Mississippi

Formed February 14, 1845 (84^th county)

Mississippi County (12,575), Charleston (5,053)

Although the Modern Federalist building looks older, it was built in 1999.  The structure is on a square at Court, First, Main, and Cleveland Streets.  Missouri State Highway N is First Street in front of the building.  The courthouse is a red brick building with tile floors and wooden stairs inside.  Mary A. Bell is the building architect.  There was a classic 1900 courthouse previously and an 1852 courthouse before that.  Mississippi County was created on February 14, 1845 from Scott County as the 84^th county with Charleston as the only county seat.  The county is named for the Mississippi River.  The county seat is named for Charleston, South Carolina. 

Mississippi County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, a collector, a coroner, an assessor and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  One Circuit Court Judge serves Mississippi and Scott counties and One County Court Judge and a court clerk serve Mississippi County (judicial.)  The county is in the southeast part of Missouri on the Mississippi River border with both Illinois and Kentucky.  Saint Louis, Missouri is northwest and Memphis, Tennessee is south of the county.  The county center is 4.7 miles South-Southeast of Charleston nearer Anniston.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Illinois and Kentucky and New Madrid and Scott counties. 

The area of the county is 413 square miles.  It is 108 out of 115 in the state.  It ranks 75 out of 115 in population in the state.  It has a density of 30.4 persons per square mile making it 59 out of 115 in the state.  Mississippi County has 73.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 57 goes northeast to west in the county from Illinois to New Madrid County.  United States Highways 60/62 go east to west from Kentucky to New Madrid County.  The county resembles a scary mask facing east.  Charleston is in the northwest corner of the county.  Charleston is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 40.2% of the county population.