Heart of the Mississippi Delta and birthplace of B.B. King
In the heart of the Mississippi Delta is Indianola, a small town of about 10,000 residents. A hundred miles from Jackson, Mississippi’s capital, and about 30 miles from the Arkansas border, this small town is the birthplace of B.B. King. “He always claimed Indianola as home. He came home once a year and would have a free concert for residents,” says Malika Polk-Lee, Executive Director for the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. “There’s a rich history and just being part of the Mississippi Delta where Blues began. Active Civil Rights history, food history, music history. All of that rich history helps to draw people to this area.”
Indianola is a small Mississippi Delta city known for its deep blues roots and rich cultural heritage.
Home to the B.B. King Museum, Indianola celebrates its place in music history as the town where the blues legend once lived.
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Historical homes dotted throughout Indianola
New construction is rare in Indianola, with most housing built in the 1960s as ranch-style homes. Historical homes built around 1900 can be found throughout Indianola as well, typically in Victorian and Colonial Revival styles. Trees and foliage are plentiful in the Delta, with properties often surrounded by mature and young trees. Newer properties tend to sit close together, while older ones will have more room. The median price for homes in Indianola is $165,000, higher than Greenwood ($125,000) and Greenville ($55,000), the two nearest largest cities to Indianola. It is also higher than Jackson, the capitol of the state ($125,000). The town is almost 5o-50 with owners and renters.
While Queen Anne and Greek Revival homes reflect Indianola’s Southern roots, Mediterranean Revival adds a rare and charming twist to the city’s neighborhoods.
Indianola’s Queen Anne homes bring Victorian-era charm to the city with their ornate trim, asymmetrical designs, and wrap around porches.
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B.B. King museum celebrating his centennial year
The B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center focuses on the musician. “He created fans all over the world. Once he created a fan, he created a fan for life,” says Polk-Lee. “Once people find out we’re here and that’s where he’s buried, they want to come.” The B.B. King Homecoming Festival occurred once a year when B.B. King would return home to perform a concert for residents. “We did the last one in 2019,” says Polk-Lee. “Bouncing back from COVIS, it was one of the things that we chose not to bring back. The Delta is full of so many different kinds of festivals, and without him being a part of the homecoming, it wouldn’t be a true homecoming.” The museum is celebrating the musician's centennial year in 2025, with activities throughout the year. “We kicked off the year with a rose parade. We just finished the Mississippi Blues Marathon. There were 1,700 registrants from all over the U.S. and internationally.”
Park named after first Black female postmaster
Wayne and Minnie Cox Park is named after the first Black woman to be postmaster in the United States. Stationed at the Indianola Post Office, Cox was postmaster from 1891 to 1902, until racial tensions began to consume the town over her posting. When she resigned in 1903, President Teddy Roosevelt continued to pay her the postmaster’s salary until the end of her term. Henry M. Seymour Public Library was first opened in 1959 and offers classes and events throughout the month.
Indianola’s Henry Seymour Library serves as a vital community hub, offering access to books, technology, and educational programs.
Minnie Cox Park in Indianola honors the legacy of the first African American postmaster in the United States and offers a peaceful space for the community.
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Main Street with local businesses and retailers along the highway
Main Street has most of the local businesses sitting along it, with a cluster along the intersection of Front Avenue and Main Street. “Catfish is one of the main industries here in the Delta, with Indianola as one of the biggest catfish producers in the world,” Polk-Lee says. Club Ebony was built after World War II and showcased a variety of musicians, including B.B. King, Willie Clayton and Count Basie. It has a historical marker in front and sits as one of the two original markers for the Mississippi Blues Trail. Along U.S. Highway 82 is a Walmart Supercenter and a variety of chain and local restaurants.
Indianola’s Club Ebony has evolved from a post-WWII juke joint into a treasured venue that honors the spirit of the blues and its legends.
Indianola’s downtown storefronts reflect the city’s historic charm, with brick facades and vintage signage lining the streets.
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Sunflower County covering the education of Indianola
Indianola is served by the Sunflower County Consolidated School District, which is graded a C by Niche. Originally Indianola has its own school district as Indianola School District until it was combined in 2012 with the Sunflower County School District. Indianola Academy is a private school for kindergarten through 12th grade. It earns a B-minus from Niche.
Indianola’s Henry Seymour Library serves as a vital community hub, offering access to books, technology, and educational programs.
Gentry High School is a public school in Indianola serving students in grades 10–12 with a student-teacher ratio of 15 to 1.
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Intersection of U.S. Highways 100 miles from Jackson
U.S. Highway 82 and U.S. Highway 49W intersect within the town. Jackson, the capital of Mississippi, is almost 100 miles south of Indianola. On the east side of the city is the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport. The city is about 30 miles east of the Arkansas-Mississippi border. South Sunflower County Hospital is a smaller hospital located along U.S. Highway 82.
Crime
Crime statistics for Indianola are not readily available.
Three Bedrooms / Two Baths1650 sq ft Main Home / 200 sq ft Work Shed (Back Yard)150 sq ft wooden back deck (attached)Central HVACWell maintainedOne car carportLarge Bayou Front 0.74 acre lotCentrally located close to downtown Walk to City Hall, Grocery Store & Post Office
Source: Public RecordsDisclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
