Gum Ridge

Mississippi's ghost towns are river ports and cotton towns, plus lumber camps that clear-cut the pine hills.

Gum Ridge is a ghost town in Jefferson County, Mississippi. Gum Ridge was located at the eastern end of a bend in the Mississippi River, at the mouth of Coles Creek. A post office was established in 1875, and the hamlet was included on Mississippi River postal routes. The river changed course in 1884 and began to flow along the "Waterproof Cutoff", named for nearby Waterproof, Louisiana. Gum Ridge had been removed from the contiguous Mississippi River, and the former bend in the river filled in. In 1900, Gum Ridge had a population of 29.

The on-the-ground condition of Gum Ridge is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Gum Ridge is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times. The mapped point for Gum Ridge is roughly 31.7836, -91.2444 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.