Oktibbeha County, Mississippi

Oktibbeha County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2010 census, the population was 47,671. Its county seat is Starkville.

The Starkville, MS Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Oktibbeha County. Since the late 20th century, Oktibbeha, together with Lowndes and Clay counties, has been designated as part of the Golden Triangle region of the state. Collaborative economic development is being encouraged in this rural region.

History

The name Oktibbeha is a Native American word meaning either bloody water (because of a battle fought on the banks) or possibly icy creek. Indian artifacts more than 2000 years old have been found near ancient earthwork mounds just east of Starkville. These have been used to date the construction of the mounds in the Woodland period, ending about 1000CE. The Choctaw people, one of the Five Civilized Tribes of the Southeast, occupied extensive territory in this area for centuries prior to European encounter. The Indian Mound Campground nearby was named for the earthwork monuments.