Editing Vardaman, Mississippi

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name                   = Vardaman, Mississippi
| settlement_type                 = [[Town]]
| nickname                        = The Sweet Potato Capital of the World
| motto                           = "A Little Taste of Heaven in Mississippi."
| image_skyline                   = VardamanMSSign.jpg
| imagesize                       = 
| image_caption                   = Sign located along Mississippi Highway 8
| image_flag                      = 
| image_seal                      = 
<!-- Maps -->
| image_map                       = Calhoun_County_Mississippi_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Vardaman_Highlighted.svg
| mapsize                         = 250px
| map_caption                     = Location of Vardaman, Mississippi
| image_map1                      = 
| mapsize1                        = 
| map_caption1                    = 
| pushpin_map                     = USA
| pushpin_map_caption             = Location in the United States
<!-- Location -->
| 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               = [[Calhoun County, Mississippi|Calhoun]]
| government_footnotes            = 
| government_type                 = 
| leader_title                    = Mayor
| leader_name                     = James M. Casey
| leader_title1                   = 
| leader_name1                    = 
| established_title               = Established
| established_date                = 1904
| unit_pref                       = Imperial
| area_footnotes                  = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2020">{{cite web|title=2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2020_Gazetteer/2020_gaz_place_28.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=July 24, 2022}}</ref>
| area_magnitude                  = 
| area_total_km2                  = 3.51
| area_land_km2                   = 3.51
| area_water_km2                  = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi                = 1.36
| area_land_sq_mi                 = 1.36
| area_water_sq_mi                = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of                = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes            = 
| population_total                = 1110
| population_density_km2          = 315.80
| population_density_sq_mi        = 817.98

<!-- General information -->
| timezone                        = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset                      = -6
| timezone_DST                    = CDT
| utc_offset_DST                  = -5
| elevation_footnotes             = 
| elevation_m                     = 88
| elevation_ft                    = 289
| coordinates                     = {{coord|33|52|47|N|89|10|37|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type                = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code                     = 38878
| area_code                       = [[Area code 662|662]]
| website                         = {{URL|http://www.townofvardaman.com/}}
| blank_name                      = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info                      = 28-76320
| blank1_name                     = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info                     = 0679189
| pop_est_as_of                   = 
| pop_est_footnotes               = 
| population_est                  = 
}}

'''Vardaman''' is a town in [[Calhoun County, Mississippi|Calhoun County]], [[Mississippi]]. The town's population was 1,316 at the time of the [[2010 United States Census]].<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2876320| archive-url=https://archive.today/20200212193633/http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US2876320| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 12, 2020|title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Vardaman town, Mississippi|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder| access-date=October 2, 2014}}</ref>

==History==
The town is named after [[James K. Vardaman|James Kimble Vardaman]], Mississippi governor from 1904 to 1908. Vardaman was a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrat]] and [[white supremacy|white supremacist]] who later became a member of the [[United States Senate]].

In the early days of the town, its post office was named "Timberville" while the town was still known as "Vardaman," leading to confusion in various letterheads. Postmaster [[Henry Clay Payne]] refused to name a post office after James K. Vardaman, who had attacked [[Theodore Roosevelt]] in newspaper editorials published in the ''[[The Greenwood Commonwealth|Greenwood Commonwealth]]''.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=http://www.vardaman-history-project.us/incorporation.html|title=Vardaman History Project|website=www.vardaman-history-project.us|access-date=January 15, 2018}}</ref>

The town's post office was officially named "Vardaman" in 1912.

==Geography==
Vardaman is located in eastern Calhoun County.  [[Mississippi Highway 8]] passes through the town, leading west {{convert|8|mi|0}} to [[Calhoun City, Mississippi|Calhoun City]] and east {{convert|10|mi|0}} to [[Houston, Mississippi|Houston]], as well as [[Mississippi Highway 341]], leading north {{convert|33|mi|km}} to [[Pontotoc, Mississippi|Pontotoc]] and south {{convert|11|mi|km}} to [[Atlanta, Mississippi|Atlanta]] and [[Woodland, Mississippi|Woodland]].

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|3.5|km2|order=flip}}, all land.<ref name="Census 2010"/> The [[Yalobusha River]], a tributary of the [[Yazoo River]], flows past the town less than one mile to the south.

