Wayne

Formed December 22, 1809 (8^th county)

Wayne County (19,774), Waynesboro (4,565)

The tan brick Art Deco and Modern building was erected in 1935 on Azalea Street between Turner and Chickasawhay streets.  Mississippi State Highway 184 is Azalea Street in the town.  E. L. Malvaney is the building designer.  The building was enlarged in 1967 and 1992.  There was an 1893 version earlier in Waynesboro.  Winchester was the county seat until 1867 when Waynesboro took over.  Wayne County was established on December 22, 1809 as the 8^th county.  The county and county seat are named for American Revolutionary War hero General Anthony Wayne. 

Wayne 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 Wayne and Jones counties, Two District Court Judges serve Wayne, Clarke, Kemper, and Lauderdale counties and a court clerk serve Wayne County (judicial.)   The county is located on the southeast border with Alabama.  Jackson, Mississippi is northwest and Mobile, Alabama is southeast of the county.  The county center is 5.5 miles Northwest of Waynesboro.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Clarke County and Alabama and Greene, Perry, Jones, and Jasper counties. 

The area of the county is 810 square miles.  It is 5 out of 82 in the state.  It ranks 47 out of 82 in population in the state.  It has a density of 24.4 persons per square mile making it 57 out of 82 in the state.  Wayne County has 24.2% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 45 travels north to southeast through the county from Clarke County to Alabama.  United States Highway 84 passes east to west from Alabama to Jones County.  The county is an overall rectangle with a slanting northern border.  Waynesboro is in the eastern third of the county.  Waynesboro is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 23.1% of the county population.