Woodall Mountain - Mississippi State Highpoint

This Mississippi mountain is a little bump that would be hardly noticed elsewhere. But today it is known as the State Highpoint of Mississippi and hence gets hundreds of visitors every year from all 50 states. The first name was Yow Hill, then this point was named Woodall Mountain in 1878 after Zephaniah H. Woodall, who was the sheriff of Tishomingo County at that time. The summit has several communication towers but a monument exists and a mailbox with register. You can literally drive around the summit, sign the register and never get out of your car.

Woodall Mountain - Mississippi Highpoint

At one time there was a Forest Service lookout tower on the summit, as late as 1997. A USGS benchmark is at the highpoint, stamped with the triangulation station name KNOB and the dates 1914 and 1934. During the Civil War, the summit was likely used for army observations because of the wide views from the summit. It is also likely that the Civil War Battle of Iuka (Sept 19, 1862) took place on Woodall Mountain or nearby at the freeway interchange just to the north. The following description of the fighting matches the terrain "About 4:00 pm, just after ascending a hill, the Union column halted because the Confederates were well-placed below in a ravine, filled with timber and underbrush. The Confederates launched attacks up the hill, capturing a six-gun Ohio battery, while the Federals counterattacked from the ridge. Fighting, which Price later stated he had never seen surpassed, continued until after dark" At the end of the battle, the Union force of 4500 successfully drove 3200 Confederate troops out of Iuka to Corinth, MS. The two armies would face each other a month later in Corinth.

Several signs from nearby roads point to Woodall Mountain although few suggest it is the highest point in Mississippi. The gravel road up no longer has a gate and the last sign encourages people to drive up. From US Hwy72, take the IUKA exit; turn South and take immediate right at the Woodall Mountain sign.