Itawamba County

Itawamba County takes its name from Chief Itawamba, a prominent leader of the Chickasaw Indians. Formed in 1836 from ceded Chickasaw Indian lands, the county was settled by hardy, industrious pioneers seeking new opportunities in a new land. The legacy of these hardworking settlers continues with the photographic history portrayed in Images of America: Itawamba County. Beautiful and immense hardwood forests that provided shelter for its pioneers later became the source of a logging boom, with sawmills and oxen being a familiar sight. Life in Itawamba County was not all work and no play, however. The county has a rich musical heritage: local musician Jordan Cockrell won first place in the World Championship Fiddling Contest held at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis; the "First Lady of Country Music," Tammy Wynette, and jazz great Jimmie Lunceford, known as the "King of Syncopation," were both born here; and the roots of the "King of Rock and Roll," Elvis Presley, go deep in Itawamba County.