Rodney, Mississippi – From Prominence to Ghost Town
Nestled in Jefferson County, approximately 32 miles northeast of Natchez, Mississippi, lies the spectral silhouette of what was once the bustling city of Rodney, Mississippi. This forgotten locale, now a ghost town inhabited by only a handful of residents, once held such significance that it was nearly chosen as the state capital. The story of Rodney, Mississippi is a poignant narrative of ambition, prosperity, conflict, and ultimately, decline.
Long before European settlers arrived, the area that would become Rodney, Mississippi served as a vital Mississippi River crossing for numerous Native American tribes. It was also an early ford for travelers journeying along the El Camino Real, the historic Spanish "Royal Road," which facilitated trade and movement throughout the region. Ironically, the present-day townsite finds itself displaced from the river’s edge, standing approximately two miles inland, a testament to the river’s shifting course and the town’s subsequent fate.
The historical tapestry of Rodney, Mississippi is woven with threads of French, British, and Spanish influence. Initially under British control following the French and Indian War, the settlement was first established by the French in January 1763. They christened it Petit Gulf, a name chosen to distinguish it from the larger and more established port of Grand Gulf further down the river.
In 1774, General Phineus Lyman, hailing from New England, spearheaded an expedition with the intent of establishing a settlement along the Big Black River. Captain Matthew Phelps, a member of this exploratory party, offered a vivid description of the land: "Firm rock lies on the east side of the Mississippi River for about a mile. The land near the river is high, broken, and rich, and several plantations have been established." This description paints a picture of a promising landscape ripe for development and agricultural pursuits.
The Spanish assumed control of West Florida, including the Petit Gulf area, from the British in 1781. Their dominion lasted until 1791, when a Spanish land grant transferred ownership of the site to Thomas Calvit, a prominent landowner in the Mississippi Territory. As settlements flourished along the Mississippi River, the importance of Petit Gulf’s port steadily increased. In 1814, the town’s name was officially changed to Rodney, Mississippi, honoring Judge Thomas Rodney, the territorial magistrate who presided over the Aaron Burr hearing, a significant legal event of the time.
One of the earliest and most influential figures to settle in the Rodney, Mississippi area was Dr. Rush Nutt. He was a physician, planter, scientist, and author whose multi-volume diary documented his travels along the Natchez Trace. Nutt, a Virginia native with a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania, embarked on a horseback tour of the "Southwest" in 1805. Drawn to the potential of Petit Gulf, he established a medical practice, acquired a large plantation, and married. He named his plantation Laurel Hill, constructing a grand mansion around 1815.
Laurel Hill was a two-story frame structure designed with simple lines. It featured overhanging eaves that provided shade for the double galleries. Located about a mile southwest of Rodney, Mississippi, the plantation became the center of Dr. Nutt’s agricultural experiments. He focused on developing a superior cotton strain by cross-breeding Mexican cotton with a local variety. His efforts yielded a successful strain, known as Petit Gulf or Nutt cotton, which was easy to harvest and resistant to rot. This variety quickly gained popularity across the South and even overseas, significantly impacting the cotton industry. Nutt also improved the Whitney Cotton Gin and was the first in Mississippi to utilize a steam engine to power the cotton gins, further contributing to the efficiency of cotton production.
Beyond cotton cultivation, Dr. Nutt championed innovative farming practices, encouraging his neighbors to utilize field peas as fertilizer, plow under cotton and corn stalks instead of burning them, and implement contour plowing to prevent hillside erosion. His dedication extended beyond agriculture. He played an active role in the civic affairs of early Mississippi and the town of Rodney, Mississippi, and was one of the three founders of the nearby Oakland College. His son, Haller Nutt, inherited his father’s passion for innovation and would later build the famous, unfinished mansion of Longwood in Natchez, Mississippi. Dr. Nutt passed away in 1837 and is believed to be buried in the overgrown family cemetery near the old Laurel Hill Plantation House. The mansion remained a private residence until it was destroyed by fire in 1982, leaving only the brick foundation and chimney as remnants of its former grandeur.
When Mississippi gained statehood in 1817, Petit Gulf came remarkably close to becoming the state’s first capital, losing out to Washington, near Natchez, by a mere three votes. In 1818, the Mississippi Legislature granted a charter of incorporation to the Presbyterian Church, whose congregation initially met in various locations, including a local barroom.
