Why Greenville
Greenville is the largest city in the Mississippi Delta region and serves as the county seat of Washington County. Situated along the eastern shoreline of Lake Ferguson, an oxbow lake formed from a former channel of the Mississippi River, it stands as the ninth-most populous municipality in the state.
The region was occupied for thousands of years by indigenous populations, including the Natchez people encountered by French explorers. The contemporary city is the third settlement in Mississippi to carry the Greenville name. Founded in 1847, it was completely destroyed during the Civil War and subsequently rebuilt three miles away on high ground along the river. Engineered by Richard O’Hea on property largely donated by Harriet Blanton Theobald, the city grew into a central commercial market for regional cotton plantations. Multiple homes and structures from the late 19th and early 20th centuries are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Greenville offers access to significant cultural and historical landmarks. Located just north of the city, the Winterville Mounds Historic Site is a state park and National Historic Landmark containing pre-European earthwork mounds created by the Plaquemine Mississippian culture between the 9th and 15th centuries, along with an on-site museum exhibiting archaeological finds. Within the city, Nelson Street represents a landmark music district that hosted vibrant blues, jazz, and big band venues in the 1940s and 1950s. Recognized on the Mississippi Blues Trail, the area includes historical stops along the former Chitlin' Circuit.
Transportation to and around Greenville is supported by U.S. Highways 61 and 82, Mississippi Highway 1, and the cable-stayed Greenville Bridge crossing the Mississippi River. Air service for the surrounding region is provided through the Greenville Mid Delta Regional Airport. Local recreational features include floating casinos situated along Lake Ferguson near the downtown waterfront.
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