Since the city was first incorporated, Tupelo's population has increased 55 fold - from 618 in 1870 to about 34,000 in 1996. And Tupelo does appear to be a booming economic success story today.
Tupelo's economic rise started when the railroads came to town and cotton became king in the surrounding countryside. Then in 1927 a Carnation dairy was built in Tupelo. The attraction of a national company as respected as the milk giant Carnation was an economic milestone for the city of Tupelo.
But in 1936, 48 square blocks of the city was destroyed by tornado: 200 people killed and the city got to start over in life.
For a good history of economic development in Tupelo, take a look at Tupelo's cycles of growth, an archived article from the Tupelo Daily Journal.
Tupelo did rebuild.
In the past 30 years, Tupelo has become one of Mississippi's biggest economic draws.
- During 1967-68, Tupelo and Lee County created more manufacturing jobs than the rest of Mississippi combined.
- Between 1960 and 1970, sales tax collection increased 20 times, from under 1/4 of a million dollars to about $5 million in 1970. Tupelo had become a retail center.
- In the 1980's the furniture industry came to Tupelo and the city has become a region center for furniture manufacturing.
The list goes on...
The Tupelo Visitors and Convention Center now describes the city as "...a vibrant, booming city cradled by the hills of Northeast Mississippi..." and says that Tupelo "...charms visitors the world over with a unique mix of museums, historical sites, shopping centers and entertainment facilities."
Besides its economic success, Tupelo is known for its southern appeal. It's an attractive city. And if you're looking for a place to stay in Tupelo, Mockingbird Inn may be your place.
One of Tupelo's leading claims to fame, however, was summed up by a friend of mine at church. I knew he was from Mississippi, but I didn't know where in the state. So I asked him if he'd ever been to Tupelo...
"Oh yeah," he replied. "That's where I'm from."
And the he added, "...birth place of Elvis Presley."
A few other local links:
- Hancock Fabrics, headquartered in Tupelo
- Heirlooms Forever
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