General Facts About Hernando Geography Total Area 11.2 square miles Elevation 389 ft. above sea level Longitude 89° 59’ 41” W Latitude 34° 49’ 23” N Time Zone Central Standard Time Zone Distance to Jackson, Mississippi 173 miles Distance to Memphis, Tennessee 12 miles Distance to Washington, D.C. 807 miles Climate Mean Annual Temperature 61.8° Average Annual High Temperature 70.9° Average Annual Low Temperature 49.7° Average Annual Rainfall 53.15 inches Transportation Major Highways U.S. Interstate 55 U.S. Highway 51 Mississippi Route 304 Major Airports Memphis International Airport (distance: 15 miles) Rivers Mississippi River (distance: 20 miles) Government Hernando is governed by a Mayor and five-member Board of Aldermen, each of whom are elected to a four-year term by popular vote. Public Safety  Hernando, with one of the lowest crime rates in the region, is protected by a trained staff of officers from the Hernando Police Department, and is the headquarters for the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department, which maintains a constant presence at various government buildings downtown.   The city is also served by a full-time group of city firemen, emergency medical technicians and paramedics from the Hernando Fire Department. The city is currently rated a 7 by the Mississippi Fire Rating Bureau. Historical Facts  1541 Hernando DeSoto discovers Mississippi River 1817 Mississippi enters the Union as the 20th state 1832 Treaty of Pontotoc Creek signed; Chickasaw Indians cede lands to U.S. government 1833 Settlement of Jefferson (known today as Hernando) established 1836 Mississippi Legislature designates Hernando as county seat of DeSoto County Edward Orne of Boston & Mississippi Land Co. gives 40 acres for county seat site Fred de Funick maps city First courthouse built one-quarter mile south of town square 1839 First newspaper, the Hernando Free Press, established with Felix LaBauve as editor 1840 Town of Hernando incorporated 1841 Bill passed to incorporate the Commerce, Hernando and Eastport Railroad 1845 Nathan Bedford Forrest elected constable of Hernando 1846 - Patton Anderson forms company from DeSoto County during Mexican War Nathan Bedford Forrest elected coroner of DeSoto County 1852 Construction begins on Hernando Plank Road; Mississippi & Tennessee chartered 1855 Memphis to Hernando Railroad link completed Second courthouse built on Hernando Square 1861 Civil War begins 1863 Union troops burn Hernando courthouse 1864 Nathan Bedford Forrest leads famous raids into Memphis 1866 First school board organized in DeSoto County 1870 Congress votes Mississippi back into Union 1871 First free public school in county, Hernando Male Academy, formed 1872 "French Castle" court house completed First free school for blacks established in county 1876 Yellow Fever epidemic hits Hernando 1879 Felix LaBauve dies, leaves endowment for University of Mississippi scholarships for orphans 1890 Hernando Bank chartered First high school established in Hernando Mississippi/Tennessee border agreed upon by both states Mississippi constitution approved 1893 First black high school established 1900 Smallpox epidemic hits Hernando 1901 First free nine month school, Randle University, opens in Hernando 1913 County’s first automobile agency, Ford dealership opens in Hernando 1929 Great depression; Alma Gray Horn writes History of DeSoto County 1836 to 1861 1940 French Castle courthouse burns 1942 New courthouse completed 1943 Arkabutla Lake dam completed 1953 Goldsmith's donates DeSoto murals to county 1970 Integration of public schools 1973 Hernando civic clubs purchase property for youth baseball and horse shows known as Hernando Civic Center 1978 Hernando Industrial Park developed 1988 John Grisham publishes A Time to Kill, with scenes depicting Hernando 1989 City of Hernando hires first full time fireman 1990 Movie Blind Vengence, starring Gerald McRainey is filmed on Hernando Court Square 1997 Hernando becomes first Small Towns Main Street program in state of Mississippi DeSoto County Courthouse, Hernando Court Square placed on National Register of Historic Places 2000 Census data reflects town’s population doubles since 1990 2002 Hernando leads DeSoto County in highest average price of homes sold Mississippi Department of Transportation begins work on New Highway 304 bypass 2003 Historic DeSoto Museum opens First Regional Library completes expansion and renovation City and Chamber of Commerce launch community website 2005 City and Chamber of Commerce launch improved community website