Editing Amory, Mississippi

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Amory, Mississippi
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = 
| motto              = <!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Image:Frisco1529AmoryMississippi20050909.JPG
| image_caption      = Frisco Park in 2005
| image_flag         = Flag of Amory, Mississippi.png
| image_seal         = 
| image_blank_emblem = Logo of Amory, Mississippi.png
| blank_emblem_type  = Logo

<!-- Maps -->| image_map          = Monroe_County_Mississippi_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Amory_Highlighted.svg
| map_caption        = Location within [[Monroe County, Mississippi|Monroe County]] and the state of [[Mississippi]]
| image_map1         = 
| map_caption1       = <!-- Location -->
| coordinates_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| coordinates        = {{coord|33|59|14|N|88|29|10|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Mississippi]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Mississippi|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Monroe County, Mississippi|Monroe]]

<!-- Established -->| established_title  = Founded
| established_date   = 
| established_title1 = [[Platted]]
| established_date1  = 
| established_title2 = [[Municipal corporation|Incorporated]]
| established_date2  = 
| named_for          = <!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Mayor
| leader_name        = Corey Glenn ([[Independent Politician (United States)|I]])<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dusen |first=Ray Van |date=2021-06-08 |title=Glenn elected as Amory's mayor |url=https://www.djournal.com/monroe/news/glenn-elected-as-amorys-mayor/article_5d4e6ba8-06f6-500a-bfe7-4b33f843c37a.html |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Official Recapitulation |url=https://sos.ms.gov/elections/electionresults/2021MunicipalGeneral/Amory.pdf |access-date=November 28, 2024 |website=Mississippi Secretary of State}}</ref>
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023">{{cite web |title=2023 U.S. Gazetteer Files: Mississippi |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2023_Gazetteer/2023_gaz_place_28.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=March 8, 2024}}</ref>
| area_total_sq_mi   = 13.14
| area_land_sq_mi    = 12.53
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.61
| area_total_km2     = 34.03
| area_land_km2      = 32.46
| area_water_km2     = 1.58
| unit_pref          = Imperial

<!-- Elevation -->| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 240

<!-- Population -->| population_footnotes = <ref name="Census 2020">{{Cite web| url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=&g=1600000US2801260&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P1| title=P1. Race – Amory city, Mississippi: 2020 DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171)| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| access-date=March 8, 2024}}</ref>
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_total   = 6666
| pop_est_footnotes  = 
| pop_est_as_of      = 
| population_est     = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 531.96
| population_density_km2 = 205.39

<!-- General information -->| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code]]
| postal_code        = 38821
| area_code          = [[Area code 662|662]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 28-01260
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS ID]]
| blank1_info        = 2403095<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2403095}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|cityofamoryms.com}}
}}

'''Amory''' {{IPAc-en|'|eI|.|m|@r|.|i}} is a city in [[Monroe County, Mississippi|Monroe County]], [[Mississippi]], United States. The population was 6,666 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], down from 7,316 in [[2010 United States census|2010]]. Located in the northeastern part of the state near the Alabama border, it was founded in 1887 as a railroad town by the [[Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad]]. As a result, [[Cotton Gin Port, Mississippi|Cotton Gin Port]], along the Tombigbee River to the east, was abandoned as businesses and people moved for railroad access.

==History==
Amory was founded as a planned railroad town. The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad was expanding in the [[Southern United States|South]] and needed a midpoint between [[Memphis, Tennessee]], and [[Birmingham, Alabama]], to service their locomotives. They laid out the new town of Amory, near the Alabama border, in 1887.

Believing railroad access to be critical, people from nearby Cotton Gin Port, about 1.5 miles away and located along the [[Tombigbee River]], abandoned their town and moved to Amory. All that remains of the former Cotton Gin Port are the ruins of buildings and an old cemetery.

