Lauderdale County, established in 1835, is bordered by Tipton, Dyer, Crockett, and Haywood Counties. The waters of the Hatchie, Mississippi, and Forked Deer Rivers wash its shores. Ripley is the county seat, with Halls, Gates, and Henning being the county's other population centers. Numerous once-thriving communities dot the county. Its fertile soil made farming the principal occupation until the 1950s, when light industry arrived. Farming persists with cotton and grain the principal crops; the county is famous for its Ripley tomatoes. Points of interest in the county include Fort Pillow State Park on the site of the Civil War fort, the Veteran's Museum on the former World War II training base for B-17 crews, the Alex Haley Home and Interpretive Center, Sugar Hill Mansion, historic downtown Ripley, the Art Deco courthouse, and the WPA Depression-era painting in the Ripley Post Office. The bordering rivers, Open Lake, Chisholm Lake, and numerous wildlife refuges located in the county make it a sportsman's paradise. Located on the Mississippi Flyway, Lauderdale County is also a popular bird-watching destination.