Oktibbeha

Formed December 31, 1833 (38^th county)

Oktibbeha County (51,780), Starkville (24,356)

The white columns of the 1964 red brick and concrete Modern Greek Revival facility are the standout features.  It is located on Main and Washington streets.  Mississippi State Highway 182 passes two blocks to the north of the courthouse.  There was a 1901 courthouse earlier also in Starkville.  Boardtown was the county seat first until 1835 when Starkville took over.  Thomas H. Johnston, Jr., and Thomas O. Wakeman are the architects.  A liberty style bell sits in front.  The county was established on December 31, 1833 from Lowndes County as the 38^th county.  Its name is Native American for “bloody water.”  The county seat is named for Revolutionary War hero General John Stark.  Oktibbeha County was the birthplace for 1 Mississippi Governor, Raymond E. Mabus, Jr. 

Oktibbeha County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Three Chancery Court Judges serve Oktibbeha, Chickasaw, Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, and Webster counties and Three District Court Judges serve Oktibbeha, Clay, Lowndes, and Noxubee counties.  Oktibbeha County is in eastern Mississippi.  Jackson, Mississippi is southwest and Birmingham, Alabama is east of the county.  The county center is 9.4 miles Southwest of Starkville nearer Longview.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Clay, Lowndes, Noxubee, Winston, Choctaw, and Webster counties. 

The area of the county is 458 square miles.  It is 58 out of 82 in the state.  It ranks 15 out of 82 in population in the state.  It has a density of 113.1 persons per square mile making it 11 out of 82 in the state.  Oktibbeha County has 48.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 82 passes east to west through the county from Lowndes County to Choctaw County.  The county is a rectangle.  Starkville is in the northeast quarter of the county.  Starkville is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 47.0% of the county population.  The county is pronounced OK-TIB-BEE-A.  This county is in the Starkville Micropolitan Statistical Area.