A Mississippi Genealogy & History Collection
Beauregard is a small but enduring community in northern Copiah County, Mississippi, shaped by the rise of the railroad, the timber trade, and the shifting fortunes of rural life in the South. Its origins date to the late nineteenth century, when the expansion of the Illinois Central Railroad transformed a quiet, wooded section of Copiah County into a small but promising railroad stop. Named in honor of Confederate General P. G. T. Beauregard—a common naming trend for Southern towns established in that era—the settlement slowly grew around the depot that served as its early lifeline.
The timber industry played a defining role in Beauregard’s development. Copiah County was thick with virgin pine forests, and sawmills sprang up across the region in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Beauregard benefited from these operations, as the railroad provided an efficient means to ship lumber to larger markets. Small stores, a post office, and scattered dwellings clustered near the tracks, forming the core of the community. Many early families in Beauregard were tied directly to timber, farming, or the railroad itself, which provided stable employment through periods when agriculture alone could not.
Though small in population, Beauregard maintained a distinct identity. Churches became the social anchors of the area, drawing residents from across the surrounding countryside. Community life revolved around these institutions, along with neighborhood schools that served local children until county consolidation later in the twentieth century shifted education to nearby towns.
As the great pine forests were gradually cut out and the railroad’s influence waned, Beauregard’s economic role diminished. By mid-century, many businesses closed or moved, and residents increasingly commuted to larger towns such as Hazlehurst, Crystal Springs, Brookhaven, and Jackson for work. Yet the community persisted, supported by strong family ties and the steady rhythms of rural life. Its quiet streets, small cluster of homes, and close-knit families became its defining features rather than commerce or industry.
Despite its modest size, Beauregard has remained an enduring part of Copiah County’s patchwork of communities. Present-day Beauregard is valued for its peaceful setting, its historical roots in Mississippi’s railroad and lumber eras, and the families whose connections reach back generations. Though much smaller than in its bustling timber-railroad days, the community continues to reflect the resilience and continuity of rural Mississippi life.
