(New) Houlka, Mississippi
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Chickasaw County Population: 99 in 1890 (Old Houlka) 104 in 1900 (Old Houlka) 380 in 1910 803 in 1920 Town incorporated: 3-12-1906 Post office: 5-26-1847 to 10-5-1855 6-19-1858 to 1-25-1867 3-30-1868 to 10-3-1876 2-5-1877 to present |
Next Town North- Gershorm
Milepost 290.4 in 1905 Milepost 291.81 on valuation map (from Mobile)
Next Town South- Fitzpatrick |
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1915 soil survey map |
1972 USGS topo map |
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HISTORY by Tony Howe:
The old town of Houlka was originally located on the Natchez Trace and Gaines Trace Road about a mile east of the present town and was the oldest settlement in Chickasaw County. It was the location of a Chickasaw Indian village for many years. The first post office in Houlka was established in 1847. The town moved to be on the newly-built railroad about 1906. In 1905-06, the railroad was built through here on its way from Pontotoc to Houston, Ackerman and Louisville by the Gulf & Chicago Railroad, which was controlled by the Mobile Jackson & Kansas City RR until the two railroads merged on December 1, 1909 to form the New Orleans Mobile & Chicago Railroad. This railroad was reorganized on January 1, 1917 to become the Gulf Mobile & Northern Railroad. This railroad, in turn, merged with the Mobile & Ohio on September 13, 1940 to form the Gulf Mobile & Ohio Railroad. This railroad operated until it was merged with the Illinois Central Railroad on August 10, 1972 to form Illinois Central Gulf RR. The remainder of the former GM&O lines in Mississippi was sold off to the newly formed Gulf & Mississippi Railroad on July 10, 1985, who abandoned the railroad from Houston to Woodland shortly afterwards. Gulf & Mississippi RR was bought by Midsouth Rail on April 14, 1988, which was then bought by Kansas City Southern RR in 1994. In 1998, KCS sold the line from Houston to Middleton TN to North American Railnet, Inc., who formed the Mississippi Tennessee Railnet to operate the line. In 2003, Mississippi-Tennessee Railnet was sold to Ironhorse Resources, Inc., who changed the name to Mississippi Tennessee Railroad. In 2004, this company filed to abandon 43.2 miles of track from New Albany to Houston. The track was removed and a recreational trail, known as the "Tanglefoot Trail" is being built on the right-of-way. INDUSTRY - Ferguson & Palmer Co.- 1913-1923 |
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1917 ICC Valuation Map click map for larger version David Bridges Collection |
1917 ICC Valuation Map click map for larger version David Bridges Collection
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1917 GM&N Track Chart & Profile
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| BUSINESSES (per R.G. Dun & Co.)-
J. R. Brooks, blacksmith 1873-74-75 Wm. H. Griffin- general store 1874-75-76 Harrill & Bro., general store 1873-74 G. W. Harrill- drugs 1875 Hill & Son- general store 1875 Thos. J. Stearn, blacksmith 1873-74
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| If you have any corrections or
additional info, we would love to hear from you! We are always looking for
additional photos, too. Find our contact info below.
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For more information contact Tony Howe at tonyhowe76@yahoo.com or David S. Price at dsprice46@bellsouth.net