Accent Aug Sep Full Edition

ACCENT S O U T H

M I S S I S S I P P I AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2009

At Home With Martha Saunders HATTIESBURG CELEBRATES 125

YEARS

| THE LAZY BOGUE CHITTO | RARE DESIGN | TAMALES |SMITHSONIAN VISITS MCCOMB

ACC E N T SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

Volume 1, Number 2 • August/September 2009

www.accentsouthmississippi.com JOIN OUR FACEBOOK FAN PAGE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Robyn Jackson [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS Royce Armstrong Trudy Berger Karen Blakeney Charlotte Blom Layla Essary Leif Munkel Valerie Wells GUEST COLUMNISTS Louie A. Galiano Kristen Twedt James Welch ADVERTISING For advertising information Kristi Carver Brookhaven and McComb [email protected] Charlotte Blom Hattiesburg [email protected] Doug Crotty Picayune [email protected] Isabelle Parker Mississippi Gulf Coast [email protected] DESIGN & FABRICATION Lisa W. Pittman [email protected] SUBSCRIPTIONS [email protected] ACCENT South Mississippi is published bimonthly by SoMiss Publishing LLC Post Office Box 19027 Hattiesburg, MS 39404-9027 SoMiss Publishing LLC. All rights reserved. Contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in any manner without written consent from Publisher. ACCENT South Mississippi cannot be held liable for errors and omissions. Printed in the U.S.A.

CONTENTS

A u g u st / S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 9 | ACC E N T S O U T H M I S S I S S I P P I

GUEST COLUMNS

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LOUIE A. GALIANO Life’s full of romance and adventure for Picayune couple JAMES WELCH Floating the Bogue Chitto is a great break from reality DESTINATIONS

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DISCOVER YOUR INNER SELF Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

HATTIESBURG’S 125TH BIRTHDAY

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AT THE CROSSROADS After 125 years, all roads - and railroads - still lead city’s growth HISTORY’S HEROES Former USO building pays tribute to African-American vets MOVIE PALACE After 80 years, Saenger Theater still defines entertainment DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION Despite national recession downtown Hattiesburg is thriving HOME & GARDEN

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ABOUT THE COVER

IN EVERY ISSUE

Martha Saunders, President of the University of Southern Mississippi, welcomes ACCENT magazine into her home for a visit.

8 Editor’s Notes 53 In The Kitchen 55 Life in South Mississippi

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERICA SHERRILL OWENS

FEATURES

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All Aboard at McComb Train Depot Tagged! Medical Record Breakthrough A Safe Place for Boys and Girls RARE Design

VICTORIAN BEAUTY Groth family grows into Sproles house SUMMER OASIS Cottage garden adds curb appeal to Hattiesburg home ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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AT HOME WITH MARTHA SAUNDERS Southern Miss President’s Home designed for entertaining

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST Tracy Donald shares her talent with others as painter, teacher SPIRITUALITY

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HOUSE RAISING Summit church builds hope, homes and a future in Waveland

CONTRIBUTORS

ROYCE ARMSTRONG is a freelance writer and amateur wildlife photographer from the Midwest who now lives deep in the piney woods of South Mississippi. His work regularly appears in magazines, newspapers and on Web sites. His passions include his family, his work, his faith, horses, bowhunting and the outdoors. TRUDY BERGER, a retired business consultant who moved to Southwest Mississippi after a 30year professional career in Houston, is currently an election commissioner for Pike County, and a dedicated volunteer deeply involved in church and community activities such as the Summit Historical Society, the McComb Depot Railroad Museum, and the Preservation Commission in her current hometown. She is a native of Hammond, La., and a long-ago graduate of the LSU School of Journalism. KAREN BLAKENEY is an award-winning writer who lives in Gulfport with her husband and five children. Before graduating from Millsaps College, she studied art and poetry at St. John’s College at Oxford University. Karen has recently completed a memoir about her young son’s struggle to overcome Scimitar Syndrome and Congenital Kyphosis. She maintains a congenital heart defects Web site, www.NathansPrayer.com.

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LOUIE A. GALIANO owns and operates an antiques store with his wife Debbie in Picayune. A graduate of Louisiana State University with twin degrees in English and business, his career has been mostly in management and in teaching college economics. He is presently at work on his second novel, a sequel to his first, “Snorkel - Immersions in Time.” Born in New Orleans, he moved to the Picayune area more than 20 years ago. His interests include travel, pre-Columbian history, and, of course, snorkeling. LEIF MUNKEL is the communications coordinator for the Hattiesburg Convention Commission. He is also in charge of publicity for the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant. He is a former reporter and anchor for WDAM News in Hattiesburg as well as WMDN News in Meridian. He is originally from Minnesota where he majored in mass communications. KRISTEN TWEDT is a freelance writer whose work has appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, Mississippi Magazine, South Mississippi Scene, The Hattiesburg American, The Columnist and various online ezines, including The National Pain Foundation, Arriviste Press and The Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop. Books include “A Tribute to Mom,” from Paperdoll Publishing and “My Crazy Christmas Catastrophe Cat,” from Timothy Lane Press. A Mississippi Gulf Coast native and graduate of the University of Southern Mississippi, Kristen lives in Hattiesburg with husband Steven and two children, Sam and Katie. She is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the Southeastern Writers Association. Samples of her columns appear at www.kristenscolumn.blogspot.com.

