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Raymond is a city in Hinds County, Mississippi, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 1,664. Raymond is one of the two county seats of Hinds County (along with Jackson) and is the home of the main campus of Hinds Community College.

Contents 1 History 2 Geography 3 Demographics 4 Education 5 Constructions 6 Notable Natives 7 External links

In 1829, three commissioners were appointed by U.S. President Andrew Jackson to find a place near the center of Hinds County for the county seat. The current location of Raymond is a ridge about a mile from the center of the county, and was selected because the center was low and subject to flooding. The town of Raymond received its charter from the Mississippi legislature on December 15, 1830. Because of its status as a seat of justice and its proximity to the Natchez Trace, Raymond developed quickly into a prosperous small town whose prosperity and smallness have remained constant to this day.

In the late 1840s, Cooper's Well, a property near Raymond with a well that provided sulphured water, was developed into a resort for those seeking the perceived health benefits from its ingestion.

Construction of a new courthouse was begun at the center of the town square in 1857 and completed in 1859, and was facilitated largely by slave labor. The courthouse is still in use as a secondary location of county legal matters (the city of Jackson having become the primary county seat) and the Raymond courthouse is considered by many to be a prime example of southern Greek Revival architecture.

The Battle of Raymond was fought by Confederate and Union soldiers near Raymond on May 12, 1863 as part of General Ulysses S. Grant's Vicksburg Campaign during the American Civil War. Four days later, the pivotal Battle of Champion Hill was won by Grant's troops and sealed the fate of Vicksburg.

Construction of a water tower was begun in 1903 in the center of the town square and it remains a key identifying structure of Raymond along with the courthouse.

A small agricultural high school was opened in 1917 which eventually became Hinds Community College, a prominent community college in Mississippi.

Raymond is located at 32°15′30″N, 90°24′56″W (32.258219, -90.415520)^GR1.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 7.7 km² (3.0 mi²), all land.

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 1,664 people, 469 households, and 317 families residing in the city. The population density was 217.1/km² (562.1/mi²). There were 498 housing units at an average density of 65.0/km² (168.2/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 57.93% White, 41.17% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.42% Asian, and 0.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.96% of the population.

There were 469 households out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.1% were married couples living together, 20.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were non-families. 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.89.

In the city the population was spread out with 15.4% under the age of 18, 40.3% from 18 to 24, 17.2% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 119.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $36,667, and the median income for a family was $42,639. Males had a median income of $31,106 versus $21,953 for females. The per capita income for the city was $12,615. About 17.8% of families and 21.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.4% of those under age 18 and 9.6% of those age 65 or over.

The City of Raymond is served by the Hinds County School District.

The 2,000 foot (609.6 meter) high WLBT Tower, a guyed mast for TV transmission, is among the world's tallest constructions of the type. The Mississippi Authority for Educational Television Tower is a guyed radio mast for TV transmission with a height of 474.9 metres.

• Muna Lee, famous Pan-American poet and first wife of Luis Muñoz Marín (first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico)

• Official Site: The City of Raymond, Mississippi
• History of Raymond, Mississippi
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 32.258219° -90.41552°
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  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
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  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA