Noxubee

Formed December 31, 1833 (37^th county)

Noxubee County (10,279), Macon (2,572)

The white columns stand out on the 1952 Modern Greek Revival facility on Jefferson Street between Monroe and Adams streets.  Jefferson Street is Mississippi State Highway 145.  Johnston, Jones, and Reynolds provided the red brick designs.  The facility and grounds feature a tower, a working clock, marble walls, and a Liberty Bell.  There was also an 1890 courthouse in Macon, the only county seat.  The county was founded on December 31, 1833 from parts of Lowndes and Rankin counties as the 37^th county.  Noxubee is a Native American word meaning “stink.”  The county seat is named for Macon, Georgia. 

Noxubee County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Three Chancery Court Judges serve Noxubee, Chickasaw, Clay, Lowndes, Oktibbeha, and Webster counties and Three District Court Judges serve Noxubee, Clay, Lowndes, and Oktibbeha counties.  The county is on the eastern border of the state.  Alabama is directly to the east.  Jackson, Mississippi is southwest of the county.  The county center is 1.7 miles Northwest of Macon.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lowndes County and Alabama and Kemper, Winston, and Oktibbeha counties. 

The area of the county is 695 square miles.  It is 19 out of 82 in the state.  It ranks 67 out of 82 in population in the state.  It has a density of 14.8 persons per square mile making it 76 out of 82 in the state.  Noxubee County has 37.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 45 travels north to south through the county from Lowndes County to Kemper County.  United States Highway 45 Alternate enters from Lowndes County, north, and terminates.  Noxubee County is an overall rectangle with a slanting eastern border.  Macon is located near the center of the county.  Macon is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 25.0% of the county population.  The county is pronounced NOX-UE-BEE.