Kosciusko, County seat in Attala County, Mississippi, United States
Kosciusko is the county seat of Attala County in central Mississippi, covering 7.6 square miles along the Yockanookany River at an elevation of 480 feet (146 meters). The town consists of several residential neighborhoods and a historic downtown business district that serves as the commercial center for the surrounding rural area.
The settlement started as Red Bud Springs with Choate Stand, an inn opened by French trader David Choate before 1812. In 1836, the site was selected as the seat of newly formed Attala County and renamed to honor Polish general Tadeusz Kościuszko.
The city maintains strong connections to its agricultural heritage through the Central Mississippi Fair, which has operated for more than 100 years.
The town sits along Mississippi Highway 35 and US Highway 51, about 68 miles (110 kilometers) north of Jackson. Downtown is easily walkable, while a car is recommended for exploring the surrounding rural countryside.
Oprah Winfrey was born here in 1954 in a rural farmhouse and spent her early childhood with her grandmother. James Meredith, who became the first Black student at the University of Mississippi in 1962, also came from this small town.
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