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HottyToddy Hometown: Raleigh, Mississippi
In honor of HottyToddy.com reporter Rachel Vanderford, this week’s HottyToddy Hometown is her home away from Oxford.
Raleigh is about 50 miles southeast of Jackson, the state capitol. It is one of three towns in Smith County. Former home of the National Tobacco Spitting Contest, this place is everything you would expect from a small, southern town.
In the 2013 census, Raleigh held a population of 1,446 residents. There is one four-way stop, but no stop lights. The town has one gas station and a small grocery store. Along Main St. are a few shops, salons, and a family-owned pharmacy. Raleigh is the only town in Smith County that has an elementary school separate from its high school.
Named for English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh, Raleigh has been home to such Mississippians as Governor Robert Lowry, Governor/U.S. Senator Anselm McLaurin and pioneer William H. Hardy.
Historically, the town of Raleigh and its citizens were very involved in the Civil War, where it was home to many companies of the Army of Mississippi and even a training camp. Raleigh was a part of Grierson’s Raid, which played a major role in the defeat of the Confederate Army at Vicksburg.
Raleigh was also home to the once-famous Harrison Hotel. The two-story hotel was built in the mid-1840’s and was the most important building in town, aside from the court house. During the 1851 gubernatorial campaign, Jefferson Davis made a speech at the courthouse and visited and dined at the hotel. Other frequents of the Harrison Hotel included Governor Theodore Bilbo and Representative Ross Collins.
This quaint town is also home to former Ole Miss wide receiver, Donte Moncrief. The former Raleigh Lion attended Raleigh High School before moving on to play for Ole Miss, where he played from 2011-2013. In January of 2014, Moncrief decided to forgo his senior year and enter the NFL Draft. In May of 2014, he was picked and signed by the Indianapolis Colts.
Rachel Vanderford is HottyToddy.com and can be reached at rmvander@go.olemiss.edu.
| Sat, Aug 31 |  | vs Furman | W, 76-0 |
| Sat, Sep 7 |  | vs Middle Tennessee | W, 52-3 |
| Sat, Sep 14 |  | @ Wake Forest | W, 40-6 |
| Sat, Sep 21 |  | vs Georgia Southern | W, 52-13 |
| Sat, Sep 28 |  | vs Kentucky | L, 20-17 |
| Sat, Oct 5 |  | @ South Carolina | W, 27-3 |
| Sat, Oct 12 |  | vs LSU | L, 29-26 (2 OT) |
| Sat, Oct 26 |  | vs Oklahoma | W, 26-14 |
| Sat, Nov 2 |  | @ Arkansas | W, 63-35 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Georgia | W, 28-10 |
| Sat, Nov 23 |  | @ Florida | L, 24-17 |
| Sat, Nov 30 |  | vs Mississippi State | W, 26-14 |
| Thu, Jan 2 |  | vs Duke (Gator Bowl) | W, 52-20 |
| Mon, Nov 4 |  | vs Long Island University | W, 90-60 |
| Fri, Nov 8 |  | vs Grambling | W, 66-64 |
| Tue, Nov 12 |  | vs South Alabama | W, 64-54 |
| Sat, Nov 16 |  | vs Colorado State | W, 84-69 |
| Thu, Nov 21 |  | vs Oral Roberts | L, 100-68 |
| Thu, Nov 28 |  | vs BYU | W, 96-85 OT |
| Fri, Nov 29 |  | vs 13 Purdue | L, 80-78 |
| Tue, Dec 3 |  | @ Louisville | W, 86-63 |
| Sat, Dec 7 |  | vs Lindenwood | W, 86-53 |
| Sat, Dec 14 |  | vs Southern Miss | W, 77-46 |
| Tue, Dec 17 |  | vs Southern | W, 74-61 |
| Sat, Dec 21 |  | vs Queens University | W, 80-62 |
| Sat, Dec 28 |  | @ Memphis | L, 87-70 |
| Sat, Jan 4 |  | vs Georgia | 11:00 AM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 8 |  | @ 23 Arkansas | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 11 |  | vs LSU | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Tue, Jan 14 |  | @ 5 Alabama | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 18 |  | @ 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Jan 22 |  | vs 13 Texas A&M | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Jan 25 |  | @ Missouri | 5:00 PM SECN |
| Wed, Jan 29 |  | vs Texas | 8:00 PM ESPN2 |
| Sat, Feb 1 |  | vs 2 Auburn | 3:00 PM TBA |
| Tue, Feb 4 |  | vs 10 Kentucky | 6:00 PM ESPN |
| Sat, Feb 8 | | @ LSU | 7:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 12 |  | @ South Carolina | 6:00 PM SECN |
| Sat, Feb 15 | | vs 17 Mississippi State | 5:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Feb 22 |  | @ Vanderbilt | 2:30 PM SECN |
| Wed, Feb 26 | | @ 2 Auburn | 6:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 1 |  | vs 12 Oklahoma | 1:00 PM TBA |
| Wed, Mar 5 |  | vs 1 Tennessee | 8:00 PM TBA |
| Sat, Mar 8 |  | @ 6 Florida | 5:00 PM SECN |
Jerry Lynn Klepzig
October 17, 2014 at 11:11 pm
What fun to go hottytoddy.com and find my hometown of Raleigh being featured with the picture of the beautiful courthouse and the memorial to our hometown veterans.. The pharmacy located on main street has been in my family since the late 1940’s. Even though I grew up there I was unaware of some of the historical facts mentioned . Thanks for honoring Rachael Vanderford and her hometown!l
William Harpole
October 18, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Raleigh was for a few years the location of The Tobaco spitting contest. A young man from eupora won it for a few years
Christopher driver
December 20, 2016 at 1:50 pm
When is the next contest?