Avalon, Mississippi

Avalon, Mississippi
Unincorporated community
Avalon, Mississippi Show map of Mississippi Avalon, Mississippi Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 33°39′18″N90°05′08″W / 33.65500°N 90.08556°W / 33.65500; -90.08556
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Carroll
Elevation	132 ft (40 m)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	662
GNIS feature ID	666432 [1]

Avalon is an unincorporated community in Carroll County, Mississippi, United States. ^[1] Avalon is located on the former Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad and was at one time home to a general store. ^[2] A post office first began operation under the name Avalon in 1908. ^[3]

Mississippi John Hurt, an African-American blues musician, was raised and lived here most of his life. His shotgun house was preserved as a museum to honor him and it occasionally hosted blues and gospel festivals on the adjacent land. ^[4] In 2024, the building was destroyed in a fire. ^[5]

Carroll County has placed a highway marker at Avalon to commemorate Hurt and his music. It is part of the Mississippi Blues Trail. ^[6] Dardanelle Hadley, a jazz pianist, vibraphonist, and singer, was born in Avalon. ^[7]

• 
  John Hurt Museum
• 
  Mississippi John Hurt Mississippi Blues Trail Marker

References

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Avalon
2. Howe, Tony. "Avalon, Mississippi". Mississippi Rails. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
3. "Carroll County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
4. "Home". msjohnhurtmuseum.com. Archived from the original on September 9, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
5. Dankins, Pam. "'Fully engulfed in flames': Fire destroys Mississippi John Hurt Museum". Mississippi Clarion Ledger. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
6. O'Neal, Jim. "Stackhouse & BluEsoterica (Jim O'Neal): The Mississippi Blues Trail marker project". stackhouse-bluesoterica.blogspot.com. Retrieved May 29, 2008.
7. "Dardanelle Hadley". MSwritersandmusicians.com. Retrieved May 18, 2020.