Bentonia, Mississippi

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Bentonia, Mississippi
|settlement_type          = [[Town]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Welcome_To_Bentonia_sign.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = 
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|image_map = Yazoo_County_Mississippi_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Bentonia_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250px
|map_caption              = Location of Bentonia, 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        = [[Yazoo County, Mississippi|Yazoo]]
|government_footnotes     = 
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = 
|leader_name              = 
|leader_title1            = 
|leader_name1             = 
|established_title        = 
|established_date         =

<!-- Area -->
|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           = 3.69
|area_land_km2            = 3.69
|area_water_km2           = 0.00
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.42
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.42
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.00

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 319
|population_density_km2   = 86.47
|population_density_sq_mi = 224.02

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
|utc_offset               = -6
|timezone_DST             = CDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -5
|elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis/>
|elevation_ft             = 197
|coordinates              = {{coord|32|38|46|N|90|22|20|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
|postal_code              = 39040
|area_code                = [[Area code 662|662]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 28-05380
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 2405246<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2405246}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://townofbentonia.com/}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Bentonia''' is a town in [[Yazoo County, Mississippi]], United States. The population as of the [[2020 United States Census|2020 census]] was 319.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bentonia town, Mississippi|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2805380|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]|accessdate=March 13, 2022}}</ref>

The [[Bentonia School]] of blues singing and guitar-playing is named for Bentonia.

==History==
[[File:Illinois Central Depot, Bentonia, Miss. (25647030214).jpg|thumb|left|[[Illinois Central Railroad]] depot in Bentonia]]

Bentonia began as a postal town along the Illinois Central Railway.  It is named for an early resident.  Bentonia had a population of 167 in 1900.<ref name="Rowland">{{cite book | last = Rowland | first = Dunbar | title = Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form | publisher = Southern Historical Publishing Association | year = 1907 | url = https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/548960-redirection | volume = 1 | page = 234}}</ref>

===Bentonia Blues===
The [[Bentonia School]], "Bentonia-style" or "Bentonia Blues" describe a [[country blues]] style that originated in and immediately around Bentonia.<ref>
{{cite web |url=http://bentoniablues.com|title=Bentonia Blues - unique, haunting, country blues still heard in Bentonia, Mississippi|publisher=bentoniablues.com|access-date=2009-08-20}}</ref>  The annual Bentonia Blues Festival is held in June in Bentonia.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://bentoniablues.com/BentoniaBluesFestival.shtml|title=The Official Bentonia Blues Festival Webpage|publisher=bentoniablues.com|access-date=2009-08-20}}</ref>  The festival's stage is set up in front of the [[Blue Front Cafe]], which is operated by [[Jimmy "Duck" Holmes]] who, as a young man, learned the local style from Bentonia Blues musician [[Jack Owens (blues singer)|Jack Owens]].

Three markers on the [[Mississippi Blues Trail]] are located in Bentonia: one each to musicians [[Skip James]] and [[Jack Owens (blues singer)|Jack Owens]], and one located at the Blue Front Café.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.msbluestrail.org/blues_trail/|title=Mississippi Blues Commission - Blues Trail|publisher=www.msbluestrail.org|access-date=2008-05-27}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Blue Front Cafe|url=http://www.msbluestrail.org/blues-trail-markers/blue-front-cafe|access-date=2021-03-20|website=www.msbluestrail.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Skip James|url=http://www.msbluestrail.org/blues-trail-markers/skip-james|access-date=2021-03-20|website=www.msbluestrail.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Jack Owens|url=http://www.msbluestrail.org/blues-trail-markers/jack-owens|access-date=2021-03-20|website=www.msbluestrail.org}}</ref>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of {{convert|1.4|sqmi|km2}}, all land.

