Lamar is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Benton County, Mississippi, United States.[2] It is located along Mississippi Highway 7 in western Benton County. Lamar has a post office with the ZIP code 38642.[3] The nearly abandoned Mississippi Central Railroad runs through Lamar, and is only used rarely for freight trafficking.[4]

Lamar, Mississippi
Lamar, Mississippi is located in Mississippi
Lamar, Mississippi
Lamar, Mississippi
Lamar, Mississippi is located in the United States
Lamar, Mississippi
Lamar, Mississippi
Coordinates: 34°54′44″N 89°18′54″W / 34.91222°N 89.31500°W / 34.91222; -89.31500
CountryUnited States
StateMississippi
CountyBenton
Area
 • Total
0.57 sq mi (1.47 km2)
 • Land0.57 sq mi (1.47 km2)
 • Water0.00 sq mi (0.00 km2)
Elevation554 ft (169 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
39
 • Density68.90/sq mi (26.62/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
38683
Area code662
GNIS feature ID2812712[2]

It was first named as a CDP in the 2020 Census which listed a population of 39.[5]

History

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Lamar was named in honor of Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, author of the Mississippi Ordinance of Secession, Confederate diplomat and U.S. senator.[6] Lamar was originally located in Marshall County, but after Benton County was created from Marshall County and Tippah County, the town was moved two miles east to be closer to the railroad. Lamar was formerly home to a school.[7] A post office first began operation under the name Lamar in 1837.[8]

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note
202039
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
2020[10]

2020 census

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Lamar CDP, Mississippi – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2020[10] % 2020
White alone (NH) 35 89.74%
Black or African American alone (NH) 1 2.56%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Asian alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 0 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 1 2.56%
Mixed Race or Multi-Racial (NH) 0 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2 5.13%
Total 39 100.00%

Notable person

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References

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  1. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 24, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Lamar, Mississippi
  3. ^ USPS – Cities by ZIP Code Archived 2011-06-15 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Howe, Tony. "Lamar, Mississippi". Mississippi Rails. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  5. ^ "Lamar CDP, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  6. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Government Printing Office. pp. 180.
  7. ^ Rowland, Dunbar (1907). Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. Vol. 2. Southern Historical Publishing Association. p. 21.
  8. ^ "Benton County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
  9. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades". US Census Bureau.
  10. ^ a b "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lamar CDP, Mississippi". United States Census Bureau.
  11. ^ Living Blues. Oxford, Mississippi: Living Blues Publications. 2003. p. 63.