History of the Olive Branch Area

The restored Wesson House (circa 1885-90), home of Olive Branch's first Mayor B.F. Wesson, anchors the downtown area. It is designated Mississippi Landmark and is available for a variety of community uses.

Like many other cities, Olive Branch had a different name when it was first founded near where several old Chickasaw Indian Trails crossed. It was originally called Watson's Crossroad. Then, in 1846, when the first Post Office was established, Mrs. Frances Wilson Blocker - a descendant of one of the community's founders - suggested the name Olive Branch. She thought, it is said, that the new name symbolized a dove bringing a Branch to the seagoing Noah.

Whatever the reason for her choice, the name was informally adopted by the 185 residents. On May 1, 1874 Olive Branch was incorporated as a town and on March 6, 1888 it progressed to Village status.

But there was a lot of history before Olive Branch was formally named. Mississippi had become a State on December 10, 1817. Until then it had been known as Mississippi Territory and included what is now Alabama.

Fourteen years before the Olive Branch Post Office opened, President Andrew Jackson was just beginning his second term. He decided that extensive Indian-held land east of the Mississippi River should be given to frontier settlers for clearing and farming so he dispatched General John Coffee to northern Mississippi. General Coffee's assignment was to persuade the Chickasaw Indians to sell some of their land. He succeeded when in October, 1832 the tribal chieftains signed the Pontotoc Treaty which allowed them to keep certain designated lands. The remainder was opened to settlers.

A Spanish Explorer Leaves His Mark...
Seventeen counties were created soon after the Treaty including, in 1836, DeSoto County. The name was derived from the famous Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto. And Hernando, Mississippi became the DeSoto County Seat.