Vardaman is located in one of Mississippi's top five [[sweet potato]]-producing counties. The Vardaman Sweet Potato Festival, also known as the National Sweet Potato Festival, is held there annually the entire first week in November.<ref>[http://vardamansweetpotatofestival.org/ Vardaman Sweet Potato Festival]</ref><ref>Jaclyn Bethany, [http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2009/mar/18/sweet-potato-capital-of-the-world/ Sweet Potato Capital Of The World?], ''[[Jackson Free Press]]'', March 18, 2009</ref> Vardaman has been proclaimed as the "Sweet Potato Capital of the World".<ref>[http://www.history.com/photos/mississippi/photo6 History.com]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1910= 430
|1920= 599
|1930= 627
|1940= 626
|1950= 686
|1960= 637
|1970= 777
|1980= 1009
|1990= 920
|2000= 1065
|2010= 1316
|2020= 1110
|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|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+Vardaman Racial Composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US2876320&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 8, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!Race
!Num.
!Perc.
|-
|[[White (U.S. Census)|White]]
|437
|39.37%
|-
|[[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]]
|289
|26.04%
|-
|[[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
|1
|0.09%
|-
|[[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
|20
|1.8%
|-
|[[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
|363
|32.7%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,110 people, 440 households, and 318 families residing in the town.

===2000 census===
{{As of|2000|alt=As of the [[census]] of 2000<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>}}, there were 1,065 people, 426 households, and 276 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|785.3|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 471 housing units at an average density of {{convert|347.3|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 58.69% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 33.90% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.19% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.09% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 6.38% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.75% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 9.77% of the population.

There were 426 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.3% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.0% were non-families. 31.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.50 and the average family size was 3.16.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 26.2% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 27.0% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,518, and the median income for a family was $29,205. Males had a median income of $25,000 versus $17,750 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,530. About 22.0% of families and 24.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 25.8% of those under age 18 and 27.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Vardaman is served by the [[Calhoun County School District (Mississippi)|Calhoun County School District]]. Children in the Vardaman area attend either Vardaman Elementary School (Grades K-6) or Vardaman High School (Grades 7–12). Vardaman High School's sports teams are known as the Rams.

The Vardaman Rams football program has won 14 division titles in school history<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://misshsfootball.com/Teams/Vardaman.htm|title=Vardaman Rams Summary|website=Mississippi High School Football: Past and Present|access-date=January 15, 2018}}</ref> and has advanced to the North Half State Finals six times.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://misshsfootball.com/Champions/Northsouth1A.htm|title=Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 1A North and South State Football Champions|website=Mississippi High School Football: Past and Present|access-date=January 15, 2018}}</ref> The Rams also have appeared in the playoffs 29 times, which is tied for the 5th most all-time in the state and 2nd most in the 1A classification.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://misshsfootball.com/Champions/Playoffs.htm|title=Mississippi High School Activities Association Football Playoff Appearances|website=Mississippi High School Football: Past and Present|access-date=January 15, 2018}}</ref>

[[Odie Armstrong]], a running back that broke numerous records in the arena football league, played football at Vardaman. In his high school career, Armstrong rushed for 5,838 yards and 104 touchdowns, including 39 scores in a record-breaking senior season.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://calhouncountyjournal.com/vardaman-retires-odie-armstrongs-number-nine/|title=Vardaman retires Odie Armstrong's number nine|work=Calhoun County Journal Updated|access-date=January 15, 2018|language=en-us}}</ref>

The Vardaman Lady Rams basketball team has won two state championships, one in 1959 and another in 1969. The Lady Rams also appeared in the state championship tournament in 2016. The Rams are now coached by Connor Hudspeth or Tupelo, MS.

== Notable people ==
*[[Odie Armstrong]], player in the Arena Football League
*[[Mary Wilma Hodge]], physicist
*[[Barbara Yancy]], politician
{{wide image|Vardaman, Mississippi.jpg|1000px|Main Street in Vardaman}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://vardamansweetpotatofestival.org/ Vardaman Sweet Potato Festival]

{{Calhoun County, Mississippi}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Calhoun County, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Towns in Mississippi]]