Mathiston, MS

Mathiston stretches across Webster and Choctaw counties along the old Natchez Trace. The settlement grew beside the Georgia Pacific Railway after the line arrived in 1889, about a mile from a trading post associated with Choctaw Chief David Folsom. William Gideon “Bill” Mathis donated land for a depot, school, and churches, then gathered neighbors for a meal, prayer service, and sale of lots on May 25, 1889. The railroad named the new town Mathiston in his honor, and Mississippi recognized it as a municipality the next year.

A second rail connection arrived in 1905, reinforcing the town’s role as a meeting point for surrounding farms. Mathiston’s educational history includes Bennett Academy, its later move into town, and Wood Junior College. Today the Webster County side is home to East Webster Elementary and East Webster High School, while Choctaw County serves the southern portion. Local businesses, churches, utilities, and the town board keep daily life centered on the same compact crossroads that began beside the depot.