The McKenzie School is located between Savannah and Lucknuck Creeks, north of [Schoona] River and 5 miles south of Sarepta.  The community was named after Newt McKenzie.  The territory is in the midst of a fine farming section which grows many varieties of crops and vegetables.

The community was first settled before the Civil War by Lawrence (or Colonel) Brasher and his family, Jack Lantrip and family, the McDonalds, Collums, Sanders, Johnsons, Hendersons, Browns, Winters, and others. It has always been a community of loyal and patriotic men and women.  It furnished many soldiers for the southern armies during the Civil War – brave, honorable and heroic men whose records of loyalty and fidelity are still fresh in the memory of their sons and daughters of today. During the World War, many of our boys marched away in the fateful days when liberty hung at the balance. Many returned, but five gallant lads from McKenzie gave their lives for American traditions and the Stars and Stripes. They were Willie Johnson and Henry Vaughn, who died in training Camps, Lambert Hardy who was killed by a submarine, Bob Beckham and Dempsey Collums, who were killed in France and whose bodies lie in “Flanders Field, where poppies blow, above the crosses, row on row, that mark our resting place.”  They did not live in vain. We would be poor citizens indeed if we did not love this great nation that the blood of many of our best and greatest of our community has been sacrificed for in the years that have gone.  May they rest in peace, wherever they lie, under foreign skies or on the hills of their native land.

“Chickenbone Church”
Near McKenzie is Pleasant Ridge (nicknamed “Chickenbone”} where the sainted John Sanders preached the famous Prodigal Son sermon in the long ago as told by Col. M. D. Stevens, under the which has been so often reprinted in our county paper by request. Other pastors of this church have been Revs A. J. Gains (?), Pritchard, Webb, Terry, Box, Tom Winter, Henry Shepherd, J. T. McKibben, Wesson Crocker, L. E. Roane and A. F. Brasher.

Many of our boys and girls of the past have attained to honorable and responsible positions and some of those who are now serving in useful capacities in life are Dr. Bryan Lantrip, of Okolona, who was reared and received his early training here, and Prof. Benton Tanner, a graduate of the State University, and a Chemist of repute.

Community Club
McKenzie Community has a Community Club, with Rev. A. F. Brasher, President, L. J. Henry, Vice-Pres.; and Mrs. A. F. Winter, Secretary.  It has four central committees in charge of all phases of community activities and development, outside the church and school. The Community will participate this year in the County Fair program exhibiting in the various contests under the community club auspices.  The Fair committee consists of J. L. Henry, Chm; A. F. Brasher, Mrs. W. E. Winter, Mrs. H. A. Harrelson, Mrs. W. C. Miles, M. D. Lantrip.  Many of the people are experienced Fair workers and this community has captured some of the most sought after prizes of the Fair every year since its organization. We will again feature our resource and show the visitors what we are doing in the way of farming, community and school development and in the home by placing a Community Exhibit at the Fair.  – Publicity committee