CHARLOTTE BLOM has a bachelor of arts degree from Vassar College. She has been freelance copy editing and writing for years, as well as sampling unrelated professional experiences. She enjoys exploring, hunting and gathering in and around her home in Hattiesburg.

JAMES WELCH is a freelance writer who grew up in the McComb area and has lived in the Hattiesburg area for the last six years with his high school sweetheart and wonderful wife, Wendy. They have three children, Ariana, Lauren and Braden. He likes to treat every day as an adventure, and with three children under the age of seven, it usually is. He enjoys spending time with his family, writing feature stories and the outdoors, and is constantly amazed by all that God has created.

LAYLA ESSARY is currently a freelance writer for various publications and works as a contract public relations consultant. Before fulfilling communication roles with two area-wide non-profit organizations, Layla worked for nearly a decade in the broadcasting industry as an anchor and reporter for local television stations in Mississippi. She and her husband Mike enjoy watching their two elementary-aged kids play baseball and participate in swim team activities, not to mention chronicling all of life on Facebook.

VALERIE WELLS is a freelance writer who has covered all aspects of community journalism for the past 20 years. A military brat with deep roots in South Mississippi, she looks for stories about the shared history and culture of the region brought to life by everyday folk. She has written for national and regional magazines and has been editor of several publications and Web sites. She lives in Hattiesburg with a patient husband and two well-adjusted sons.

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EDITOR’S NOTES

SINCERELY SOUTHERN

HUB CITY MEMORIES

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WHEN I FIRST CAME TO HATTIESBURG IN THE FALL OF 1978, IT WAS STILL VERY MUCH A SMALL TOWN, THE KIND OF PLACE WHERE EVERYONE E I THER KNOWS EACH OTHER OR KNOWS ABOUT E A C H

other. After living here for 31 years, I’m still amazed by the incredible growth of the city. I can only imagine what Capt. William Hardy, who founded Hattiesburg in 1884, would think of the Hub City now. Back in 1978, the city pretty much ended at South 40th Avenue. When Methodist Hospital - now Wesley Medical Center - relocated from Bay Street to U.S. 98 West in 1980, I wondered about the logic of locating a hospital way out in the country. Older and wiser people than me knew that Hattiesburg was about to boom and that thousands of new residents would soon follow, making Lamar County the fast-growing in the state. The westward expansion had begun. We have pretty much everything you could want here now, with two universities and a campus of Pearl River Community College, two major hospitals, Turtle Creek Mall and numerous shopping centers and strip malls, and a downtown that is starting to thrive again. Our dining choices are a lot more varied now, too. Thirty years ago, Dale’s, Mr. Ed’s Pizza, Jimmy Faughn’s, Morrison’s Cafeteria, Mexican Kitchen, Conestoga Steak House, the Gold Post, Shipley’s Do-nuts and the Wagon Wheel were popular places to eat. Burger Town had a fixyour-own sundae bar. Sebastian’s served tasty sandwiches and ice cream concoctions with names like the Dixie Darling. Most of those places are just memories now. We had McDonald’s and Burger King, but I remember the excitement we college students felt when Taco Bell opened on Hardy Street around 1980. Hattiesburg had finally reached the big time, as far as we were concerned. Now we have many of the big national chain restaurants, but there are still many unique locally-owned eateries that tempt us with their delights. When I moved to Hattiesburg to attend USM, I had no idea I would decide to stay here, but there’s something about Hattiesburg that sucks you in, especially if you’re from the Gulf Coast. It’s close enough to home so you can visit your family often and take advantage of all the things the Coast offers, but far enough away that you can be independent. I’m proud to be part of this vibrant, dynamic community, and I hope that Accent South Mississippi helps to show why living here is such a pleasure. I can only imagine what the city will be like 30 years from now, in 2039. It will be interesting to watch its continued growth. In the meantime, enjoy this issue’s special section saluting Hattiesburg’s 125th birthday. It’s time to celebrate!

