Wahalak, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Wahalak is a small unincorporated community
in Kemper County
, Mississippi
, United States
. It is best known as the temporary hideout of fugitive Kenny Wagner
, who was on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
list in the 1950s.
Initially located beside Wahalak Creek (several miles east of its current location), the entire town moved when U.S. railroad lines expanded through Kemper County. A train depot and post office were established, and passenger trains including the Doodlebug and the Rebel made it possible to travel directly from Wahalak to places as far away as Memphis, Tennessee
and Mobile, Alabama
.
The population has declined after the discontinuation of passenger train service in the 1950s. The last Postmistress was Allene Bruton, who also ran a small general store. Today Wahalak has two churches and one restaurant.
Wahalak is remote even by Kemper County standards, being in the near-geographic center of Meridian
and Columbus
. The nearest theatres or shopping malls are more than 45 miles away. The nearest soda machine from Wahalak, located in the comparatively metropolitan area of Scooba
, is 7 miles away.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Kemper County
Kemper County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,453 people, 3,909 households, and 2,787 families residing in the county. The population density was 14 people per square mile . There were 4,533 housing units at an average density of 6 per square mile...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is best known as the temporary hideout of fugitive Kenny Wagner
Kenny Wagner
William Kenneth Wagner more commonly known as Kenny Wagner was a bootlegger in the U.S. state of Mississippi, who murdered several people, including two sheriff's deputies...
, who was on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
The FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list arose from a conversation held in late 1949 between J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, and William Kinsey Hutchinson, International News Service Editor-in-Chief, who were discussing ways to promote capture of the...
list in the 1950s.
Initially located beside Wahalak Creek (several miles east of its current location), the entire town moved when U.S. railroad lines expanded through Kemper County. A train depot and post office were established, and passenger trains including the Doodlebug and the Rebel made it possible to travel directly from Wahalak to places as far away as Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
and Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
.
The population has declined after the discontinuation of passenger train service in the 1950s. The last Postmistress was Allene Bruton, who also ran a small general store. Today Wahalak has two churches and one restaurant.
Wahalak is remote even by Kemper County standards, being in the near-geographic center of Meridian
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
and Columbus
Columbus, Mississippi
Columbus is a city in Lowndes County, Mississippi, United States that lies above the Tombigbee River. It is approximately northeast of Jackson, north of Meridian, south of Tupelo, northwest of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and west of Birmingham, Alabama. The population was 25,944 at the 2000 census...
. The nearest theatres or shopping malls are more than 45 miles away. The nearest soda machine from Wahalak, located in the comparatively metropolitan area of Scooba
Scooba, Mississippi
Scooba is a town in Kemper County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 632 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Scooba is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all land....
, is 7 miles away.
External links
- History of Wahalak from RootsWeb