If you’ve ever searched for abandoned places in Mississippi, you’ve likely discovered that there are several ghost towns in Mississippi. Some, like Rodney and Rock Springs, are extremely well known and explored by the masses. Not all ghost towns in Mississippi have reputations that spread far and wide, though. Take Friars Point, for example. It’s one of the most obscure ghost towns in Mississippi, which is surprising, since it’s got a lengthy history that includes lots of famous personalities – from pilot Charles Lindbergh to bluesman Robert Nighthawk.
A sleepy river community in Coahoma County, Friars Point is home to roughly 1,000 residents and not much else.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr Practically deserted, Friars Point doesn’t have a dine-in restaurant, library, health clinic, or other town staples.
The Friars Point of today is nothing like the Friars Point of yesteryear.
Magnolia677/Wikimedia
Founded in 1836, Friars Point quickly grew into a thriving port town, thanks to its location on the Mississippi River.
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Wikimedia During its heyday, it was one of the South’s largest cotton shipping centers and the county seat of Coahoma County.
Surprisingly, the small town has seen its fair share of famous faces. For starters, it’s the birthplace of country music legend Conway Twitty.
North Delta Museum at Friars Point/Facebook And while Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner aren’t from Friars Point, they both wrote about the town.
Conway Twitty isn’t the only musician with a link to Friars Point, though.
google.com Bluesman Robert Nighthawk called Friars Point home at various times throughout his life, while Muddy Waters, another iconic bluesman, was known to put on musical performances at Hirsberg’s Drugstore (pictured as it appears today) in Friars Point.
Other notable visitors to Friars Point include renowned pilot Charles Lindbergh and Jesse James, the famous train robber.
U.S. Navy/Wikimedia Legend says that James arrived in Friars Point late one evening in the 1880s and was gone by the next morning. During his time in Friars Point, he chatted with a minister and visited a saloon for some drinking and gambling.
Lindbergh’s visit was also pretty short. He stumbled upon Friars Point in 1924, when he ran out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing. Not much is said about his time in Friars Point, except that he “landed at a place he later called the haunted house.”
The history of Friars Point goes back much further than its famous residents and visitors, though.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr It’s actually thought to be one of two locations where Hernando De Soto crossed the Mississippi River. Plus, Friars Point is the state’s oldest Mississippi River town, aside from Natchez.
Though the Friars Point of today doesn’t contain much, it does boast some lovely historic structures.
Natalie Maynor/Wikimedia
One of the town’s most significant historic sites, the Minie Ball House was occupied by Union troops during the Civil War.
Natalie Maynor/Wikimedia
The house didn’t escape the war unscathed, though. Marks caused by shelling from gunboats are still visible today.
And while the population continues to dwindle, the history of Friars Point is safe.
North Delta Museum at Friars Point/Facebook The importance of Friars Point is undeniable, which is why the North Delta Museum was established. Located in Friars Point, the museum houses an array of artifacts from Friars Point as well as the Delta.
Jimmy Emerson, DVM/Flickr
Practically deserted, Friars Point doesn’t have a dine-in restaurant, library, health clinic, or other town staples.
Magnolia677/Wikimedia
Mississippi Department of Archives and History/Wikimedia
During its heyday, it was one of the South’s largest cotton shipping centers and the county seat of Coahoma County.
North Delta Museum at Friars Point/Facebook
And while Tennessee Williams and William Faulkner aren’t from Friars Point, they both wrote about the town.
google.com
Bluesman Robert Nighthawk called Friars Point home at various times throughout his life, while Muddy Waters, another iconic bluesman, was known to put on musical performances at Hirsberg’s Drugstore (pictured as it appears today) in Friars Point.
U.S. Navy/Wikimedia
Legend says that James arrived in Friars Point late one evening in the 1880s and was gone by the next morning. During his time in Friars Point, he chatted with a minister and visited a saloon for some drinking and gambling.
Lindbergh’s visit was also pretty short. He stumbled upon Friars Point in 1924, when he ran out of fuel and had to make an emergency landing. Not much is said about his time in Friars Point, except that he “landed at a place he later called the haunted house.”
It’s actually thought to be one of two locations where Hernando De Soto crossed the Mississippi River. Plus, Friars Point is the state’s oldest Mississippi River town, aside from Natchez.
Natalie Maynor/Wikimedia
The house didn’t escape the war unscathed, though. Marks caused by shelling from gunboats are still visible today.
The importance of Friars Point is undeniable, which is why the North Delta Museum was established. Located in Friars Point, the museum houses an array of artifacts from Friars Point as well as the Delta.
Did you know about this lost town in Mississippi? Ever explored Friars Point? What about the North Delta Museum in Friars Point? If so, what’d you think? Tell us!
Friars Point is just one of the ghost towns in Mississippi. There are actually several eerie ghost towns in Mississippi.
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Address: Friars Point, MS 38631, USA