Robyn Jackson

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GUEST COLUMN |

louie galiano

A Lov e Sto ry Life’s full of romance and adventure for Picayune couple

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TEXT BY LOUIE GALIANO This is a love story. It’s a love story about old furniture, foreign and exotic places, writing, and even science. But mostly it is the love story about Debbie, who walked into my office 25 years ago looking for a job. I gave her the job; she gave me a new life filled with tender beginnings and happiness. What makes Debbie so different is that she is totally sincere - a rare person without guile or deceit. There is nothing in her appearance that you cannot sense or immedi-

“KNOW” BY LOUIS GALIANO

Know that I am always here. Know that the peaceful wind is the sound of my breath, That the restful rain is the touch of my fingers on your skin, And that the morning sun is the warmth of my embrace. The gentle aria will be the echo of my voice And the changing seasons will be the awareness of my moving spirit. And you will also know me by my words And hear them softly as I stand beside you And speak of the constant wonder of my love for you. And so you will know that I have not gone, You will dream and I will be forever there And I will smile and tenderly kiss your face. And when you wake my memory will live inside you And will remain with you eternally without end.

ately feel. Strangers recognize that quality and strangers become her friends, offer their friendship, confide their thoughts, and somehow feel redeemed. Cold rooms become warm; one feels the simplicity of the true, the effortlessness of honesty, the gentleness of calm. She gives love in its entirety; it is not within her to hold back. There is a longer story but the abbreviated version one is that we worked together for a while, got married and opened an antiques shop in Picayune. We stocked it with the angular artistry of Eastlake, the surprising curvature of provincial, the sternness of Shaker. We added the blue jasper of Wedgwood and the quiet pastel of Nippon. Lace and crystal and silver were sold and we called the shop, appropriately, Galiano’s. Artists began to congregate and wanted to display their paintings on the walls. Poets passed through. A small Parnassus in Picayune. The shop has Debbie’s

stamp on it. It too speaks of love and has become a meeting place of sorts, a clearing house for news who is sick, who is well, who is pregnant, how is one’s mother doing. I work the shop on occasion and there are people who say that they’ll come back when Debbie is there. I guess that tells you something. But Debbie and I had mutually promised each other a life like no other and nothing detracted from that vow. We traveled - following whales in Baja, spending the day swimming at Magen’s Bay in St. Thomas, doing the countdown in Spanish at midnight on a New Year’s eve along the Paseo de la Reforma, chasing Hemingway’s ghost in Sloppy Joe’s in Key West, watching the Gatun locks of the Panama Canal fill and lifting our ship, looking for pirates among the narrow streets of the beautiful walled city of Cartagena. And we shopped. We bought more lace in Charlotte Amalie and silver in Taxco and

added them to our store. Along the way I had written a novel, “Snorkel - Immersions in Time,” which received some good reviews. I had planned the book as part of a trilogy but something happened as I was working on the second book. There was a morning when I awoke in pain and to stand on my right leg had become unbearable. After months of testing, cancer was determined to be the cause. The pain vanished and then returned and then vanished again and the type of cancer had yet to be found. During one of the vanished again periods I received a call from my old college roommate, the artist Aris Koutroulis, about whom I had written in “Snorkel,” and who told me that he would be in New Orleans in October. I drove down to see him and we sat in a hotel bar bringing our lives up to date and after a few Dos Equis we left mundane matters and speculated on the prospects of cancer and something called the Law of the Conservation of Matter. Aris always had a turn for the metaphysical, but this was pure science, he said. Essentially, the Law states that matter is finite and cannot be created or destroyed. While particles of matter may be rearranged, the sum of those particles must equal the aggregate of the original mass. We are attached to and part of the earth. One’s conclusion, then, must be that nothing really goes away. In some form we will always exist. Some weeks later the cause of the cancer was

determined. It was called follicular lymphoma - a blood cancer - and its treatment was chemotherapy. The chemo was begun immediately and in the mistaken belief that I could use my recuperating time to write that second novel, I found that the creative processes would not cooperate under those conditions. The chemo would not permit it. But as I began to feel worse, I considered the implications of the Law of the Conservation of Matter and my love for Debbie and in my belief that my life could possibly be more abbreviated than I had planned, I scratched down the accompanying verse and gave it the simple title: “Know.” I didn’t give her the poem at first, but carried it around with me in my wallet until it became creased and slightly ragged. But then again we have never kept anything from each other and one day I merely handed it to her without explanation. There was no need to explain. The last examination indicated that the cancer is in remission and other than an occasional loss of energy, there appear to be no ill effects. The pain has not returned. I have yet to test the Law of the Conservation of Matter. But the word is this: I still have two more books to write and there is a restaurant in San José del Cabo where the succulent shrimp fresh from the sea are cooked with cilantro and orange slices, where Cuban music is played on Fridays, where the desert air becomes cool at night, and where the whales play in the Sea of Cortez … and where the love story is bound to continue.

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GUEST COLUMN |

james welch

DOWN A LAZY RIVER FLOATING THE BOGUE CHITTO IS A GREAT BREAK FROM REALITY

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TEXT BY JAMES WELCH PHOTOS COURTESY SWEETWATER CANOE AND TUBING

In South Mississippi, the idea of escaping the heat flows into our thoughts as naturally and suddenly as the summer does. One day we are reaching for our coat as we head for work and the next we are looking for our shorts as we head for the beach. One day there’s a cold chill in the air and the next it’s so hot, it’s hard to breathe. We enjoy only a brief moment of spring each year, before summer sets in and our minds enter into escape the heat mode. So goes the beginning of our summer vacation. The kids are out of school and their days fill with watermelons and water balloons, as all thoughts of text books and homework fade away. Our minds are suddenly free from the thoughts of carpools and after-school snacks, and that vacancy is filled with thoughts of beaches and suntans. No matter how hard we try to slow it down, time seems to double its pace on the beach and soon the vacation inevitably begins to come to an end.