Two field recordings were made at Monroe County Training School in Amory.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.discogs.com/release/6239281-Various-Field-Recordings-Volume-8-Louisiana-Alabama-Mississippi-1934-1947 | title=Various - Field Recordings - Volume 8: Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi (1934-1947) | website=[[Discogs]] }}</ref>

=== 2023 tornado ===
{{See also|Tornado outbreak of March 24–27, 2023}}
On the evening of Friday, March 24, 2023, Amory was [[Tornado outbreak of March 24, 2023|struck by a fast-moving EF3 tornado]], resulting in significant residential damage, as well as multiple injuries and two fatalities.<ref name=23tornado>{{cite web |title=Amory, Monroe County areas hit hard by severe storms |first=Joey |last=Barnes |url=https://www.wcbi.com/amory-monroe-county-areas-hit-hard-by-severe-storms/ |website=WCBI-TV |accessdate=March 25, 2023 |date=March 25, 2023}}</ref> At Amory High School, cameras caught the tornado damaging the building, ripping the roof off the building and flying debris impacted the schools' athletic facility.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brinkmann |first=Heather |date=March 26, 2023 |title=Video inside Amory school shows moments Mississippi tornado hit |url=https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/amory-high-school-mississippi-tornado |access-date=March 31, 2023 |website=FOX Weather |language=en-US}}</ref> The same tornado also impacted [[Egypt, Chickasaw County, Mississippi|Egypt]] prior, and [[Wren, Mississippi|Wren]] thereafter.<ref>{{Cite web |title=ArcGIS Web Application |url=https://apps.dat.noaa.gov/StormDamage/DamageViewer/ |access-date=2023-03-31 |website=apps.dat.noaa.gov}}</ref>

==Geography==
Amory is in northern Monroe County, on the east side of the valley of the [[Tombigbee River]]. The [[Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway]] forms the northwestern border of the city.

[[U.S. Route 278]] passes through the south side of the city as Sixth Avenue, leading west {{convert|8|mi|0}} the [[U.S. Route 45|US 45]] freeway and southeast {{convert|22|mi}} to [[Sulligent, Alabama]]. [[Okolona, Mississippi]], is {{convert|15|mi}} to the west via US 278 and [[Mississippi Highway 41]]. [[Mississippi Highway 25|State Highway 25]] passes through Amory as Main Street, leading north {{convert|26|mi}} to [[Fulton, Mississippi|Fulton]] and south {{convert|16|mi}} to [[Aberdeen, Mississippi|Aberdeen]], the Monroe [[county seat]]. [[Mississippi Highway 6|State Highway 6]] leads northwest from Amory {{convert|11|mi|0}} to [[Nettleton, Mississippi|Nettleton]] and {{convert|26|mi}} to [[Tupelo, Mississippi|Tupelo]].

According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], Amory has a total area of {{convert|13.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|12.5|sqmi|km2}} are land and {{convert|0.6|sqmi|km2|1}}, or 4.63%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2023"/> [[Amory Lock]] on the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway and part of its upstream pool are along the northern edge of the city.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=
|1890= 739
|1900= 1211
|1910= 2122
|1920= 2861
|1930= 3214
|1940= 3727
|1950= 4990
|1960= 6474
|1970= 7236
|1980= 7307
|1990= 7093
|2000= 6956
|2010= 7316
|2020= 6666
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|website=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Amory Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2801260&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=2021-12-07|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|4,524
|67.87%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|1,764
|26.46%
|-
|[[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
|16
|0.24%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|19
|0.29%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
|1
|0.02%
|-
|[[Race (United States census)|Other/Mixed]]
|190
|2.85%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|152
|2.28%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 6,666 people, 2,900 households, and 1,666 families residing in the city.

===2010 census===
As of the [[2010 United States census]], there were 7,316 people living in the city. 69.5% were [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 29.0% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.2% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.2% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.3% from some other race and 0.7% [[Multiracial American|of two or more races]]. 1.4% were [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> of 2000, there were 6,956 people, 2,876 households, and 1,903 families living in the city. The population density was {{convert|927.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 3,147 housing units at an average density of {{convert|419.5|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. The racial makeup of the city was 69.85% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 29.18% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.12% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.06% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.16% from [[Race (United States census)|other races]], and 0.63% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.79% of the population.

There were 2,876 households, out of which 30.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 19.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.36 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.9% under the age of 18, 8.0% from 18 to 24, 25.0% from 25 to 44, 22.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 82.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,789, and the median income for a family was $37,891. Males had a median income of $30,913 versus $21,356 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $14,092. About 17.1% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 31.6% of those under age 18 and 17.4% of those age 65 or over.

