackson Store. Significant institutional sites are prominent, including the East Mississippi Insane Asylum, Meridian College, and the Sanitarium near the County Home.

Reflecting the era's agrarian and timber-based economy, small industrial outposts like Knox Mill and Jones Mill sit along the creeks. The map is densely populated with community cornerstones such as Gully School, Cokers Chapel, and the Old Marion Cemetery. The presence of numerous specialized schools, including the Bonita School and McShann School, highlights the distributed nature of local education before the consolidation of rural districts.