Summit Street
Summit Street was a thriving African American business district during the era of segregation, as well as a hotbed of musical activity. Blues, jazz, and rhythm & blues bands entertained at various nightclubs, cafes, and hotels, and many musicians lived nearby. In McComb and many other cities, commerce in areas such as Summit Street began to decline when much of the African American trade dispersed to other parts of town after the coming of integration in the 1960s.
Summit Street, a historic center of African American culture, entertainment, and politics, was once a dirt road lined with dozens of businesses, including several cafes and clubs that featured blues music. During McComb’s turbulent 1960s, when bombs destroyed nearby homes and businesses, club owners who supported the civil rights movement were among those beaten and arrested. Four decades later, McComb elected a man who grew up on Summit Street, Zach Patterson, as its first African American mayor.
In the heyday of Summit Street, recalled local businessman Bennie Joseph, “People come from all over to McComb, from Chicago all the way to New Orleans, man. It was a wide open city. They had clubs, gambling, corn liquor, everything . . . Dancing, partying, drinking. Clubs, clubs, clubs . . . .” The Harlem Nightingale, which later became the Elk Rest Club, and Brock’s Mocombo No. 2 (formerly the Club Rockett) were McComb’s primary venues for touring blues, R&B, and jazz acts. Ralph Bowsky operated the Nightingale, while Van Brock called his club the McCombo in honor of McComb, although the name was usually spelled Mocombo. As the primary stop on the “chitlin circuit” between Jackson and New Orleans, McComb drew national talent such as B. B. King, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Roy Brown, Ivory Joe Hunter, Solomon Burke, Marvin Gaye, Little Milton, Bobby Rush, Archie Bell & the Drells, Lucky Millinder, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Lloyd Price, Roy Milton, The Bar-Kays, Groove Holmes, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong, Redd Foxx, and McComb’s most famous native, Bo Diddley. McComb also developed its own rich musical heritage, with Wakefield Coney, better known as “Big Moody,” a longtime local blues favorite.
The McComb area’s impressive musical roster also includes Vasti Jackson, Robert “The Duke” Tillman, Larry Addison, Randy Williams, Fread Eugene Martin (aka Little Freddie King) and his father, Jesse James Martin, Zebedee Lee, Brandy Norwood, Omar Kent Dykes, Steve Blailock, Charlie Braxton, Ric E. Bluez, Reverend Charlie Jackson, Bernard “Bunny” Williams, Pete Allen, Chainsaw Dupont, Johnny Gilmore, Robert Rembert, John Lee Allen (“Tater Boy”), vocal group singers Prentiss Barnes of the Moonglows and Robert “Squirrel” Lester of the Chi-Lites, and Leon “Pop” Williams, founder of the Williams Brothers gospel group. The area was also an active center for blues pianists in the 1920s and ‘30s, according to piano legend Little Brother Montgomery, and McComb reportedly was at one time the home of early blues and gospel recording artists King Solomon Hill (Joe Holmes), Cryin’ Sam Collins, and the Graves brothers, Roosevelt and Uaroy
The Mississippi Blues Trail markers tell stories through words and images of bluesmen and women and how the places where they lived and the times in which they existed–and continue to exist–influenced their music. The sites run the gamut from city streets to cotton fields, train depots to cemeteries, and clubs to churches. We have a lot to share, and it’s just down the Mississippi Blues Trail.
The Mississippi Blues Trail is an ongoing project of the Mississippi Blues Commission. Funding for this project has been made possible by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities, Mississippi Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, AT&T, and the Delta Center for Culture and Learning at Delta State University plus additional support from the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Division.
For more information visit msbluestrail.org.
The Mississippi State Capitol, which is located in Jackson, was completed in 1903 and features a distinctive copper dome that is visible from miles away.
The county was officially formed on December 9, 1815, and named after Zebulon Pike, an American explorer. In the early years of its establishment, Pike County's economy was primarily based on agriculture, with cotton becoming a dominant crop. Slavery played a significant role in the county's development, with numerous plantations sustaining the local economy.
During the Civil War, Pike County faced its fair share of challenges. The county's strategic location made it a point of interest for both Union and Confederate forces, resulting in battles and skirmishes throughout the area. The destruction caused by the war took a toll on Pike County's economy and infrastructure, leaving a lasting impact.
In the years following the Civil War, Pike County experienced a slow recovery, with an increased focus on rebuilding the agricultural industry. The introduction of the railroad in the late 19th century helped revitalize the county's economy, enabling easier transportation of goods and connecting Pike County to larger markets. Today, Pike County continues to be a vibrant community with a diverse economy, including agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism. The county's rich history is celebrated through various festivals, museums, and historical sites, ensuring that the legacy of Pike County is preserved and appreciated by future generations.
Pike County Timeline
This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Pike County, Mississippi.
- 1815 - Pike County is created by an act of the Mississippi Legislature
- 1816 - The county's first courthouse is built in the town of Pikeville
- 1856 - The town of Summit is established as the county seat, replacing Pikeville
- 1861-1865 - Pike County residents participate in the American Civil War
- Late 1800s - Sawmills and cotton mills become prominent industries in Pike County
- 1900 - The Pike County Fair is established
- 1929 - The Great Depression affects Pike County's economy
- 1930s - Pike County experiences a period of rural electrification
- 1940s - Pike County residents participate in World War II
- 1960s - The civil rights movement impacts Pike County, leading to desegregation
- 1992 - Hurricane Andrew causes significant damage to Pike County
- 2005 - Hurricane Katrina affects Pike County, causing power outages and infrastructure damage
- Present - Pike County continues to be an important agricultural and industrial hub in Mississippi