THE BEGINNING  1835-1860

• In 1817 the Mississippi territory became a state.  By 1830 settlers were moving into the Chickasaw Indian land in Northeastern Mississippi.
• The Stage Coach route from Old East Port, TN to Holly Springs, MS came through "Old Rienzi"  Wayside Station was built on what is now Highway 356, about 2 miles west of Highway 45.  At Wayside there was a two-story log building which provided the travelers with a place to eat and sleep.  The stage coach was furnished with fresh horses.  Later a school was established here.  The log building stood until around 1918.  Mrs. Opal Rutledge taught at the one story, one room, one teacher school from 1930-1934.  The school was later remodeled and turned into a private residence.
• New settlers who came to the new state of Mississippi and settled in the Rienzi area: Boone, Clement, Ellis, Gilchrist, Whitesides, Rowsey, Kemp, Taylor, Barton, Stephans, Scroggins, Savage, McCord, Jobe.  It's anyones guess who was here first.
• On September 16, 1836, the people held an organization meeting to draw up the Articles of Association and elect stockholders for the Town of Rienzi.   The stockholders were Benjamin Clements, Armistead Barton, R.H. Boone, John C. Whitset, Daniel Gilchrist, and John S. Brown.  The town of Rienzi was located in Tishomingo county, the largest in the state until it was divided into Alcorn, Prentiss, and Tishomingo Counties in 1870.
• The Post Office in Old Rienzi was established on July 5, 1839. Charles W. Williams was the first Postmaster and his home, now known as the Roebke Home, served as the post office.  Mr. Williams operated a hotel in his home also.
• The Mobile and Ohio Railroad laid tracks through Rienzi in 1859-1860 and the town moved to the railroad.  Not where the railroad had planned but on the Old Stage Road where it turned East (Front Street) and on  Main Street, the street to the Depot.

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