Blue Mountain is a small town in the southern end of Tippah County, Mississippi, at the intersection of Mississippi Highways 2 and 15. It is, more than anything else, a college town: the town grew up around the school that is now Blue Mountain Christian University, and the campus still sets the rhythm of the year here.
The name refers to the bluish morning cast of the surrounding hills.
Blue Mountain by the numbers
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Population (2020 census) | 948 |
| County | Tippah |
| Status | Town |
| Incorporated | 1877 |
| Area | 1.65 square miles |
| ZIP code | 38610 |
| Area code | 662 |
| School district | South Tippah School District |
| Highways | Mississippi Highway 2, Mississippi Highway 15 |
Highway 15 runs northeast to Ripley and south to New Albany; Highway 2 runs west toward Hickory Flat.
Blue Mountain Christian University
Founded in 1873, the institution spent most of its history as Blue Mountain College and now operates as Blue Mountain Christian University, a private liberal arts university supported by the Mississippi Baptist Convention. The town incorporated four years after the college opened, and the two have been bound together ever since.
The university's teams — the Toppers — compete in the Southern States Athletic Conference in the NAIA, fielding volleyball, men's and women's soccer, softball, golf, cross country and more. RCTV19 covers the program through the season on the Blue Mountain Christian page.
Schools
The town is served by the South Tippah School District through Blue Mountain School, whose teams compete as the Cougars. District news and student achievements are collected on the Tippah County schools page.
Useful numbers
| Office | Phone |
|---|---|
| Emergency | 911 |
| Tippah County Sheriff | 662-837-9336 |
| Tippah County Emergency Management | 662-587-0325 |
| Tippah County Hospital (Ripley) | 662-837-9221 |
| South Tippah School District | 662-837-7156 |
The full county directory is in the Tippah County guide.
Blue Mountain news from RCTV19
RCTV19 covers the town, the school and the university year round. See the latest news, the obituaries, the communities index, or watch RCTV19 live.