A closer look at a great community
In the center of what once was the great Choctaw Indian nation, the 1820 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek ceded this area to the United States. Clarke County was named after the first state chancellor of Mississippi, Joshua G. Clarke. The offical beginning of Clarke County was December 23, 1833.
The City of Quitman is located between Archusa Creek to the East and the Chickasawhay River on the West. Quitman was officially recognized by the Mississippi Legislature on February 13, 1839. Quitman's namesake is the second state chancellor, General John A. Quitman.
Clarke County and Quitman have a rich history. Having survived General William Sherman's orders to Brigadier General Walter Q. Gresham to destory anything of military value to the Confederacy. Gresham and his troops proceeded during his campaign in the Civil War on February 16, 1864. Having destroyed a majority of Quitman the later generations rebuilt and endured. The Confederate cemetary South of town are a lasting reminder of the hardships and battles of this time. Railroad construction provided transportation of not only people but also goods from as far South as Mobile, Alabama to as far North as the Ohio River. Clarke County has always been at the forefront of agriculture and natural resources.
The county seat of local government is Quitman. Over a period of 150 years Quitman has evolved from a settlement of Native Americans to become the seat of county government. As these times changed Quitman also became a leader in the tecnology age as we are one of the few communities - and the only complete Mississippi city - to have fiber optic to the home. The community as a whole came together in order to invest in the cities future.
Quitman and Clarke County can be summed up as the city that is in the middle of everywhere. With the new four-lane Highway 45 to the North and East and quick access to state highways 18, 511, 512, and 513, Quitman is in the middle of the towns and communities that it neighbors.
The Pat Harrison Waterway District was created in the 1960's and of their many accomplishments was the building of the reservoir to the East of Quitman. Archusa Creek Water Park is one of 10 facilities within the Pat Harrison Waterway District System. This park provides not only camping amenities, but also cabins, and has become one of the most popular places for the community and vistors to gather for recreation. Clarkco State Park is another recreational facility within driving distance of Quitman. Located just North of town, Clarkco State Park provides camping amenities and cabins as well.
With a population that is always looking to the future but also remembering our past, Quitman consistently elects civic leaders that are dedicated and guide this city to become prosperous. With the closures of factories and industries in this county, the population always comes together as a cohesive supportive unit that ensures our city and county prospers and endures any hardships that come our way. From the aforementioned Civil War to the current technological innovations Quitman has been reborn into a modern-day rural city.