Formed December 31, 1833 (39th county)
Scott County (27,987), Forest (5,428)
The gray brick and stucco and concrete 1956 Classical Revival courthouse in Forest was remodeled in 1996. It is on a square at West Main, 2nd, East Main, and 1st streets. United States Highway 80 is one block north of the courthouse. Malvaney & Associates provided the designs. The courthouse features veterans’ memorials. There were 1900 and 1924 courthouses earlier. The county was created on December 31, 1833 from parts of Covington, Jones, and Rankin counties as the 39th county. Berryville (1833), Hillsboro (1836), and Forest (1866) have all served as county seat. The county is named for Governor Abram M. Scott. The county seat could be named for local trees although it was originally spelled Forrest and could be named for the source of Forrest County, General Forrest. Scott County was the birthplace for 1 Mississippi Governors, Paul B. Johnson, Sr.
Scott County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a collector, a coroner, an assessor and a clerk (executive). It has 5 Supervisors (legislative.) One Chancery Court Judge serves Scott, Jasper, and Newton counties, Two District Court Judges serve Scott, Leake, Neshoba, and Newton counties and a court clerk serves Scott County (judicial.) Scott County is in central Mississippi. Jackson, Mississippi is west and Birmingham, Alabama is northeast of the county. The county center is 6.2 miles North of Forest nearer Hillsboro. The county is surrounded clockwise by Leake, Neshoba, Newton, Jasper, Smith, Rankin, and Madison counties.
The area of the county is 609 square miles. It is 31 out of 82 in the state. It ranks 33 out of 82 in population in the state. It has a density of 46.0 persons per square mile making it 34 out of 82 in the state. Scott County has 35.0% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 20 travels east to west in the county from Newton County to Rankin County. United States Highway 80 parallels Interstate Highway 20 from Newton to Rankin counties. The county resembles a glass with a straw. Forest is located in the southeast quarter of the county. Forest is the county seat and the largest city. It is 19.4% of the county population.
Forest
Morton
Lake
Sebastopol
