Olive Branch led the entire State of Mississippi in the construction of single-family residences during the 1990-2000 decade. (U.S. Census)

Sixty-Eight percent (68%) of all the homes in Olive Branch were built during the past ten (10) years. (U.S. Census)

Olive Branch's population grew from 3,750 in 1990 to 21,054 in 2000 to lead the nation with a 561% population growth for the decade. (U.S. Census) As of June 1, 2002, the population is estimated to be around 23,500.

The Olive Branch Airport is the second busiest airport in the State of Mississippi.

Olive Branch has five (5) eighteen hole, tournament-quality golf courses: Cherokee Valley, Plantation, Whispering Woods, Wedgewood and Olive Branch Country Club.

The 135 acre Olive Branch City Park is one of the largest municipal parks in the State. Park amenities include eight (8) baseball fields, four (4) softball fields, five (5) tennis courts, one football field with running track, facilities for youth football and soccer, two (2) fishing lakes, a pavilion, an amphitheater, a picnic area, a one-half mile nature trail and 3.6 miles of walking trails.

The City of Olive Branch is 9 miles wide at it's widest point and 5.25 miles high with an area of 36.42 square miles. (O.B. GIS)

Olive Branch Old Towne is an area of 41 acres bounded, generally, by Highway 305 (Cockrum Street) on the northwest, Old Highway 78 on the northeast and Goodman Road on the south and bisected by Pigeon Roost Avenue. (O.B. GIS)

The elevation above sea-level in Olive Branch Old Towne at the intersection of Pigeon Roost Avenue and Goodman Road is 391 feet. (O.B. GIS)

Olive Branch Old Towne's geographical location is 34 degrees / 58 minutes latitude and 89 degrees / 50 minutes longitude. (O.B. GIS) If you punched a hole directly through the center of the earth from Olive Branch Old Towne, you would emerge about fifteen hundred miles west of Perth, Australia in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

The Wesson House, built in 1875 and located in Olive Branch Old Towne, is one of only three Dedicated Mississippi Landmarks in Desoto County.

According to the 2000 census, Olive Branch's population is 50.9% female and 49.1% male. The racial make-up is 86.6% white, 11.3% African-American, 1.5% Hispanic and .6% others.

According to the 2000 census, there are 7,546 housing units in Olive Branch. Of those, 84% are owner occupied and 16% are rental properties. The ratio for Southaven and Horn Lake is 72%/28%,and for Hernando it is 75%/25%.

Home sales in 2002 for the following Cities in Desoto County:

According to the 2000 census, residents of Olive Branch exceeded those in the other Cities of Desoto County in a number of categories as shown on the following chart:

In the early 1800s, the main road from Memphis to Birmingham (which ran through Olive Branch) became known as Pigeon Roost Road. The name was derived from the gigantic flocks of Passenger Pigeons that roosted in trees alongside the road. Old timers say they congregated in such numbers as to actually break limbs off the trees. The Passenger Pigeon was hunted into extinction around the turn-of- the-century but the name Pigeon Roost Road endures and is the Main Street through the middle of Olive Branch Old Towne. (Town of Olive Branch by Dr. David Haraway)

Visitors to Old Towne notice that the sidewalks on the west side of Pigeon Roost, in front of Old Towne Antiques is around 36 inches above the level of the street. A century ago, before the arrival of motor vehicles, there was a general store in that area and people would come to town on Saturday and pick up their provisions in mule-drawn wagons. The height of the sidewalk is the height of a wagon bed so the townfolks could back their wagons against the sidewalks and load their provisions. It seems we just never got around to changing them.

The land where Olive Branch Old Towne is located was originally purchased from Chickasaw Indian Chief Lush-Pun-Tubby in 1836 for $1.20 per acre.

Olive Branch was known as Cowpens and Watson's Crossroads in the early nineteenth century before being named Olive Branch.

The Metro Industrial Park in Olive Branch is one of the largest and most diverse in North Mississippi. It is home to more than seventy-five (75) manufacturing and distribution companies.

Brussel's Bonsai Nursery in Olive Branch is the nations largest importer and grower of bonsai trees.

Olive Branch is closer to Memphis International Airport than Germantown, Cordova, Bartlett and a large portion of Memphis itself.

Every classroom in every Olive Branch School is computer equipped and connected to the internet.

In every year for the past twelve (12) years, the City of Olive Branch has issued more single family building permits than any other city in DeSoto County and in some of those years, more than Southaven, Horn Lake and Hernando combined. (O.B. Building Dept. Annual Report)

The following weather data is from National Weather Service records:

Average Annual Temperature (fahrenheit)...................... 62.3 degrees

Hottest Month: JULY, Average Temperature..................82.6 degrees Normal High Temperature..............................................92.3 degrees

Coldest Month: JANUARY, Average Temperature........39.7 degrees Normal Low Temperature..............................................30.9 degrees

Hottest Temperature on record: July 13, 1974.................108 degrees

Coldest Temperature on record: December 24, 1963.......-13 degrees

Average Annual Rainfall...................................................52.10 inches

Average Annual Snowfall.................................................. 5.7 inches