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DidYouKnowFact
  
  
​The name “Mississippi” comes from the Ojibwa (Chippewa) Indian word meaning “great river or gathering of waters”.​​
YesState-wide
The Teddy Bear was created as a direct result of President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt’s refusal to shoot a captured bear in 1902, while on a hunting expedition in Sharkey County, Mississippi.
NoGreenville
​The state butterfly is the Spicebush Swallowtail.​
YesState-wide
Mississippi became the 20th state on December 10th, 1817.​​
YesState-wide
Milk is the state beverage.​
NoState-wide
​Although cotton is the most important crop in MS, corn, peanuts, pecans, rice, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, soybeans, food grains, poultry, eggs, meat animals, dairy products, feed crops and horticultural crops are all important to the state’s economy.​​
NoState-wide
​The Mississippi State shell is the Oyster.​​
NoState-wide
​The wood duck is the state waterfowl.​​
NoState-wide
Jackson, MS has only been the capital of Mississippi since 1822. ​
YesJackson
The highest point in the state is Woodall Mountain, 246 meters (806 ft)
YesCorinth
Alcorn State University is the nations oldest African American land-grant college.​
YesCorinth
After the Civil War, famed hat-maker John B. Stetson learned and practiced his trade at Dunn’s Falls near Meridian.​
YesMeridian
Lumberton, Mississippi is the home to the world’s largest pecan nursery.​
YesHattiesburg
Belzoni, Mississippi is called the “Catfish Capital of the World.”​
YesGreenville
Greenwood, Mississippi is commonly called the “Cotton Capital of the World.”​
YesGreenville
Root Beer was invented in Biloxi, Mississippi, in 1898 by Edward Adolf Barq, Sr.​
YesBiloxi
The Space Shuttle’s main engines were test-fired at the Stennis Space Center in Hancock County.​
YesGulfport
The University of Mississippi Medical Center in 1963 performed the world’s first human lung transplant and, on January 23, 1964, Dr. James D. Hardy performed the world’s first heart transplant surgery.​
NoJackson
MCW in Columbus, Mississippi (est 1884) was the first state college for women in the U.S.​
YesStarkville
The oldest Holiday Inn is in Clarksdale, MS.​
YesClarksdale
Football Hall of Famer Walter Peyton was from Columbia, Mississippi. He was also the first football player on the Wheaties box.​
YesHattiesburg
In 1894, Coca-Cola was first bottled by Joseph A. Biedenharn in Vicksburg, MS.​
YesVicksburg
The Mississippi Gulf Coast has the world’s longest man-made beach.​
YesGulfport
National Geographic Magazine is printed in Corinth, MS.​
YesCorinth
Jackson, MS is one of only 4 cities of the world sanctioned by The International Theater/Dance Committee to host the International Ballet Competition: Moscow, Russia; Varna, Bulgaria; Helsinki, Finland are the other 3.​
NoJackson
Borden’s Condensed Milk was first canned in Liberty, MS.​
Yes
The first bottle of Dr. Tichener’s Antiseptic was produced in Liberty, MS.​
Yes
Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, on January 8, 1935.​
YesTupelo
Viking Range Corp. was founded and still operates in Greenwood, MS.​
YesGreenville
The international Checkers Hall of Fame is in Petal.​
YesHattiesburg