==Economy==
Business sectors in the city include sports equipment manufacturing, wood pulp processing, and the furniture and textile industries.{{cn|date=March 2024}} The city is served by North Mississippi Medical Center Gilmore–Amory.

==Arts and culture==
[[Image:FriscoParkAmoryMississippi.JPG|thumb|upright|Frisco Park in 2005]]
In honor of its cultural and historical heritage, the city of Amory holds the annual "Railroad Festival" in April in Frisco Park in downtown. Among other attractions, the Festival includes southern foods&mdash;such as fried catfish, [[barbecue]], and apple fritters&mdash; rides, arts and crafts, and live music, most notably the local band The Gents who have brought fans out for years with their [[Motown]], [[Blues Brothers]], and classic oldies show. While spring rains are possible during the 3-day festival, turnout is generally quite large, with as many as 40,000 visiting the festival over the period of a weekend. The festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It returned in 2022, however it was cancelled again in 2023, as Amory was still recovering from the deadly tornado that hit the city on March 24. The city was able to have the Railroad Festival in 2024 though.

In addition to the annual Railroad Festival, Amory held "Entertainment for Education", also known as "Stars Over Mississippi", an event in which a number of celebrities and entertainers hosted a [[benefit concert]] to raise funds for local scholarships. Past performers and attendees included [[Vince Gill]], [[Dolly Parton]], [[Nell Carter]], [[Sandi Patty]], [[Kathie Lee Gifford]], [[Kathy Ireland]], [[Brad Paisley]], [[Brooks and Dunn]], [[Ray Romano]], [[Tony Danza]], [[Patricia Heaton]], [[Doris Roberts]], [[Whoopi Goldberg]], [[Brad Garrett]], and [[Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh|Prince Edward]].

==Education==
Most of Amory is served by the [[Amory School District]], while a small portion is served by the [[Monroe County School District (Mississippi)|Monroe County School District]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st28_ms/c28095_monroe/DC10SD_C28095_001.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419221508/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/sch_dist/st28_ms/c28095_monroe/DC10SD_C28095_001.pdf |archive-date=2021-04-19 |url-status=live|title=SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP (2010 CENSUS): Monroe County, MS|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2021-03-05}}</ref>

Amory Christian Academy is a small private Fundamentalist Baptist school in Amory.

==Infrastructure==
[[Image:Amory Lock 20050910.JPG|thumb|[[Amory Lock]]]]
[[File:BNSF Railway bridge over Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Amory, Mississippi.jpg|thumb|BNSF Railway bridge over Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, Amory, Mississippi]]

===Transportation===
[[Road transport]] is served by [[US 278]], [[Mississippi Highway 6]], and [[Mississippi Highway 25]]. [[Rail transport]] is offered by [[BNSF Railway]], the [[Alabama and Gulf Coast Railway]], and the [[Mississippian Railway]]. [[Ship transport]] can be accommodated on the [[Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway]].

