Smith

Formed December 31, 1833 (40^th county)

Smith County (14,209), Raleigh (1,089)

The white columns stand out on the 1912 red brick Classical Revival structure.  The courthouse was remodeled in 1974 and 2005.  A Chancery Court building was added in 2009.  It is located on Mimosa Drive at Courthouse Square.  Mississippi State Highway 35 passes in front of the building.  Weathers-Foley Company provided the designs.  The facility features memorial slabs and a tower.  Smith County was formed on December 31, 1833 from parts of Covington, Jones, and Rankin counties as the 40^th county.  Raleigh has always been the county seat.  The county is named for war hero Major David Smith.  The county seat is named for Raleigh, North Carolina. 

Smith County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Supervisors.  Two Chancery Court Judges serve Smith, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Lawrence, and Simpson counties and Two District Court Judges serve Smith, Covington, Jasper, Lawrence, and Simpson counties.  The county is in south central Mississippi.  Jackson, Mississippi is northwest and Mobile, Alabama is southeast of the county.  The county center is 3 miles East of Raleigh.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Scott, Newton, Jasper, Jones, Covington, Simpson, and Rankin counties. 

The area of the county is 636 square miles.  It is 28 out of 82 in the state.  It ranks 58 out of 82 in population in the state.  It has a density of 22.3 persons per square mile making it 65 out of 82 in the state.  Smith County has 22.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  There are no Interstates or United States Highways in the county.  The county looks like a fat number 7.  Raleigh is located near the center of the county.  Raleigh is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 7.7% of the county population.