Rienzi, Mississippi is a small town in Alcorn County. The region was populated by European-Americans in the 1830s, even before the Chickasaw people were moved from the area. Rienzi began as a way station along the stage route from Old East Port, Tennessee to Holly Springs, Mississippi, on what is now Highway 356, about two miles west of Highway 46. Then known as Wayside, a two-story log cabin provided travelers with a place to eat and sleep along the way. Soon, a school was formed there. In 1836, residents organized the community into the town of Rienzi. A post office was established in 1839, with Charles W. Williams as the first postmaster. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad came through bypassing the town in 1859, so the town moved to the railroad, but still along the Old Stage Road. By the time of the Civil War, Rienzi had seven or eight stores, a post office, school carriage shop, wagon and paint shop, two churches, and a railroad depot. Several skirmishes took place in or around Rienzi throughout the war years, made difficult for both sides due to the swamps, forests, hills and ridges surrounding the town, as well as a large number of Confederate deserters moving through the area. The town changed hands several times. A telegraph was built from Rienzi to Jacinto in 1870 but when they had a bad crop, local farmers blamed the telegraph line and cut it down. A series of three tornadoes hit Rienzi in 1875, demolishing the downtown section of Old Rienzi, including the Rienzi Academy, along with several homes, after which Old Rienzi was never rebuilt. Rienzi is located in southern Alcorn County, on the Prentiss County line. Nearby communities include Biggersville, Booneville, Burnsville, Jumpertown, Kossuth, New Hope, and Thrasher. Corinth, Mississippi is about fifteen miles north of Rienzi.
Recommended Resources
Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church
Organized in Old Rienzi in 1899, the congregation moved to its current location on Highway 356 in Rienzi, Mississippi in 2000. Its history and a profile of the church is presented, with an introduction to its pastor, staff contacts, office hours, and an overview of its ministries and programs. A gallery of photographs is included.
http://www.hopewellchurchrienzi.org/
Located on County Road 513 in Biggersville, Mississippi, near Rienzi, the congregation was organized in 1838. Directions and a map show the location of the church, and its service schedules, a history of the church, leadership and committee contacts, and announcements are posted to the site.
http://www.newhopepcusa.com/
The congregation meets at its facilities on School Street in the town of Rienzi, Mississippi. A schedule of Sunday and Wednesday programs and services is put forward, along with a calendar of events, pastoral and leadership contacts, office hours, and an overview of its affiliations and fellowships.
http://www.rienzibaptistchurch.com/
Privately created and maintained, the site offers a profile of the town of Rienzi, Mississippi, including its history, from its founding in 1836 to the 20th century, with a concentration on its role during the Civil War, including quotations from dispatches from both Union and Confederates referencing the town.
http://www.rienzihills.com/Rienzi/
