Browsing: History

Tradition, elegance, and history define Mississippi’s oldest restaurant, Weidmann’s. Located in Meridian, the iconic restaurant was established in 1870 by Felix Weidmann, a Swiss immigrant chef on a transatlantic steamship.

Hattiesburg, Mississippi is one of the largest cities in Mississippi. Located in the southern region, Hattiesburg is an economic powerhouse and has been growing rapidly for the last decade. Known as the “Hub City”, Hattiesburg is home to many businesses, small and large, and is jam packed with activities year round. But what are the origins of the name of this incredible city? It turns out that the way Hattiesburg got its name is comparable to a romance novel. 

Bright blue skies brought together The University of Southern Mississippi (USM), Pass Road Elementary School, and The Historical Society of Gulfport to restore cemetery markers and preserve the historic Old Mississippi City Cemetery in Gulfport, Miss.

Many souls rest in Meridian’s Rose Hill Cemetery, but the most visited gravesite belongs to the queen of the gypsy nation whose tombstone is a highlight of the cemetery’s annual tour set this year on September 28.

A collaboration between The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage (COHCH) and Dale Center for the Study of War and Society will present the consequential story of World War II through the voices of those who fought on its front lines and contributed to victory at home, along with input from internationally recognized Southern Miss faculty experts, in a special 10-week podcast series debuting Sept. 30.

The Deason Home appears fairly ordinary at a first glance. Light gray exterior with a baby blue ceiling on the front porch gives the home a slightly more interesting touch. Besides this, the Deason Home looks like a normal house you’d see while cruising around Mississippi. While the home is ordinary, at first glance, the history of this mysterious house is far from ordinary. 

For 50 years, the Palace Theater was the hub of Main Street, Downtown McComb. It started in 1939 when two brothers, Najeeb and Haleem Solomon, took half their store and made it into a movie theater, which became the iconic Palace Theater. 

Researching old communities sometimes reveals information about thriving towns from days of yore now consisting of little more than a volunteer fire department and a church or two. Bexley is one such place.

Did you know the George County Rebel mascot came about 60 years ago by a bunch of Panthers, Bulldogs, Tigers and Warriors? Yep, the 1964-1965 school year was monumental and the beginning of George County High School.

Nestled in the storied hills of Oxford, Mississippi, sits one of Mississippi’s most intriguing homes, Rowan Oak. The antebellum-style home was built in 1844 by Irish immigrant Colonel Robert Sheegog and is most popularly known as the longtime residence of Nobel Prize winner William Faulkner.

Kelly Mitchell’s tombstone in Meridian, MS, immortalizes her as “The Gypsy Queen.” Mitchell was buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in February of 1915. More than 100 years later, people come from near and far to visit the Victorian-style cemetery and leave gifts on her grave.

 The Ocean Springs Chamber of Commerce – Main Street – Tourism Bureau is proud to announce the dedication of a historic marker at the L& N Train Depot, a cornerstone of our community’s rich history and entrance to downtown. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, August 14 at 10 am outside the L&N Depot, and the public is invited to attend. 

The Ocean Springs Municipal Library is honored to host the “This is Home: Medgar Evers, Mississippi, and the Movement” exhibit from August 15 to September 15, courtesy of the Mississippi Department of Archives & History (MDAH). This exhibit marks the 60th anniversary of the assassination of Medgar Wiley Evers, a pivotal civil rights activist in Mississippi.

The late Bernard Coffindaffer spent millions leaving his mark.

Crosses of Mercy stand along numerous roadways reminding us of Jesus’ death and of Coffindaffer’s evangelism. Clusters of three crosses, two painted heavenly blue flanking a center one painted Jerusalem gold, are scattered in 29 states, the District of Columbia, Zambia and the Philippines.

Books and ballads have been written about a legendary outlaw whose first arrest was in Lucedale. Kinnie Wagner landed in the George County jail in October 1924 on a theft charge.

This Friday, July 26, marks the 249th anniversary of our nation’s postal service. Beginning in 1775 in the American colonies, the postal service served as a cornerstone for communities.