This Eerie Footage Will Take You To Nitta Yuma, A Nearly Abandoned Mississippi Town Where Dolls Outnumber People
There are several towns in Mississippi whose populations have diminished tremendously over the years. However, there’s only one town where the departing residents have been replaced with dolls – and it’s Nitta Yuma. As of today, the nearly-vacant town in the Mississippi Delta has more dolls than residents. Take a look:
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Classified as an unincorporated community, Nitta Yuma is located in Sharkey County, a few miles from Anguilla.
And at one time, Nitta Yuma was actually setting precedents. The town had electricity before most in the U.S. – something that was covered in a Memphis paper in 1896. The article referred to Nitta Yuma as the most remarkable town on earth.
That’s not the town’s only claim to fame, though. Nitta Yuma resident, W.H. Vick invented a unique seed that increased the pounds of cotton produced per acre, which ended up being sold commercially.
Eventually, things slowed down in Nitta Yuma and the population steadily dwindled. The Phelps clan is one of the few families who still reside in Nitta Yuma – and they’re also the owners of the town’s massive doll collection, which is one of the state’s largest.
Open to the public, the collection is eerily charming. Among the slew of faces, you’ll find a few that are bound to look familiar, including Bozo, Popeye, and Howdy Doody.
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for the past 25 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships, working for The Royal Obsession and Anatomie clothing. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as Parents & Kids Magazine and Girl Meets Strong. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
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