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With the start of a new school year comes waves of that all-too-familiar stuff we call stress. The plethora of free time that we have grown accustomed to enjoying through this break is fading out in much the same way as it faded in. Each new day seems to grow more and more filled. Leisure and relaxation are becoming a memory rather than a way of life, as we begin to search for ways to hang on to this break and treasure it for just a little longer. Canoe trips are a great way to spend a lazy summer day and may be just the thing needed to wrap up this summer break or relieve the stress that comes from back-to-school shopping. My wife and I recently took a trip to McComb and rented a canoe from one of the many great canoe rental outfits along the winding road that leads to the Bogue Chitto water park. At 230 acres, this wildlife refuge provides tons of entertainment. It is named for the Bogue Chitto River that snakes through it and provides for a great canoe or tubing experience. Upon renting a canoe or tube, you will be asked how long you would like to float and are given a couple of options, which range from a few hours to all day. You are then bused to the appropriate location. From this drop-off point the adventure begins, and your worries begin to instantly fade away as you ever so gently float along the spring-fed stream. Calm water, friendly fellow floaters and an alcohol-free atmosphere make for a great family outing. As you paddle your way around nature’s obstacles, you can’t help but be reminded of days gone by and wonder how many others have lost track of all of their worries along this very river. Around the bend lies a sand bar just calling for you to stop, and since you’re free to do so, before you know it you are lying on the beach basking in the sun. All along your trip, you’ll find sand bars, swim holes and an irresistible urge to stop and check them out. There are plenty of great places for a picnic, both on the canoe trip and within the park. Time flies when you’re having fun, and on this trip, you’ll find that the very thought of time has slipped from your mind and so has a lot of life’s

little stresses. Lots of great wildlife can be found all along the trip and as you look on at the turtles sitting on a log, you’ll be reminded of how you, not unlike those turtles, are in no hurry and can relax while enjoying the ride. The birds flying overhead and the squirrels along the trees will remind you of how carefree you are at this very moment. You want this trip to never end, but sooner or later it does and you find yourself approaching a boat ramp and the friendly staff from the rental group smiling and ready to take you back to your car and a nice changing area with private showers, for getting ready for the ride home. Yet, with cabin rentals and camping sites, you’re welcome to stay a while. Maybe you could head down the many hiking trails available or have a picnic in the shade of a mighty oak. Whichever activities you decide on, they are sure to be a great way to unwind on a summer day.

For information on floating Magee Creek or the Bogue Chitto River, contact Sweetwater Canoe and Tubing, www.sweetwatercanoeandtubing.com.

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DESTINATIONS |

lynn meadows discovery center

DISCOVER YOUR INNER CHILD AT Lynn Meadows Discovery Center

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TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAREN BLAKENEY Step into the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center and you just might experience a sudden, uncontrollable desire to be a kid again. Located a block from the beach in Gulfport, the 1915era school house is home to an amazing assortment of programs and interactive exhibits. Whether your little explorer is a future artist, chef, scientist or broadcaster, there are imaginative play opportunities to nurture every tender ambition. The focal point of Mississippi’s only children’s museum is the two-story Sea Climb, a spiraling series of waves leading to exhibits on the upper floor. Celebrate the World We Share, a colorful Mexican travel exhibit, awaits youngsters who scramble to the top - don’t worry, parents can take the ramp. Nearby, the History Hotel of 1898 offers a peek at Mississippi City (the school’s location pre-annexation); children play dress-up with vintage-inspired clothing and enjoy an old-fashioned tea party. After a visit with the past, a trip to a contemporary grocery store is in order. To Market, To Market bustles with excitement as children fill grocery bags with realistic foods and spend play money at the toy cash registers. There are surprises at every corner: Wonder-full Wetlands, a television studio where “Investi-Gators” report the news; the Porthole, a banana and chicken import station; A Matter of Science, a hands-on approach to knowledge; and Bear Camp Bayou, a charming play space with eye-popping murals and delightful toys designed specifically for children under four. As I spoke with Cynthia Minton, executive director of LMDC, I asked her about a picture showing the Old Mississippi City Elementary School in its deteriorated

