Update: Walls School

Construction is back underway. Although artifacts are in the area, the building site itself has been declared free of them.

Reid's Grocery - Baxterville

. . . still in business almost 100 years later.

Renaissance Festival

Ocean Springs is hosting its Renaissance Festival this coming weekend. It's a good way to get a feel for that period of history.

Sultana Mural

The mural in Vicksburg honoring the 1865 tragedy of the Sultana is now complete.

Wilkes Home Endangered

The Stephen H. Wilkes Home in Wilkesburg is another of Mississippi's most endangered historic places.

Lineages Available

Dancing Rabbit Genealogical Society, based in Carthage, Mississippi, has published the lineages of its members. It is available for $35 plus $4.95 shipping/handling from Dancing Rabbit Genealogical Society, PO Box 166, Carthage, MS 39501. Persons with ancestry in Attala, Leake, Neshoba, Newton, and Scott counties may be interested in obtaining a copy. Info is at the bottom of the article about the retiring librarian.

Murella Powell

A very nice tribute to Murella Powell who is retiring as Biloxi's genealogy and local history librarian, but not from genealogical research.

Oktibbeha County Civil War Monument

A monument was erected at the courthouse in Starkville to honor those who served in the Civil War.

Tunica Times Past II

Times Past, volume II: A History of Tunica County in Stories and Pictures is available for $39.95 plus $4.50 shipping/handling. Call 662-363-1511 or 1-800-775-5826 to order a copy. Info via ad at the Tunica Times.

Crossroads United Methodist Church

This church, organized in 1826, is celebrating its 179th anniversary.

G. E. Sales and Company

This Pascagoula family-owned business has been around for 50 years.

Natchez Jews

Jews have lived in the Natchez area since at least the mid-18th century, but their numbers are dwindling.

Confederate Memorial Day

A tradition that started in 1866 is still celebrated today to honor the fallen Confederate soldiers.

Bryant Grocery & Meat Market

Bryant Grocery & Meat Market in the town of Money has been listed as one of the most endangered historic places in the state.

Construction Halted on School Due to Artifacts Found

What appears to be some old Native American artifacts have been found on a site on which an elementary school was being built in DeSoto County.

More here.

New at Beauvoir

Mississippi researchers will greatly benefit from the donation of two manuscript, book, and letter collections to the Beauvoir Library.

Hancock Rebels

A Brief History of the Hancock Rebels, a Civil War military unit from Hancock County. Rosters are included.

Olive Branch Museum

There's a new museum in Olive Branch housed in the City Hall. It has lots of neat items depicting the city's history. [Free online registration required.]

Seminar in Birmingham

Alabama Genealogical Society, Inc.,will hold a seminar featuring Sandra MacLean Clunies, CG Saturday May 7, 2005 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM Samford University, Birmingham, AL Ms. Clunies is a member of the NGS GENTECH Advisory Committee, the NGS/FGS Records Preservation and Access Committee, and a past Director of the Genealogical Speakers Guild. Her topics will be Research in Washington, DC from Home; Evaluating Web Resources; Keeping Track of Your Research; and Yankees, Come Home!: an overview of New England research sources and strategies Registration form and additional information on fees and times can be accessed at ... http://www.archives.state.al.us/ags/Spring2005_Seminar_flyer.pdf

Dogwood Haven Burns

I have learned that Dogwood Haven, one of the homes on Aberdeen's 2005 Pilgrimage, has burned. This linked photo of the home is on the Pilgrimage site:

This is a photo of the burned home on the Commercial Dispatch's site:

Henry Brown & Willard Scott

Henry Brown, age 100, of Hattiesburg, was recognized for his longevity on the Today Show. (Sure wish I'd heard what Willard said about him.)

What to Do with Old High School

An architect wants to turn Pascagoula's old high school into office space. A portion of the building is listed as historic.

Twelve Oaks

A home in Ocean Springs which once housed an African Methodist Episcopal Church and its 30 acres with 400-500 year old oak trees is slated to become a park through a land trust. The historic property was owned by a former slave.