A sketch of Rodney, Mississippi created in 1828 by French naturalist and painter Charles Lesueur depicted approximately 20 buildings extending from the river to the prominent bluff behind the town. That same year, the Town of Rodney, Mississippi was officially incorporated. By 1830, fueled by the increasing volume of river transportation, Rodney, Mississippi had expanded to a population of around 200, with a larger number of residents in the surrounding area. The town boasted 20 stores, a church, a newspaper, and the state’s first opera house. In the same year, nearby Oakland College was established by Dr. Jeremiah Chamberlain. The Presbyterians also commenced construction of their church in Rodney, Mississippi, which still stands today and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The two-story red brick building was dedicated on January 1, 1832, with the dedication sermon delivered by Reverend Dr. Jerimiah Chamberlain, founder and president of Oakland College (now Alcorn University). Constructed in a Federal architectural style, the church features stepped parapets on the gable ends. Legend has it that the church bell was partially cast using 1,000 silver dollars donated by church members. The city soon gained renown for its county fairs, jockey club, lecture hall, theatre groups, and quality schools. Traveling actors and musicians on passing steamboats frequently entertained the residents of Rodney, Mississippi at the Masonic Hall.
Rodney, Mississippi‘s first newspaper, The Southern Telegraph, was established in 1834. The four-page weekly was published every Tuesday. Over time, the newspaper changed editors and names, becoming the Rodney Standard and the Rodney Telegraph. One editor, Thomas Palmer, was a vocal opponent of duels and whiskey, often expressing his views in editorials. Another editor, Thomas Brown, was a staunch Whig who vigorously promoted the Whig political position. Despite the changes in ownership and editors, the newspaper maintained the same headline motto: "He that will not reason is a bigot; he that cannot is a fool; and he that dares not is a slave."
In the late 1830s, General Zachary Taylor, during a visit to Rodney, Mississippi, was captivated by the town’s charm, the richness of its land, and the potential for profit from a cotton plantation. He decided to purchase land in the area. In late 1841, he sold his properties in Louisiana and other parts of Mississippi, and in early 1842, he acquired the 1,923-acre Cypress Grove Plantation, located a few miles south of Rodney, Mississippi, renaming it the Buena Vista Plantation. The plantation, along with its 81 slaves, cost Taylor $60,000 in cash, largely funded by the proceeds from his cotton crops, and $35,000 in notes. Despite the land being situated in one of the wealthiest cotton-producing regions in the South, it took several years to achieve profitability due to the mortgage debt. A visitor described the plantation house as an unpretentious wooden building with an extensive library and a colonnaded veranda. During this period, Taylor’s daughter, Sarah, eloped with Lieutenant Jefferson Davis, much to her father’s disapproval.
Due to his military obligations, Taylor seldom resided at the plantation, which was managed by an overseer. In 1846, he departed to fight in the Mexican-American War, returning as a hero. He then retired to Buena Vista but was soon nominated for President. After winning the election, he left for the last time in January 1849, never to return. He fell ill and died in office on July 9, 1850. Subsequently, the Buena Vista Plantation, appraised at $20,000, and its 131 slaves, valued at $56,650, were sold. The plantation house and outbuildings were destroyed in the Great Flood of 1927.
In 1843, Rodney, Mississippi endured a severe epidemic of yellow fever, so devastating that it was reported in national newspapers. The Philadelphia Inquirer and National Gazette reported on October 26, 1843:
"The Fever at Rodney, Mississippi – The last New Orleans papers say that at Rodney, Mississippi, the yellow fever continued to rage in its most fatal form. All the physicians, without exception, have been taken down with the disease. The death of Dr. J. H. Savage is reported, and Dr. Hulser, Dr. Pickett, Dr. Williams, Dr. Todd, and Dr. Andrews were all down sick."
More locally, The Mississippi Free Trader and Natchez Gazette reported on October 7, 1843:
"Rodney, Mississippi – This village, about 40 miles above Natchez, has been visited by the yellow fever. Several deaths and a still greater number of well-marked cases have occurred – in consequence of which, we are informed by a Natchez physician and another Natchez gentleman who visited Rodney, Mississippi two days ago the village is almost depopulated. Even the only Apothecary’s shop in the place is closed, as are all the stores. Of course, there will be no need of quarantining against a village having no business and no inhabitants."
Four years later, in 1847, the town was once again struck by yellow fever, but this time, the outbreak was shorter and less destructive.
By the 1850s, Rodney, Mississippi had become the busiest port on the Mississippi River between New Orleans, Louisiana, and St. Louis, Missouri. Many of the major steamboats of the era made Rodney, Mississippi a primary port of call. By this time, the town’s population had grown to nearly 1,000 residents, with 35 stores, two banks, two newspapers, a large hotel complete with a ballroom, and several churches and schools. The following decade saw even more rapid growth, with the population quadrupling to 4,000 residents by 1860. Commerce and Magnolia Streets, the town’s main business thoroughfares, were lined with businesses, including banks, wagon makers, tinsmiths, barbers, doctors, dentists, general mercantile stores, hotels, saloons, and pastry shops. Mississippi Lodge #56 of the Free and Accepted Masons was located in Rodney, Mississippi from the 1850s until the 1920s.