condition, posted just outside her office. “That photograph is a reminder,” she said. “The Discover Center has come a long way.” The discovery center is named in memory of a Coast woman who died young. “Carol Lynn Meadows and Rose Alman were looking for some way to honor the memory of Lynn Meadows, Carol’s daughter,” Minton said. “They visited centers around the country and decided this would be a fitting remembrance.” From its humble beginnings in 1991, these two friends inspired a community with their dream and converted the old school into the museum it is today. Despite catastrophic losses from Hurricane Katrina, the community pulled together to bring the center back better than ever. Exhibits were restored and improved, and the WINGS Arts and Education Center was created with a $3 million budget. The WINGS center increased the size of LMDC from 15,000 to 30,000 square feet. It boasts an auditorium for theatrical productions, a fully-equipped sound and lighting room and a professional kitchen designed by friend and patron, Emeril Lagasse. Recognized recently with the Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts, the new center produces quality, student-driven entertainment. “We like to keep it fresh,” Minton said, pointing out the new summer exhibit, Bubblemania, which entertains young and old alike. “It’s funny - we all like to do bubbles. On a bad day, I go out there and do a few,” she admitted with a mischievous smile. She also speaks glowingly of future projects, including “Mouth Power,” a traveling exhibit allowing children to perform dental procedures on mannequins. A permanent exhibit is also in the works which will highlight safety in the home and on the road. “We are always looking for ways to serve our community,” Minton said.

FUN FOR ALL AGES Lynn Meadows Discovery Center is located at 246 Dolan Ave., Gulfport Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday Admission: $7 for adults and children over 1 For more information: (228) 897-6039 Web site: www.lmdc.org

DESTINATIONS |

mccomb depot railroad museum

National Humanities Council Vice President John Matthews, former McComb Railroad Shop Foreman Edwin Etheridge and Museum Executive Director Winnie Len Howell exchange ideas about the upcoming Smithsonian exhibition.

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ABOARD!

Smithsonian exhibition coming to McComb railroad museum

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TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRUDY BERGER The Smithsonian is coming to our backyard in South Mississippi. That’s right, ‘Journey Stories,” a compelling Smithsonian exhibition that shows how our evolving mobility changed a young nation and how transportation made us grow, is coming to the McComb Depot Railroad Museum in the historic McComb Depot District. The colorful and informative exhibition, which is free to attend, will open to the public on Sunday, Oct. 25, and will remain open Mondays through Saturdays until Dec. 8. In “Journey Stories,” the accounts of travelers express the hopes and promises of fresh starts,

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the grim realities of forced migrations and difficult journeys, and the thrills of personal travel. The exhibition is a part of Museum on Main Street, which represents a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and the local state humanities councils, in our case, the Mississippi Humanities Council. The logistics necessary to package and distribute these massive productions are handled through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services. The work to obtain “Journey Stories” was initiated some two years ago by Winnie Len Howell, the dedicated volunteer executive director of

FOR MORE INFORMATION

McComb’s Railroad Museum, and another volunteer, Bob Bellipanni. They had to submit a proposal to the Mississippi Humanities Council, which was judged competitively, showing that the Railroad Museum could bring together all the resources within the community, financial and otherwise, critical to ensure the success of such a major endeavor as hosting a Smithsonian exhibition. The McComb Depot Railroad Museum is a worthwhile daytrip, with or without a Smithsonian exhibition. Opened in 2003, the museum represents the culmination of three years hard work by dedicated volunteers to restore the baggage room of the vintage 1901 Illinois Central Depot. Prior to opening the McComb Railroad Museum, Howell, a longtime railroad enthusiast, had joined forces with Edwin Etheridge, the last foreman of the IC Railroad Shop in McComb, to open a Liberty-White Railroad Museum at Percy Quin State Park just south of McComb. That endeavor kindled a desire to see a permanent home for railroad artifacts in a suitable setting in downtown McComb. And nothing could stop the desire of these two determined railroad enthusiasts. Now, six years later, the McComb Depot Railroad Museum is hailed by knowledgeable railroad enthusiasts from all over the country as one of the best, if not the best, collection of rolling stock and artifacts that exists in the country. It is well worth a daytrip to McComb to

Contact the McComb Depot Railroad Museum at www.mcrrmuseum.com or call (601) 684-6487 or (601) 276-3097 to arrange group tours. Admission is free. HOURS OF OPERATION: Noon-4 p.m. Monday-Friday SPECIAL HOURS DURING JOURNEY STORIES: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. MondaySaturday, Oct. 25-Dec. 8 ADDRESS: 108 N. Railroad Blvd., McComb DIRECTIONS: From Interstate 55, take exit 17; proceed east on Delaware Avenue (through five stop lights); proceed through traffic light at intersection of Delaware and Mississippi 51, down Main Street to Railroad Boulevard; turn left onto Railroad Boulevard and park in front of depot, in parking lot on north side, or in garage across street. see the inside exhibits which include a history of McComb, a chronicle of President Teddy Roosevelt’s 1911 visit to the city, aerial photos of the railroad shops, pause to admire the mannequins dressed in period attire on the platform at the end of the room, soak up the oral accounts of men and women who lived and worked on the railroad, and admire the impressive collection of photographs from the famous railroad photographer C.W. Witbeck. Step outside the museum to the train track and visit the 200ton steam locomotive, the only aluminum refrigerator car ever built, climb up in the bright red caboose, view the massive 191ton operational wrecker derrick, and the list goes on. The best thing about this museum is that they are still adding to the collection. There is an endless supply of dedicated retired railroad workers committed to the idea of keeping the spirit and history of railroading alive and well in McComb. So whether you can visit during the Smithsonian

Between the Railroad Museum and the outside train display visitors cross this impressive and oft-visited Brick Memorial constructed entirely with volunteer labor provided by railroad retirees. exhibition or not, put the McComb Depot Railroad Museum on your list of must-see destinations.

