Kemper County Lake and the historic sites give a trip two distinct focal points: a waterside landscape on one hand, and churches, houses, and local history on the other. The lake is in De Kalb and covers 596 acres in Kemper County. When looking for a place to stay, you can first consider whether the lake or the area’s architectural and local history should shape your visit.
The lake and getting your bearings in the county
Kemper County Lake is a prominent geographic landmark in the county. The lake is in De Kalb and covers 596 acres. If you include historic sites in your travel plans alongside the lake, you’ll find a variety of local points of interest throughout the county rather than just one focal point.
In De Kalb, the Reuben Kemper Marker and the John C. Stennis Marker are located on the grounds of the Kemper County Courthouse. They therefore share the same location. Other markers are at their own roads and sites: the Electric Mills Marker is on the west side of Highway 45 in Electric Mills. The Zion Baptist Church Marker is on West Zion Road, off Zion Road, in southwest Kemper County. The Giles-Neville Cemetery Marker is on Highway 16 at the junction with Giles Road.
The location near Porterville is also described precisely: the marker and Chapel Hill Church are on Chapel Hill Church Road, a few miles west of Porterville. Access is via Firetower Road from Highway 45. Such specific location and road details help place the historic sites individually rather than relying solely on their names.
Churches, houses, and architectural history
Zion Baptist Church is a rural church in a vernacular architectural style, with Carpenter Gothic details and an unusually high degree of preservation. The present building was constructed in 1910–1911. Its specific construction date and distinctive architectural classification make it noteworthy. The Kemper County Courthouse adds another perspective on the county’s architectural history: it was designed by Meridian architect P. J. Krouse.
Other examples highlight different aspects. Porterville General Store is an outstanding example of a traditional store in a rural community or village. Oliver House, meanwhile, is considered a notable example of 19th-century vernacular residential architecture in Mississippi. Together, these buildings reflect different scales of architectural history: from a rural church to a house and a local store.
At Perkins House, the building’s design and local history are intertwined. It is a one-story wood-frame house with a cross-gable roof. Its original location was near the community of Moscow in Kemper County; the house was moved from there in 2012. Its current surroundings still resemble the rural setting of its original location. Its former site and subsequent move are thus two distinct chapters in its history.
Local history and historic routes
The history of Chapel Hill Church began in 1874. The first building, made of hewn logs, was completed in 1875 and was known as Narkeeta Chapel. The Chapel Hill Church grounds also served as an overnight stop for the stagecoach line between Jackson, Mississippi, and Greensboro, Alabama. A spring at the northwest corner of the property supplied water to the hotel and horses. Both details point to the site’s former functions, not to any present-day offerings.
Electric Mills also has a distinctive historical connection: the community was founded in 1913 and was one of the first places in Mississippi to have electric lighting. For a trip that takes in local history as well as churches and buildings, this adds the history of a community to the architectural examples.
Sciple’s Mill and choosing a place to stay
A 2017 local television report described Sciple’s Mill as one of the few water-powered grist mills still operating in the United States at the time. The same report listed cornmeal, grits, and whole-wheat flour as products available to customers. If you specifically plan to shop there, check in advance whether these products are currently available.
Check a hotel’s stated location against these selections.
Discover more destinations: Scooba, Monroe County, Claiborne, Grenada County, Marshall, Prentiss, Jones, Warren.
See the broader travel overview: Mississippi.