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|align=left
|1880= 180
|1940= 440
|1950= 496
|1960= 511
|1970= 544
|1980= 518
|1990= 390
|2000= 500
|2010= 440
|2020= 319
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/decade.html|title=Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decades|publisher=[[US Census Bureau]]|access-date=}}</ref><br> 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2/> 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2/>
}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Bentonia town, Mississippi – Demographic Profile'''<br> (''NH = Non-Hispanic'')
!Race / Ethnicity
!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Bentonia town, Mississippi|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=1600000US2805380&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!Pop 2020<ref name=2020CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Bentonia town, Mississippi|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=p2&g=1600000US2805380&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|website=[[United States Census Bureau]]}}</ref>
!% 2010
!% 2020
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] alone (NH)
|286
|201
|65.00%
|63.01%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] alone (NH)
|148
|92
|33.64%
|28.84%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] alone (NH)
|0
|1
|0.00%
|0.31%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] alone (NH)
|0
|0
|0.00%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Race and ethnicity in the United States census|Some Other Race]] alone (NH)
|1
|0
|0.23%
|0.00%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed Race/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|3
|25
|0.68%
|7.84%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]] (any race)
|2
|0
|0.45%
|0.00%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''440'''
|'''319'''
|'''100.00%'''
|'''100.00%'''
|}
''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 can be of any race.''

===2000 Census===
Bentonia's largest population count, 544, was recorded in 1970. Bentonia had sixty fewer residents in 2010 compared to 2000,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bentonia, MS Population - Census 2010 and 2000 Interactive Map, Demographics, Statistics, Quick Facts - CensusViewer|url=http://censusviewer.com/city/MS/Bentonia|access-date=2021-03-20|website=censusviewer.com}}</ref> and the 2015 estimate is another fourteen fewer.<ref name="USCensusEst2015">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2015/SUB-EST2015.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015|access-date=July 2, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160602200744/http://www.census.gov/popest/data/cities/totals/2015/SUB-EST2015.html|archive-date=June 2, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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 500 people, 203 households, and 130 families residing in the town.  The population density was {{convert|366.0|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 214 housing units at an average density of {{convert|156.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the town was 62.80% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 35.80% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.20% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.20% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.00% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 0.40% of the population.

There were 203 households, out of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 21.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.5% were non-families. 33.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 16.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.15.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 25.2% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 25.6% from 25 to 44, 23.8% from 45 to 64, and 17.6% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.9 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.4 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $21,458, and the median income for a family was $39,583. Males had a median income of $28,000 versus $26,875 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $12,440.  About 23.3% of families and 27.4% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 36.5% of those under age 18 and 22.2% of those age 65 or over.

==Transportation==

[[Amtrak]]’s ''[[City of New Orleans (train)|City of New Orleans]]'', which operates between [[New Orleans]] and [[Chicago]], passes through the town on [[Canadian National Railway|CN]] tracks, but makes no stop. The [[Yazoo City station|nearest station]] is located in [[Yazoo City, Mississippi|Yazoo City]], {{convert|16|mi}} to the north. 

==Education==
The Town of Bentonia is served by the [[Yazoo County School District]].<ref name=Censusmap>{{cite web|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28163_yazoo/DC20SD_C28163.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220801035744/https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28163_yazoo/DC20SD_C28163.pdf |archive-date=2022-08-01 |url-status=live|title=2020 CENSUS - SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERENCE MAP: Yazoo County, MS|publisher=[[U.S. Census Bureau]]|accessdate=2022-07-31}} - [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/DC2020/PL20/st28_ms/schooldistrict_maps/c28163_yazoo/DC20SD_C28163_SD2MS.txt Text list]</ref> Residents are zoned to Bentonia Gibbs Elementary School, Yazoo County Middle School, and [[Yazoo County High School]].

== Notable people ==
* [[Jimmy "Duck" Holmes]], blues musician
* [[Skip James]], blues musician
* [[Jack Owens (blues singer)|Jack Owens]], blues musician
* [[Jim Steels|James Steels]], former outfielder for the [[San Diego Padres]].

==References==
<references />

{{Yazoo County, Mississippi}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Mississippi]]
[[Category:Towns in Yazoo County, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Mississippi Blues Trail]]