Brookhaven
Around Brookhaven
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Town and around · Mississippi · 34k people
Brookhaven
Locals say Piney Woods · “City of Lights”
A slice of Southern comfort in the Piney Woods.
Pine Forest GreenEarth Brown
Welcome to the Piney Woods! Here in Brookhaven and Monticello, life moves at a relaxed pace. Come for the friendly folks, stay for the catfish and sweet tea.
Clubs for Brookhaven
No clubs for Brookhaven yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Brookhaven. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Brookhaven. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Homochitto National Forest Sprawling piney woods with trails, camping, and hunting
- Lake Lincoln State Park Fishing, boating, and camping on a 650-acre lake
- Lincoln County Courthouse Centerpiece of Brookhaven's historic square
- Lawrence County Courthouse In Monticello, the county seat
- Brookhaven Railroad Depot Restored train station in downtown Brookhaven
- Bogue Chitto River Popular for tubing and canoeing
- Outdoors Hike or camp in Homochitto National Forest
- Outdoors Fish and boat at Lake Lincoln State Park
- With kids Picnic and swim at Lake Lincoln State Park
- With kids Explore the historic courthouse square
- Evenings Listen to live country music at a local honky-tonk
- Evenings Dance at a community center event
- Locals love Catfish houses
- Locals love Barbecue joints
Through the year
- Brookhaven Blues Festival May Downtown blues and roots music in May
- Lincoln County Fair September Carnival rides, livestock shows, and local food
- Monticello Fall Festival October Crafts, food, and music in the county seat
Humid subtropical with hot, muggy summers and mild winters. Rain is common year-round. Best: Spring and fall are the best times to be out—mild days and cool nights.
Talk like a local
- “Y'all”
- you all
- “Fixin' to”
- about to
- “Tump”
- to tip over
- “Plumb”
- completely
Getaways
Local flavour
Rooting for Mississippi State Bulldogs, Ole Miss Rebels, Southern Miss Golden Eagles, New Orleans Saints
Eat and drink
- Fried catfish A staple in local catfish houses
- Hushpuppies Served alongside fried fish
- Sweet tea The house drink across Mississippi
- Pecan pie A Southern dessert classic
Where people go
- Catfish houses Local restaurants serving fried catfish, hushpuppies, and coleslaw
- Barbecue joints Smoky, slow-cooked pork and ribs
- Country stores General stores selling local goods and a place to catch up
- Piney woods trails Walking and driving trails through the longleaf pine forest
Heritage and traditions
Brookhaven is proud of its deep blues heritage, its historic railroad town charm, and being home to the Mississippi School of the Arts, which brings a creative spark to the Piney Woods.
This time of year in Brookhaven
- Ole Brook Festival Fall October arts and crafts.
- Ole Brook Festival October Arts and crafts festival in downtown Brookhaven.
Say it like a local: “fixin' to” — about to
Festivals
- Ole Brook Festival October Arts and crafts festival in downtown Brookhaven.
- Brookhaven Christmas Parade December Holiday parade with floats and lights.
- Mississippi School of the Arts Spring Showcase April Student performances and exhibitions.
- Brookhaven Little Theatre Season Year-round Community theater productions throughout the year.
Landmarks with a story
- Brookhaven Little Theatre One of the oldest community theatres in Mississippi.
- Lincoln County Historical and Genealogical Society Museum Local history and genealogy exhibits.
- First Baptist Church of Brookhaven Historic congregation in the downtown area.
- Monticello Historic District Courthouse square with historic buildings.
Food traditions
- Boiled peanuts Roadside snack, especially in summer.
- Church fish fries Hosted on Fridays during Lent.
- Barbecue Slow-cooked pork at community gatherings.
- Grits and biscuits Breakfast staples with gravy or butter.
- Sweet potato pie Holiday dessert, a Southern classic.
Music and arts
- Blues music tradition Local juke joints and the annual Blues Festival (now part of the region's identity).
- Mississippi School of the Arts Fosters young artists in visual and performing arts.
- Brookhaven Little Theatre Community theater with a long history.
- Folk art and quilting Traditional crafts passed down through families.
A little history
- 1858 Brookhaven founded as a railroad depot
- 1870 Brookhaven incorporated
- 1912 Lincoln County Courthouse completed
- 1814 Lawrence County established with Monticello as county seat
- 2003 Mississippi School of the Arts opens
Rivalries
- Mississippi State vs. Ole Miss The Egg Bowl rivalry divides the state
- Southern Miss vs. Tulane Conference USA football rivalry
- Brookhaven vs. McComb high school football Local Friday night bragging rights
- Game day Friday night high school football games
- Game day Youth baseball and softball leagues
- Outdoors Hike and camp in Homochitto National Forest
- Outdoors Fish and boat at Lake Lincoln State Park
- With kids Picnic and swim at Lake Lincoln State Park
- With kids Explore the historic courthouse square
Locals speak with a Southern drawl, often saying 'y'all' and 'fixin' to.' They might pronounce 'Brookhaven' as 'Brook-hay-ven' with a soft 'a'.
Only here
- The Mississippi School of the Arts is the only state-funded residential arts high school in Mississippi.
- Brookhaven is known as the 'Pecan Capital of the World.'
- The Brookhaven Little Theatre is one of the oldest community theatres in the state.
- The Bogue Chitto River is a beloved tubing destination.
New here? A few tips
- Learn to say 'y'all' and 'fixin' to.'
- Be ready for hot, humid summers and mild winters.
- Try the catfish and pecan pie.
- Get involved in a local church for community.
- Explore the Homochitto National Forest.
Make this page better
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Part of Jackson area
Nearby
Every areaMcCombMississippiWhere the pines meet southern hospitalityColumbiaMississippiWhere the pines whisper and the Pearl flows.WoodvilleMississippiWhere the pines meet the riverJacksonMississippiWhere the blues and magnolias meetCollinsMississippiWhere the pines meet the red dirtNatchezMississippiWhere the Old South whispers along the river.VicksburgMississippiSteeped in history, flowing with charm.BogalusaLouisianaWhere the piney woods whisper Louisiana stories.
Brookhaven, MS. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.