HISTORY OF PETAL

The earliest inhabitants were the Choctaw and it was on their lands where the trappers and hunters who came to the area in the 1700's found abundant game. Later settlers, many of whom had fought alongside General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans, found these Piney Woods of South Mississippi an ideal place to raise cattle and other livestock. These settlers, who were of Scotch-Irish descent, built a reputation for their hospitality, which is reflected in Petal's reputation as the "The Friendly City".

The rich pine forests of the area have attracted settlers to the area for the last two centuries. In 1819, the Chappell family came to the area and built what is known today as Chappell's Log Landing on the Leaf River. The oldest existing structure is a log cabin which Isaac Carter built for his family in 1846. Petal is named in honor of the daughter of Irvin Polk, the first postmaster. Petal Polk, who was born on August 29, 1902 and died on February 2, 1904, captured the hearts of all of the area residents. No other city in the United States is named Petal.

For much of its existence, Petal was known as the "largest unincorporated town in the United States". On April 5, 1974, Petal was incorporated as the City of Petal. Today, over 8,000 citizens live in Petal and enjoy one of the highest per capita incomes in the State of Mississippi. The City of Petal stands as a sophisticated community offering employment, economic opportunity, and social and cultural benefits for its citizens.

[from Petal Chamber of Commerce]