Quitman County is about 400 square miles of rich alluvial agricultural resources lying within the Mississippi and Yazoo delta region in the northwestern portion of the State. Three rivers run through the county: the Coldwater, the Big Tallahatchie and the Little Tallahatchie. Mississippi State highways 6 and 3 intersect the center of the county in Marks, the county seat. The main line of the Illinois Central Gulf railroad runs the length of the county.
Geography
Quitman County is located within the boundaries of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage area. Heritage areas are defined by the National Park Service as being places “where natural, cultural, historic and scenic resources combine to form cohesive, nationally distinctive landscape arising from patterns of human activity shaped by geography.”
The Delta is a major source of American popular culture and a major player in the nation’s history. The Blues and Gospel were born in the Delta, but spread along with our migrating population to Chicago, New York, Detroit, Los Angeles, and over the airways to London and Tokyo. Jazz, Soul, Bluegrass, Rock ‘n Roll, Rap, and Hip Hop all incorporated the sounds of the Delta.
The great flood of 1927 changed American politics and attitudes about the proper role of government. More recently, the region was a scene of the struggles and triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement.
The Delta is also a land of scenic beauty. The Mississippi River is one of the greatest geological forces in the world. It demarcates the most important migratory flyway in North America.