Glen Shows Book

Rev. Glen Shows of Madison has a booklet that assists researchers with many aspects of researching in Mississippi.

Nathan Bedford Forrest

Apparently a park bearing the name of the Confederate general who spent most of his time in Benton County, Mississippi is the subject of controversy in Memphis. Some want the park renamed; others don't. One of the letter-writers even suggests exhuming Forrest's body and burying it at Brice's Crossroads. [Free online registration required.]

Lincoln County Cemeteries

A new volume containing cemetery information for Lincoln county has been published.

This 562-page paperback includes a complete name index and sells for $55.
It may be ordered through Pioneer Publishing Company, P.O. Box Carrollton, MS
38917, (662) 237-6010. For mail orders, please include tax and $4
shipping.

North Mississippi Medical Center Book

A new book is forthcoming entitled Hospital on the Hill. It is a history of Tupelo's North Mississippi Medical Center.

The books will be available in hardback for $15 and paperback for $7.
Advance sales are available by calling 842-6453.

DeSoto County & the Blues

There's an exhibit showing DeSoto County's ties with the Blues. It is on display at the civic center through April 29. Eventually the Historic DeSoto Museum of Hernando will obtain the research that went into the exhibit.

Rosalie

There's a little bit of info on the Rosalie mansion in Natchez in this article about a Senatobia mother and daughter serving as docents in the Natchez pilgrimage.

Old Aberdeen Cemetery

The historic Old Aberdeen Cemetery is undergoing a restoration/preservation project right now.

Lt. Col. James B. McRae

We reported earlier that a tombstone would be erected at the McRae Cemetery in Gautier for Lt. Col. James B. McRae. The stone is now in place.

Paine's Cemetery

Interesting photo on this. Paine's is a cemetery in Olive Branch being threatened by progress (as you'll be able to see). The article offers a brief cemetery history.

Unsolved Mysteries

A 160-year-old murder mystery remains unsolved. Some great info on the families involved.

Rubert O. Kimbrough

Rubert O. Kimbrough who was wounded at Normandy received a Purple Heart 61 years after the fact.

Baxterville

Wish the article were a bit longer, but the Hattiesburg American mentions the town of Baxterville and it's 100 year old grocery store.

Oysters

Read about the oyster industry in the early 20th century.

NGS Conference in the States

The Sun Herald offers a nice article on the upcoming NGS conference in Nashville. I've attended NGS in the past and will be in attendance at this one. Dates are June 1-4. You can find complete information at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/. It is well worth attending. Although the workshop lineup does not include any which specifically deal with Mississippi research, Mississippi researchers can still benefit from the ones on methodology and from ones dealing with states from which their ancestors came to Mississippi.

Camp Shelby Event Commemorates Bataan Death March

An event held at Camp Shelby commemorated the Bataan Death March of World War II in the Philippines. Several Mississippi soldiers who escaped were on hand for the ceremony. A mural was unveiled which will be on display at Camp Shelby. More here.

Ackerman Photos Available

The Choctaw County Historical & Genealogical Society is offering black and white prints of Ackerman, Mississippi.

Confederate Grave Dedication

The Gautier Historical Society and Sons of Confederate Veterans are dedicating the grave of Lt. Col. James B. McRae at the McRae Cemetery. He later became a state legislator. His brother served as governor and is buried in Belize. They hope to bring his body back to the States and bury it in the cemetery.

Choctaw Plaindealer

The Choctaw Plaindealer is celebrating 118 years of publication.

New Zion Baptist Church - Weir/Salem

Choctaw County's Church History series continues with New Zion Baptist Church.

Mother Monroe - Back in Print

The classic Monroe County history book entitled Mother Monroe is back in print. Copies are available from Greg Miller for $30 plus shipping/handling. Contact Greg at rdmcollc@msn.com or (662) 369-6414 if you wish to reserve a copy. Mailing address: Greg Miller, PO Box 182, Aberdeen, MS 39730.

Gambling in Mississippi

Read about the early history of gambling in the state of Mississippi.