Tupelo

Tupelo is a town filled with color and character, where the sweet smell of tupelo gum trees accents life. An easygoing attitude complements a burgeoning medical industry.
    
Fans from around the globe pay homage to Elvis' roots at the two-room frame house where the King was born. At the hardware store where he bought his first guitar. Even at the elementary school where he sang "Old Shep."
    
The Elvis Presley Museum houses one of the most unique private collections in the world, including rare articles from his youth, personal mementos - and a dazzling jumpsuit from his Las Vegas act.
    
But Tupelo's rich history reaches back much further than the birth of rock 'n' roll. The Chickasaw Village, an 18th-century Chickasaw settlement preserved on the Natchez Trace, opens a window to a forgotten time and way of life.
    
During the summer of 1864, the Tupelo area saw two of the Civil War's bloodiest battles. Brice's Cross Roads National Battlefield and Tupelo National Battlefield peacefully commemorate the brave souls who fell under the raging Mississippi sun.
    
The future flourishes with state-of-the-art medical technology. Tupelo's North Mississippi Medical Center is the largest non-metropolitan hospital in the United States, achieving excellence in many different fields. As a result, Tupelo residents benefit from the finest medical services, educational programs and an innovative wellness center.

Two college campuses answer the demand for continuing education. A myriad of classes and cultural opportunities are available at Itawamba Community College and the University of Mississippi, Tupelo Branch.
    
Theatre. Ballet. The symphony. The arts thrive in Tupelo. Between command performances, residents satisfy their cultural needs with exhibitions at the Tupelo City Museum and Tupelo Art Gallery.
    
For those who look to nature for inspiration, whitetail deer, wild turkey, dove and quail fill the surrounding woodlands. The Natchez Trace provides many scenic nature trails, and five nearby golf courses make for easy escapes to the fairway.
    
Art, sweat and cheers aptly describe the annual Gumtree Festival. This spring celebration features an arts festival, theatre production, musical entertainment and the state's largest 10K footrace.
    
Everybody gets together to cut loose during the Elvis Presley Festival. Music stages, a street dance and lots of activities provide a great event honoring Tupelo's native son.

Read what people like yourself have to say about Tupelo:

The small-town charm of Tupelo drew Fred and Beverly Stroup from Orlando, Florida.

Mississippi Living: How did Tupelo first catch your eye?

The Stroups: Our son married a Tupelo girl, and we came here for the wedding. Everybody we met was just as sweet as she. After that, we visited them every chance we got.

Mississippi Living: What made you decide to finally pack it up and move there?

The Stroups: Well, we wanted to play with our grandchildren more, and to tell you the truth, we preferred the climate and quality of life here to Florida's. Then, when we learned retiree benefits are not subject to state income tax in Mississippi, that was it.

Mississippi Living: Now that you live in Tupelo, what do you enjoy most?

The Stroups: The city just feels alive. Everybody's so friendly, and there's always something going on with the symphony or theater. The low cost of living makes it much easier to enjoy everything we want to do.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

City of Tupelo
71 East Troy Street
P. O. Box 1485
Tupelo, MS 38802
Phone: 662-841-6553
1-800-488-0739
Fax: 662-840-2075
E-mail: retirement@ci.tupelo.ms.us
Website: www.ci.tupelo.ms.us