==Notable people==<!-- Please, preserve the alphabetical order -->
{{main category|People from Amory, Mississippi}}
* [[Lucille Bogan]], [[classic female blues]] singer
* [[Hob Bryan]], member of the Mississippi Senate<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=paFmAAAAMAAJ|title=Who's who in the South and Southwest|date=2005|publisher=Marquis Who's Who|isbn=978-0-8379-0835-9|pages=82|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Jim Burrow]], former professional football defensive back, father of [[Joe Burrow]]<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cleveland |first1=Rick |title=Joe Burrow has deep roots (and quite the gene pool) in Amory, Mississippi |url=https://mississippitoday.org/2023/01/26/joe-burrow-mississippi-family/ |access-date=August 20, 2023 |work=MIssissippi Today |date=January 26, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Herbert Carter (pilot)|Lt. Col. Herman Carter]], one of the original 33 [[Tuskegee Airmen]]<ref name=al>{{cite news|first=Jeremy|last=Gray|title=Tuskegee Airman retired Lt. Col. Herbert Carter died today, reports state|url=http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2012/11/tuskegee_airmen_retired_lt_col.html |work=[[AL.com]] |publisher=Alabama Media Group|date=2012-11-08 |access-date=2012-12-04}}</ref>
* [[John Dye]], actor known for his role of Andrew on ''[[Touched by an Angel]]'' 
* [[Rufus French]], All-American football player
* [[Gary Grubbs]], actor
* [[David Hadley (American football)|David Hadley]], former NFL [[defensive back]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HadlDa20.htm |title=David Hadley Stats |publisher=Pro-Football-Reference.com |date= |access-date=August 20, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Will Hall (American football)|Will Hall]], college football coach
* [[Trent Harmon]], winner of ''[[American Idol]]'' Season 15
* [[Ulysses Hollimon]], [[Negro league baseball]] player
* [[Dennis_Johnson_(coach)|Dennis Johnson]], NFL Coach
* [[John Johnson (Mississippi politician)|John Johnson]], former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives and [[Mississippi Senate]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Obituaries|work=[[Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal]]|date=February 20, 2002|url=https://www.djournal.com/news/obituaries-2-20-02/article_4818df21-b375-565e-bdf8-bc68fc9fa369.html|accessdate=August 20, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Tevin Jones]], [[wide receiver]] for the [[Saskatchewan Roughriders]] of the [[Canadian Football League]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Tevin Jones |url=https://gotigersgo.com/sports/football/roster/tevin-jones/1694 |website=gotigersgo.com |access-date=August 20, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Jon Ray Lancaster]], member of the [[Mississippi House of Representatives]]<ref>{{Cite web|title=Johnathan Ray Lancaster|url=http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/members/house/lancaster.xml|access-date=August 20, 2023|website=billstatus.ls.state.ms.us}}</ref>
* [[Brian Maxcy]], pitcher for the [[Detroit Tigers]]
* [[Mitch Moreland]], first baseman and right fielder for the [[Texas Rangers (baseball)|Texas Rangers]], [[Boston Red Sox]] and [[Oakland Athletics]]
* [[Matt Schnell]], [[mixed martial artist]]<ref>{{cite web |last1=Riggs |first1=Drake |title=Morning Report: Matt Schnell passionately defends UFC fighter pay |url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2022/2/11/22928640/morning-report-matt-schnell-passionately-defends-ufc-fighter-pay-buy-the-pay-per-view-motherf-cker |website=MMAfighting.com |access-date=August 20, 2023}}</ref>
* [[Taylor Spreitler]], actress<ref>{{cite web |title=About Amory |url=https://visitamory.com/about-amory/ |website=visitamory.com |access-date=20 August 2023}}</ref>
* [[Butch Thompson (baseball)|Butch Thompson]], head baseball coach, [[Auburn Tigers baseball|Auburn University]]
* [[Shaquille Vance]], [[Paralympic]] sprinter<ref>{{cite web |title=Shaquille Vance |url=https://www.teamusa.org/para-track-and-field/athletes/Shaquille-Vance |website=[[United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee]] |access-date=August 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807042730/https://www.teamusa.org/para-track-and-field/athletes/Shaquille-Vance |archive-date=August 7, 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Marcus West]], former NFL player and current assistant coach for the [[Buffalo Bills]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Marcus West |url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/bio/_/id/10333/marcus-west |website=ESPN.com |access-date=August 20, 2023}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* "[[Blue Suede Shoes]]" was written by [[Carl Perkins]] during a trip to Amory, for a concert with [[Elvis Presley]] and [[Johnny Cash]] in 1955.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.deaddisc.com/songs/Blue_Suede_Shoes.htm |title=Grateful Dead Family Discography: Blue Suede Shoes |website=Deaddisc.com |date=1956-01-01 |access-date=2016-05-13}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[St. Louis-San Francisco Railway]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons}}
* {{Official|www.cityofamoryms.com}}
* [http://purl.oclc.org/umarchives/MUM00354/ Park Hotel in Amory Ledgers (MUM00354)] at the University of Mississippi, Archives and Special Collections.

{{Monroe County, Mississippi}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Mississippi]]
[[Category:Cities in Monroe County, Mississippi]]