Stone County, Mississippi

Stone County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 18,333. Its county seat is Wiggins. Stone County was formed from the northern portion of Harrison County on June 5, 1916. The county was named for John M. Stone, who served as Governor of Mississippi from 1876 to 1882 and again from 1890 to 1896.

Stone County is included in the Gulfport-Biloxi, MS Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1918, the Stone County Courthouse was completed at a cost of $29,515.18, and is still in use today, after several renovations.

Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 448 sqmi, of which 445 sqmi is land and 2.6 sqmi (0.6%) is water.

Major highways

 * [[Image:US 49.svg|20px]] U.S. Highway 49
 * [[Image:Circle sign 15.svg|20px]] Mississippi Highway 15
 * [[Image:Circle sign 26.svg|20px]] Mississippi Highway 26
 * [[Image:Circle sign 29.svg|20px]] Mississippi Highway 29

Adjacent counties

 * Perry County (northeast)
 * George County (east)
 * Jackson County (southeast)
 * Harrison County (south)
 * Pearl River County (west)
 * Forrest County (northwest)

National protected areas

 * De Soto National Forest (part)
 * Sweetbay Bogs Preserve

Demographics
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 18,333 people, 6,334 households, and 4,560 families residing in the county.

Arts and culture
On April 25, during the 2012 regular session of the Mississippi Legislature, Concurrent Resolution 643 was adopted by the state Senate and state House of Representatives, stating that Stone County be named and declared the Mural County of Mississippi. During the previous 8 years, a Telling Trees Project was developed in Stone County to document and celebrate Stone County's history and heritage. As part of that project, 23 murals, in the form of paintings and mosaic tiles, were created in cooperation with the Art Department, Perkinston campus of Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and are on public display throughout the county. The murals tell visual stories of Stone County's ecosystems, people, landmarks, and industries.

Cities

 * Wiggins (county seat)

Census-designated place

 * Bond

Unincorporated communities

 * Beatrice
 * Big Level
 * McHenry
 * Perkinston
 * Ramsey Springs
 * Silver Run
 * Ten Mile
 * Texas

Public school districts

 * Stone County School District

Colleges

 * Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston Campus