Brookhaven, Mississippi: The Town That Time Didn’t Rush (And Maybe Forgot About)

Filed under: “Wouldn’t plan a trip here, but it’s a fine place to stretch your legs.”

Brookhaven, MS—where “darlin’” and “sugar” drip off the locals’ tongues like honey, and time seems to slow down whether you asked it to or not. It’s probably not a city on the bucket list, but if you find yourself passing through, it offers a decent detour into the past. Brookhaven’s got layers—and a few historic buildings that clearly plan to outlive us all.

Whitworth College Historic District: Where Education and the Confederacy Once Shared a Zip Code

Brookhaven’s crown jewel—if you like your jewels a little dusty and full of stories—is the former Whitworth College. Founded in 1859, and originally built as a women’s college, the campus was used as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War, and evolved over the years into everything from a Bible college to a community center. Today, it’s home to the Mississippi School of the Arts, adding a spark of creativity to a town otherwise stuck somewhere between 1863 and a decent Wi-Fi signal.

It stands as a small, soulful reminder that transformation happens in layers with its cluster of stoic brick buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s including:

• Cooper Hall (1914) – A proper building with a “don’t slouch” energy. Once home to Dr. W. Cooper, a man who—according to the plaque—did more for Christian education for women in Mississippi than any other man in the state. We love a progressive king.

• Johnson Institute (1883) – The oldest building on campus and once the academic nucleus of the college. Also known as “that one building that makes you want to drink sweet tea on the steps and talk about the Great Depression.”

• Elizabeth Cottage (1913) – A stately white house named for a college president’s wife. It’s the kind of place that feels like it should come with tea and whispered secrets. The name says “charming,” but the front porch says “ghost stories.”

Surprise Street Art

Because every Southern town needs a little “what the heck?” moment—Brookhaven delivers with a delightfully bizarre mural of a purple alien-looking creature holding what appears to be… a pickle? I’m not questioning it. I’m just grateful for it.

The Old Koke Plant

Now a shiny retail center with a café and gift shop, this repurposed Coca-Cola bottling plant is a perfect example of how the South is learning to recycle its past—not just its bottles. Grab a bite, take a photo, and pretend you’re in a Southern Hallmark movie. It’s got a slightly sterile vibe, but the air conditioning works and the signage gives you something to talk about while you wait on your sandwich.

Janie’s Pastry Shop (Est. 1939)

This is where Brookhaven warms up a little. Janie’s feels like a Norman Rockwell painting—if Rockwell had a thing for baseball jerseys, vintage Coca-Cola memorabilia, and old-fashioned glazed donuts.

It’s cluttered in the best way, smells like sugar and grease, and you’ll probably leave with a story and a sticky hand.

Downtown Details

There’s a charming, slightly sleepy stretch of shops downtown, complete with striped awnings, roses blooming in sidewalk beds, and the Haven Theatre, which appears to still be actively hosting community events. Whether you want to see Bye Bye Birdie or just window-shop your way back to your car, it’s a quiet but pleasant walk.

Plaques, Cannons, and a Lot of “Formerly”

Brookhaven is heavy on historic markers. You’ll learn that it was:

• Founded in 1818

• A railway hub by 1851

• A Confederate hospital during the Civil War

• Once a leader in Mississippi’s dairy industry (not quite sure what happened there)

There’s even a little log cabin labeled “Foster Smith, circa 1820” carved into a slab of tree trunk—because of course there is.

Final Thoughts from the Tracks

The train still runs through downtown. And while I wasn’t swept off my feet, I was gently reminded that not every place has to be dazzling to be interesting. Brookhaven isn’t a destination, but it’s a story-starter. A soft pause. A walkable slice of the past with magnolia blooms and friendly strangers who still ask, “Where you from?”

And sometimes, that’s enough.