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FEATURE |

dr. keith melancon

Tagged!

FORMER SURGEON DEVELOPS MEDICAL RECORD BREAKTHROUGH TEXT BY ROYCE ARMSTRONG

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The bracelet you wear may soon be the most valuable accessory you own. “I don’t know if you have been to a doctor lately,” Dr. Keith Melancon said, “but they make you fill out about 10 pages before you can even see the doctor. If it has been more than a couple of months, you have got to do it all over again. “It is really sort of a government mandated thing because they are trying to keep track of how well you are doing, how patients perceive things. It is really just a frustration for the patients. I have patients that come in with this big stack of papers because they want to be prepared for the visit, but they can never find the paper that they needed to give me during the visit.” Melancon has been an orthopedic surgeon, specialist, and partner in the Hattiesburg practice Southern Bone and Joint Specialists since 1998. He is also currently the president of the Mississippi Orthopaedic Society and he is developing a bracelet that may be a medical records breakthrough. Melancon and a business partner, Cory Yates, began working on a device to help store patient medical records on a USB drive before Hurricane Katrina. The device was supposed to be waterproof, but they wanted to know for sure. They needed a way to test it. Melancon’s family includes his wife, Susan, three children and the family dog, a black Labrador retriever named Rex. “We tied it to Rex’s collar and then we started throwing the bumper out into the water to him,” Melancon said. “We left it on him for a couple of months

and then we took it off and we found out that USB drives truly were waterproof.” It was then that Yates suggested that what they were doing for humans would also be a useful product for dogs. The partners decided to develop the product for pets first and work many of the bugs out of it before introducing the human version. Dawg-E-Data, a jump drive housed in a colorful plastic dog bone that is attached to a dog collar, was born. “You can put just about anything on Dawg-E-Data,” Melancon said. “There is a place for the owner information and all of the veterinarian information. There is room for pictures of the pet and the pet and the family. You can put the dog’s pedigree, AKC or UKC registration, the medications, the surgeries, vaccinations, X-rays, lab tests or anything that might be helpful to someone that is taking care of that pet. There is also a function on the computer that reminds you to get the dog heartworm medicine, get his teeth cleaned or whatever. It is really designed to hold anything that is important to the overall well-being of that pet around the collar.” With the pet device in the marketplace, Melancon and his partner have again turned their attention to the human version. “We are excited about the human device,” said Melancon. “Everything that will be stored from a medical standpoint will be digitally stored within the next six years. The paper chart is dead.” There are a number of advantages to the personal data storage device over concepts such as

a national database, said Melancon. One of those is privacy. “If a kid can hack into a government computer or a major credit card company records, how safe will a national medical records database be?” he asks. Medi-Alert will allow people to store medical information on the device that will either be worn like a bracelet or slipped into a wallet like a credit card. What is more, the individual can choose which information is accessible to emergency medical personnel and what is not. Melancon knows how important maintaining medical records can be, both as a physician and as a patient. Two years ago it was discovered that he had brain cancer. Although the surgery was successful, it left him with nervous system damage that has affected the functions of his right arm and leg. The delicate touch required to perform surgery was gone. “For a guy like me, if I am in a car wreck, my device is going to tell the ambulance driver that picks me up and plugs in the device that I have had brain surgery,” said Melancon. “It will let them know to not be surprised if my reflexes are funny on one side. Stuff like that. It may not tell you that I have had knee surgery because not everyone needs to know that.” Melancon is now meeting with state officials with hopes of introducing the product through Medicare. “Mississippi has one of the highest number of Medicare recipients,” Melancon said. “This device could potentially save the state millions of dollars.”

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FEATURES |

south ms children’s shelter

A SAFE PLACE FOR BOYS AND GIRLS Shelter offers safety and hope for children in need

W TEXT BY ROYCE ARMSTRONG

With tears streaming down her bruised and battered cheeks, Amanda (fictional name) tentatively stepped through the doorway of the Hattiesburg fire station with the bright yellow and black “Safe Place” sign outside. She looked around, her fear evident. Firefighters gathered around the girl, attempting to calm her. After determining that the child had apparently been beaten at home and was attempting to run away, firefighters made a quick call to the South Mississippi Childrens Center. The call is one of dozens that the South Mississippi Childrens Center receives each year. “We try to counsel them on the phone and we try to provide counseling for the family,” said Tammy Miller, the regional director for the Mississippi Childrens Home. “We do not just bring the child into the center without talking to the parents. We contact the parents right away and let them know who we are and what we do and ask for permission for the child to come and stay with us while we try to unravel what is going on.” The South Mississippi Childrens Center is an emergency shelter division of the Mississippi Childrens Home. The shelter in Hattiesburg is one of only two emergency shelters for runaway and homeless children in Mississippi. The other is in Vicksburg. It is licensed by the state to provide shelter to 12 children at a time. Eight of the beds are used for children that the Department of Human Services has removed from their home. Four of the