The second church built in Rodney, Mississippi was the Mt. Zion No. 1 Baptist Church in 1850. Also known as the First Baptist Church, it is a one-and-a-half-story gable-front frame structure built in a transitional Greek-Gothic Revival architectural style. It features a pointed-arch entrance door with archivolt trim and is topped by a polygonal belfry with a domed cap. Prior to 2011, it had been restored and was in very good condition, with its interior paneling, pews, and preacher’s podium intact, along with a basket for visitor contributions. However, the April and May flooding of the Mississippi River severely impacted the building and many others in the small town. Today, its front doors stand open, revealing fallen paneling, scattered pews, and debris throughout this once-important community building.
Like many other Southern towns, particularly those along the Mississippi River, Rodney, Mississippi experienced its share of Civil War activity. In June 1863, 40 Union cavalry troops disembarked in Rodney, Mississippi to launch a surprise raid eastward on the Confederate-controlled Mobile and Ohio Railroad. The Confederates prevailed in the engagement, capturing the Union troops who sought to seize the railroad.
After the fall of Vicksburg on July 4, 1863, the Confederacy was divided in two. For the next two years, Union warships patrolled the Mississippi River to halt all Confederate river traffic. The "tinclad" gunboat USS Rattler was stationed at Rodney, Mississippi. Despite strict orders from Navy Admiral David Porter that no one was to leave the ship, the crew was restless. When the Reverend Baker, a northern sympathizer who was scheduled to preach at the Presbyterian Church, invited Captain Walter Fentress and his men to attend services on September 13, 1863, his invitation was accepted. That Sunday morning, the captain, a lieutenant, and approximately 18 soldiers arrived at the church, dressed in their best uniforms, and quietly took their seats in the congregation. Only Second Assistant Engineer A. M. Smith was armed, carrying a concealed revolver. The sailors’ desire for respite from the ship’s monotony would prove to be a grave mistake. Just as the second hymn began, a Confederate Calvary commander, Lieutenant Allen, approached the Reverend Baker, apologized for the interruption, and announced to the congregation that the church was surrounded by rebels and demanded the surrender of the Union sailors. When Engineer A.M. Smith drew his pistol and fired a shot through Lieutenant Allen’s hat, chaos erupted as the congregation dove beneath the pews. At the sound of the shot, the Confederate Cavalry surrounding the building fired through the windows, striking the ceiling or opposite wall. Confederate Lieutenant Allen then fired his revolver once into the ceiling, shouting for all to cease fire. In the end, 17 Federal troops were captured by the Confederates, including the lieutenant and captain.
When news of the prisoners reached the Rattler, the gunboat bombarded the town and the church, which, at that time, was only about 300 yards from the Mississippi River. However, when the Confederate commander, Lieutenant Allen, sent word that if the shelling did not cease, all prisoners would be hanged, the Union stopped the shelling, but not before the church and four homes were hit. One of the cannonballs became embedded in the front of the church. By 1:30 p.m., the initial excitement had subsided, and Rattler again lay at anchor but now in deep water. Afterward, the Rattler’s crew became a laughingstock across the nation, as it was the first time in history that a small squad of cavalry had captured the crew of an ironclad gunboat. Following this attack, the citizens of Rodney, Mississippi formed Company D. 22nd Mississippi infantry to fight against the Union army, and the Union-sympathizing Reverend Baker soon left the area. Some months later, Captain Fentress and his men were exchanged for captured Rebel soldiers and resumed their Navy service at other posts.
In September 1864, Union troops were dispatched from Vicksburg to destroy a reported Confederate troop concentration at Rodney, Mississippi. Upon landing, the Union infantry regiment plundered almost every house in town. Later that same year, the USS Rattler was struck by a severe gale near Grand Gulf, Mississippi, on December 30, driving her ashore and causing her to strike a snag and sink. While her crew survived, the gunboat was a total loss. After being abandoned by the U.S. Navy, she was burned by the Confederates.
Though Rodney, Mississippi and the surrounding area had been spared any major battles, the Civil War left its indelible mark, as the land was stripped of food, livestock, and slaves by Union troops. Reconstruction further depleted the prosperity of Rodney, Mississippi, as well as much of the South. The Civil War marked the beginning of the end for this once-thriving port city.
