Voted America’s Best Southern Small Town by USA Today’s Readers’ Choice survey in 2017, New Albany is the county seat of Union County and has a population of about 8,500. Organized in 1840 and located on the banks of the Tallahatchie River, its downtown area is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features galleries, antique shops, boutiques and restaurants. The town also boasts a sports complex, USTA tennis center and a farmers’ market.
As the birthplace of William Faulkner, New Albany hosts the annual Faulkner Fest. It also hosts music festivals and is home to the Union County Heritage Museum, which includes the Faulkner Literary Garden. New Albany is near the site of the Native American Ingomar Mounds and is the gateway to the Tanglefoot Trail, which is Mississippi’s longest rail trail (more than 40 miles).