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beds are reserved for runaway or homeless children. “A lot of times the teenager is in crisis,” Miller said. “They may have had an argument with somebody that they care about. Usually it is with a family member in the household. When we get the call, we don’t know everything that is going on. That is when our work starts. We try to unravel what is going on in the family and then we work with the family to get the child back home. Our goal is to always help the child go back home. Then we provide follow-up care.” The center serves two distinct populations of boys and girls between the ages of nine and 17. One group is runaway and homeless youngsters. The other is children that the Department of Human Services has removed from the home. “DHS tries to work with the family to keep the child at home,” Miller said. “But, if it is not safe for the child to be at home, that is when they call us. It could be physical abuse, sexual abuse, or it could be neglect and a lack of supervision where the children do not have anyone to see about them. Those are typical situations for kids to come into custody. We are licensed to provide emergency shelter and assessment services.” Once taken into the shelter, the child is comforted and calmed down. Food and clothing are provided along with a safe place to sleep. Both a physical and psychological assessment of the child’s needs are made. Medical and dental care, as necessary, is provided and the child is enrolled in school for the time

that they remain in the shelter. “We get children that have not been in school for a year or more,” Miller said. “That is typical, too. We get kids that have lots of educational needs. The school system has been great. We could not do what we do without the help of the school system. We could not do what we do without the help of the whole community. Everyone works well together.” DHS children remain in the shelter for up to 45 days before being placed in a foster home or returned to members of their birth family. Runaway or homeless children are kept for up to 21 days before being placed in a more permanent home, according to Miller. The Center averages 10 children in residence at any one time and annually serves about 140 children. “We see children with more needs than ever before,” said Miller. “What we are seeing is that the child may come to us with one specific problem. Perhaps they were physically abused. Once they come to us, we begin to unravel all that is going on and we discover other things that have happened to them as well. Perhaps they were also sexually abused. So their needs begin to be more complex.” Miller blames the drug culture for the seriousness of the childrens’ needs. “We see a lot more children whose parents abuse drugs and alcohol,” she said. Not only does the shelter

attempt to help children during their short stay, it also tries to provide more follow-up assistance. “We are trying to help the kids more when they leave us,” she said. “We see the need for more community-based services. Our agency has started more programs where we work with families to try and help keep the kids

in the community. The federal government has stepped in and said that states must try and keep kids in the community, that we can’t just keep putting them into group home facilities.” Yet, while there are a growing number of children with more complex needs, funding to support the center has fallen upon hard times. “My goal is to increase our revenues so we can stay open,” Miller said. “Staying open is a

challenge.” The shelter is funded by a combination of federal and state grants and it is a United Way agency. It also has an advisory board that makes private donations and solicits donations from the community. “All of our funding sources are affected by the economy,” Miller said. “Our grant funding is decreasing. Our costs continue to go up as our revenue is decreasing.” One of the problems, according to Miller, is that the center is invisible to the average citizen that might be inclined to help support it. “Not everyone knows about us because we cannot reveal our location,” she said. “We cannot put a sign out front that says Mississippi Childrens Center because we cannot let the general public know where we are, or who is with us. If we did that, the children might not be safe.” An important community fundraiser is the annual wine tasting and silent auction. This year’s event was held Aug. 15, at the Hattiesburg Train Depot and was dubbed “California Versus the World.” In the meantime, there are 47 Safe Place signs posted across South Mississippi, offering hope for shelter and safety to abused, homeless and runaway children. “Unfortunately as long as there are families that have needs and who are not able to care for their children, there will always be a need for what we do,” Miller said.

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FEATURES |

rare design

CREATIVE FIRM GIVES NEW LIFE TO HISTORIC HATTIESBURG BUILDING

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TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAYLA ESSARY

In the mid-1990s, fresh out of college and working in a threeperson design studio in Hattiesburg, graphic designer Rodney Richardson pitched himself to the Nike Corporation without a portfolio or extensive experience. Instead it was a single resume that turned the heads of company executives. “I realized I needed to make mine stand out so I designed it in a way that was unique and composed the information in a way that was unusual,” recalled Richardson. “They told me they’d never seen a resume like it.” The company eventually offered Richardson a job in Portland, Ore., immersing the young artist into the early design phase of a professional team identity campaign. “One of the first projects I got to be a part of was the design for the Denver Broncos organization,” said Richardson. “It was the first time a profes-