Some, however, retained hope for the future, and in 1868, the Catholics built the Sacred Heart Church, an outstanding example of Carpenter Gothic architecture, with its board and batten siding, heavy label moldings, and wooden pinnacles. The church no longer stands in Rodney, Mississippi today, as it was moved to Grand Gulf Military Park in 1884.
Just a year after the Catholic church was built in Rodney, Mississippi, the town was almost completely destroyed by a fire, but the Sacred Heart Church was spared. An officer aboard the steamer Richmond, who witnessed the fire, described the blaze:
"Wednesday night, shortly after we left Vicksburg, a bright light was observed in the southern horizon. All manner of speculation was rife on board concerning the cause, and as the light grew nearer and nearer, the interest grew in proportion. At last, after several hours of eager watching, we bore in sight of the beautiful Town of Rodney, Mississippi, and lo, we beheld it the object of the wrath of the fire king. The whole village was wrapped in a mantle of flames and as at two o’clock in the morning our boat glided swiftly down along the other shore, the scene was grand beyond description, lit up as it was by the lurid lights from burning buildings, mingled with the moon’s pale beams."
However, a greater "disaster" was yet to come for Rodney, Mississippi. A large sand bar formed in the nearby Mississippi River, causing the waterway to alter its course around 1870. With the river now two miles west of Rodney, Mississippi, the town obviously lost its port. With many of its buildings destroyed by the fire of 1869 and its river commerce gone, many people left the area. Rodney, Mississippi‘s population further declined when it was bypassed by the Natchez, Jackson & Columbus Railroad that reached nearby Fayette, Mississippi. With its citizens impoverished, it was too late for Rodney, Mississippi.
In 1923, the last full-time pastor of the Presbyterian Church resigned, leaving behind a congregation of just 16 people, although church services probably continued intermittently for several years. In 1966, the church was conveyed to the United Daughters of the Confederacy. Two years later, Mississippi appropriated funds for its restoration. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. It continues to stand in Rodney, Mississippi today, surrounded by many historic signs. The church’s front facade features a cannonball above the upper middle window. While this is not the original cannonball that struck the building in 1863, it is an authentic ball from the period, placed during restoration at the spot where the church was initially hit. Today, the exterior of one of the state’s oldest churches is deteriorating again due to flooding and a lack of funding.
Although several people still resided in Rodney, Mississippi in 1930, its life as an "official" town ended permanently with an executive proclamation by Governor Theodore Bilbo.
By 1933, the population of Rodney, Mississippi had dwindled to less than 100; by 1957, only seven congregation members remained at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. In February 1969, the Catholic Diocese of Natchez-Jackson transferred the property to the Rodney Foundation, Inc. However, by 1982, the foundation concluded that it could not restore and maintain the building and donated it to the state of Mississippi. A year later, the church was moved to the Grand Gulf Military Park, where it stands today. The central tower no longer retains its original pinnacles and wooden crenellation but was completely restored. The interior features simple plaster walls and a wooden ceiling and floor. It is open today for visitors of the park and continues to serve as a non-denominational chapel for religious and other groups approved by the park. In 1894, the church was the setting for the christening of the future Most Reverend Bishop Charles P. Greco, Bishop of the Diocese of Alexandria (Louisiana). Bishop Greco was the first Mississippian to become a Roman Catholic Bishop.
The last church to be actively used was the 1850 Baptist Church. Though still standing, its interior was virtually destroyed by the floods in 2011. The small town of Rodney, Mississippi still supports just a handful of citizens and several of its original buildings. The Rodney Center Historic District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Some homes have been maintained or restored and continue to be utilized as residences today. However, no businesses remain in this small town. The Opera House, town hall, and other major commercial buildings have long vanished. Nevertheless, a two-story red brick commercial building and the old Alston Grocery Store still stand. This business, operated by the Alston family since 1915, was likely the last to close. More buildings remain in varying states of decay or have completely collapsed and are overgrown with trees and brush.
Today, there is only one serviceable road in and out of Rodney, Mississippi. From Alcorn, highway M-558 dead-ends at the once-bustling river port town. The final three miles are unpaved, consisting of dirt and gravel.
The Rodney Town Cemetery is situated on the wooded bluff behind the Presbyterian church. Abandoned and overgrown, it contains the remains of locals, river travelers, and individuals from Saint Joseph, Louisiana, across the river from Rodney, Mississippi. Many of the graves are enclosed within rusting, ornate wrought-iron fences. Traces of Confederate Civil War trenches overlooking the old riverbed can also be found here. These defenses once provided a commanding view of the area and the river.