Open Wednesday - Friday 9 - 4 pm
203 East Quitman St., Iuka MS 38852
Call us at 662-423-3500
Director's direct number: 662-665-5179
Email our director, Linda Johnson at [email protected]
Curator: John C. Driscoll. Email at [email protected]
See Curator's page for a description of the curator and of services available.
The Old Courthouse Museum is a 501c3. Your patronage is what sustains us. Please use the below button to help out. Anything is most gratefully appreciated. All donations are used to enhance our exhibits and to expand our historical education and community outreach programs.
Memberships Sustain the Museum
Use below links to become a member of the Old Courthouse Museum
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Marriage Capital of the South
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Iuka, Mississippi is a quaint historical town steeped in history, unique compared to other small towns due to its old courthouse, built in 1870. Many people came to get married because there was no three-day waiting period and no blood test. They didn't ask your age, so many lovebirds from Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Illinois, made the trek to Iuka to tie the knot. As word spread, love birds from far away states made their way down to Iuka to be married. Many couples were married in the Tax Assessor's Office or upstairs in the old 1870s courtroom. Eventually, Iuka became known as the Marriage Capital of the South with over 44,000 marriage licenses issued. Many come back today to get one more glimpse of where they started their life together and some choose to get married because grandma and grandpa got married at the courthouse. Nestled in the northeast part of Mississippi, you can come see this beautiful Marriage Capital of the South. Marriages still wedding take at the Old Courthouse Museum.
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The Battle of Iuka
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The Battle of Iuka commenced at 4:00 PM on September 19, 1862,. It, along with the Battle of Corinth, were battles fought in northern Mississippi during a two week period know as the Darkest Day Of The War. Two Federal forces, one under the command of General Rosecran and the other commanded by General Ord were supposed to coordinate an attack on the force commanded by Confederate General Sterling Price. Grant had overall command of the Federal forces. He located his headquarters in Burnsville. Rosecrans informed Grant that his army was running late due to bad weather so Grant ordered Ord to wait until he could hear the sound of fighting before engaging the Confederates. Ord and Grant claim to have never heard the fighting so Rosecrans had to take on Price's forces without Ord's help. The day's combat battle was largely a draw as a consequence of General Little's death. The objective of the Federal forces was to destroy of capture General Price's army. They failed to do so. Consequently, since General Price's army survived to fight another day, one can regard the Battle of Iuka as a defacto Confederate victory. The Battle of Iuka was part of a campaign conducted by the Federals to gain to control north Mississippi, the Memphis & Charleston Railroad, and to reach Vicksburg. Below is one of the excellent battlefield maps from the Civil War Preservation Trust. Units are color coded. Unit positions are provided. Contour lines are included. The yellow area is land that is preserved by the trust. The modern roads provide some helpful context, but it is also a bit distracting to see a highway exit ramp in the middle of an 1862 battlefield. This battle is also interesting because of the claim by Grant and Ord to have not heard the fighting. According to various sources there was an acoustic shadow. The wind's direction may have made it prevented Ord and Grant from hearing the sounds of the battle. Reported battlefield conditions seem to support the acoustic shadow theory. Limited means to convey messages between Grant and Rosecrans may have also been a factor. There was a rivalry between Grant and Rosecrans that may have contributed to the lack of support for Rosecrans. Following the battle it was speculated that Grant may have been too drunk to order General Ord's forces to advance. The Battle of Iuka is a significant part of the history of Iuka, Tishomingo County, and of north Mississippi.
