Just like any other state, Mississippi has had some strange events take place throughout the years. And while there are too many peculiar stories to remember them all, some are sure to stick out. From odd discoveries to freak accidents, here are eight of the weirdest moments in Mississippi history that most residents will likely never forget.
- Earthquakes in Madison County.
madison.msghn.org Although not extremely powerful, Madison County was hit by two earthquakes in 2015. The first, which took place on May 2nd, hit four miles southwest of Canton, and almost two months later, on June 29th, a second quake struck the area again.
- The parking lot cave-in at IHOP.
In November of 2015, patrons at a Meridian IHOP received the surprise of a lifetime when the parking lot opened up and swallowed over a dozen vehicles. The incident was initially believed to have occurred as a result of a sinkhole, which was later determined to be untrue.
- The discovery of thousands of hidden coffins on the University of Mississippi campus.
umc.edu The shocking find was made by surveyors in March of 2014, as the school was prepping for the construction of a new parking garage. An underground radar initially revealed 1,000 coffins; however, after further inspection, it’s been determined that the number could be more around 7,000. Turns out, the long-lost cemetery is linked to the Mississippi State Lunatic Asylum, which once occupied the land where the medical center now stands.
- A freak accident almost led to a shortage of Popeyes biscuits.
Mike Mozart/Flickr On June 23, 2016, at around 7:15 am, a truck carrying 40,000 pounds of Popeyes biscuits tipped over on I-59 in the small town of Picayune. Unlike many other food-related crashes, this one didn’t lead to the biscuits being expelled from the truck. Instead, the 20 tons of cargo had to be unloaded and then re-loaded onto another truck for transport.
- The time a “chupacabra” was terrorizing the state.
Wilson Hui/Flickr In October of 2013, several Picayune residents had come in contact with an unusual looking creature, which many believed to be the mythical chupacabra. After receiving several calls about the questionable creature, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks did a little investigating of their own. Eventually, they determined it was simply a coyote with a bad case of mange.
- The UFO sightings in Flora.
Chillin662/Wikimedia On February 10, 1977, Flora became the site of “one of the most famous UFO sightings in the world.” The peculiar event was observed by nearly two dozen police officers as well as several locals. Witnesses described seeing a “giant floating object” just above the tree line in a local cotton field. The sighting would go on to garner national media attention.
- And the 1973 alien abduction in Pascagoula.
On the night of October 11, 1973, the coastal town of Pascagoula became the site of “the 2nd most famous UFO abduction case in history.” The two men at the center of the controversy were Charles Hickson, 42, and Calvin Parker, Jr., 19. According to their testimony, Hickson was taken aboard a UFO and inspected for about 20 minutes. After the ordeal, the two men reported the incident to local authorities, and by the next day, it was national news.
- The birth of a Cyclops snake.
Tyree Jimerson/Facebook Tyree Jimerson, a snake breeder from Biloxi, got quite the surprise earlier this year while helping a batch of eggs to hatch. Jimerson immediately noticed something unusual about one of the snakes – it had two eyes in the same socket. The birth defect was caused by a condition known as cyclopia.
So, do you remember these odd events? Have one to add? Tell us in the comments section!
madison.msghn.org
Although not extremely powerful, Madison County was hit by two earthquakes in 2015. The first, which took place on May 2nd, hit four miles southwest of Canton, and almost two months later, on June 29th, a second quake struck the area again.
- The parking lot cave-in at IHOP.
In November of 2015, patrons at a Meridian IHOP received the surprise of a lifetime when the parking lot opened up and swallowed over a dozen vehicles. The incident was initially believed to have occurred as a result of a sinkhole, which was later determined to be untrue.
umc.edu
The shocking find was made by surveyors in March of 2014, as the school was prepping for the construction of a new parking garage. An underground radar initially revealed 1,000 coffins; however, after further inspection, it’s been determined that the number could be more around 7,000. Turns out, the long-lost cemetery is linked to the Mississippi State Lunatic Asylum, which once occupied the land where the medical center now stands.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
On June 23, 2016, at around 7:15 am, a truck carrying 40,000 pounds of Popeyes biscuits tipped over on I-59 in the small town of Picayune. Unlike many other food-related crashes, this one didn’t lead to the biscuits being expelled from the truck. Instead, the 20 tons of cargo had to be unloaded and then re-loaded onto another truck for transport.
Wilson Hui/Flickr
In October of 2013, several Picayune residents had come in contact with an unusual looking creature, which many believed to be the mythical chupacabra. After receiving several calls about the questionable creature, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks did a little investigating of their own. Eventually, they determined it was simply a coyote with a bad case of mange.
Chillin662/Wikimedia
On February 10, 1977, Flora became the site of “one of the most famous UFO sightings in the world.” The peculiar event was observed by nearly two dozen police officers as well as several locals. Witnesses described seeing a “giant floating object” just above the tree line in a local cotton field. The sighting would go on to garner national media attention.
- And the 1973 alien abduction in Pascagoula.
On the night of October 11, 1973, the coastal town of Pascagoula became the site of “the 2nd most famous UFO abduction case in history.” The two men at the center of the controversy were Charles Hickson, 42, and Calvin Parker, Jr., 19. According to their testimony, Hickson was taken aboard a UFO and inspected for about 20 minutes. After the ordeal, the two men reported the incident to local authorities, and by the next day, it was national news.
Tyree Jimerson/Facebook
Tyree Jimerson, a snake breeder from Biloxi, got quite the surprise earlier this year while helping a batch of eggs to hatch. Jimerson immediately noticed something unusual about one of the snakes – it had two eyes in the same socket. The birth defect was caused by a condition known as cyclopia.
If you enjoyed this, be sure to check out “This Is The Single Craziest Thing You Never Knew Happened In Mississippi.“
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
