Rosedale, Bolivar County, Mississippi, 1891
Rosedale, the seat of justice of Bolivar County, was incorporated in 1882.
Ten years after it became the county seat, which in 1872 was removed from
Beulah, six miles southwest, this point affording many advantages over the
latter. Outside of the new additions recently laid out, the corporation contains
fifty-two acres, the site being particularly well chosen and thoroughly
protected from the encroachments of the river by the splendid levees of the
lower levee district.
The river does not flow directly up to the city, but about three fourths of a
mile distant, a great advantage in itself, while Rosedale is at the same time
the only river point touched by the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas railway
(Bolivar loop) between Friar's Point and Greenville, a fortunate circumstance,
as it is thus made a competitive point between river and rail transportation
lines, and insures favorable rates to eastern and European markets.
Until the completion of the Bolivar loop line from Greenville, in December,
1888, Rosedale did not show any signs of ever becoming anything beyond a river
town of one or two hundred inhabitants, and made little if any progress after
the excitement attendant upon the county seat removal had died out; so that
whatever of improvements one sees at present dates from that time. These
improvements are many, and of a very creditable and substantial character
indeed, and new buildings, public and private, representing an outlay of over
175,000, have been erected since the railroad entered the corporation limits,
among them the new county courthouse, a beautiful and imposing structure of
pressed brick, trimmed with white stone, which occupies the square in the center
of the city. This is one of the handsomest courthouses in the state, and was
erected at a cost of more than $30,000. In its rear has been built a handsome
brick jail, which cost $16,000. The building occupied by the Bank of Rosedale
also attracts much attention.
The business of Rosedale is represented by four general stores, one drug store, one hotel, a number of liquor stores, restaurants, livery stable, two blacksmiths, a public granery, an ice house, one butcher, barbers, two news-papers and one bank, which has a paid-up capital of $100,000. There are also eleven attorneys, one insurance agent, three physicians and two real estate agents.
Back to: Mississippi Counties, Cities and Towns, 1891
Source: Biographical and Historical Memories of Mississippi, Goodspeed Publishing Company, 1891