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sional sporting organization used a retail corporation for that role. Being a part of that process was clearly where my education in branding started. I had actually hated logo projects before and now the identity work is the foundation for everything I do.” In 1999, Richardson moved his family back to Hattiesburg to launch Rare Design, a company he conceptualized as a senior project in college. “I used my initials R-A-R for the first three letters, and used the word ‘rare’ because that word means raw but also unique,” said Richardson, explaining how Rare Design has fulfilled what he envisioned years ago, as a forward thinking, edgy creative venture. “I wanted those qualities to be reflected in our logo and that logo I designed then is still the logo we have today.” BEHIND THE RED DOOR Rare Design doesn’t exactly

rely on foot traffic for business, so the fact that it’s tucked away on the side of a 30,000 square foot building on Buschman Street in downtown Hattiesburg isn’t exactly surprising. But one glimpse inside the business behind the scarlet red door reveals interior design elements that are anything but ordinary. “We like being off the beaten path, tucked away with our red door,” Richardson said. “Then you walk in and there’s this massive, curved, corrugated wall that sets a tone for the vision we are trying to project. The space is what we call modern, urban, industrial living.” Because of the creative nature of their work, downtown seemed to be the best fit for the company. “There was never any question about it — our office would be downtown. It’s a creative agency, and with creative people you have to be able to get up from your desk and move around and do different

things. I think other creative people thrive with a greater sense of community, and where else can you get out, go down the street, and go to an eatery, go to a shop, go to a gallery and experience residential and commercial blended together so well?” Richardson said he looked at this 30,000 square foot building about a year after Hurricane Katrina, realizing that it needed a lot of repairs along with a new look and feel. “It had lots of damage,” Richardson said. “There were literally gaping holes in the ceiling, but I immediately saw the multi-use potential of the building. There’s a legacy of people already here in downtown doing wonderful things with the spaces here and we wanted to join in, to contribute to this community.” The Buschman Street building is a part of what is now described as the Depot District. “Downtown Hattiesburg has begun to describe areas in regard to districts and the Depot District gets its name because of the proximity to the newly renovated train depot,” said Betsy Rowell, director of the Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association. “It’s wonderful to see this building and the entire district preserve its history, while at the same time creating an exciting future by choosing this important corridor in downtown.” “It’s an eclectic blend of life here,” Richardson said. “We are

proud that we are a part of the investment going on in downtown.” And that investment now continues with a current remodeling effort involving more than 10,000 square feet of space, dedicated to creating an unparalleled event room. “By early next year, we hope to be able to offer a unique space to local businesses and organizations,” said Toby Barker, who serves on staff at Rare Design and event space facilitator. “We know that there is a demand for a space like this and we are thrilled with the chance to create a venue like no other in this area of downtown.” SECOND CHANCE Faintly painted numbers lining the lower quadrant of a brick wall are clear reminders of the building’s former life as a large scale commercial bakery; the old Smith Bakery markings are left behind by design. Likewise Richardson is quick to remember the events in his life that have made lasting impressions. “It’s not always that pictureperfect business success story; there have been many struggles and many defining moments along the way,” said Richardson. “In my faith journey, I’ve learned to rely on God through every step of the way, through many ups and downs.” Richardson recalled the rock bottom coming while in college, enduring scholastic and disci-

plinary suspensions at Southern Miss, yet getting a second chance at the field he was pursuing. “A person with a key position at the university let me know that they didn’t think I was a bad kid,” Richardson said. “There was a student design position that had become available. They knew I wasn’t technically supposed to be eligible for this position, but they thought I deserved another chance.” That second chance proved to be the big break Richardson needed. “When I think about that now, it was huge. I was just another kid among thousands and they made that effort to call me back in and give me my first design job. You talk about a light switch that flipped on. I don’t even think I knew what

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the field was about before then. After I served my disciplinary time, from that time on, school was so easy for me.” Years later, Rare Design still does work with Nike and was contracted to create the identity and logos for the Memphis Grizzlies and the Houston Texans, not to mention the current design used by the University of Southern Mississippi. “There’s nothing like the work we do with sporting organizations,” Richardson said. “If we design a corporate identity, outside of the top officials, not that many people really care what that logo looks like. But you get an athletic identity? People are emotionally invested in that mark and what it represents; fans connect with it. If we miss that, it’s huge. But if we capture it, it’s even bigger.” And there’s evidence that getting it right can affect the bottom line profits of the company.

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“There’s a great joy in showing our work to clients and when we see their eyes light up and they say, ‘Yes, that’s it’, you know the work that’s being done is right and connects with the client and their audience. There are case studies that show it impacts the company’s bottom line significantly. There’s great satisfaction in that.” Richardson added that as a designer, it’s more than just making a logo that looks good. “A lot of people say, ‘I see this logo over here and I want one of those.’ But that logo is the end result of a lot of work determining the core values of a company and its identity. It starts as a big shotgun explosion of large pieces, but at the end of the day the branding ends up very concise and they say, ‘Wow, that is who we are.’” Yet Richardson admits that getting there doesn’t come without a price. “Our goal with our clients is

to help them understand that there is a connection that has to be reached with their consumer and make sure they are willing to do the tough work to get there. It’s an arduous, timeconsuming process, and it can be costly, but it’s front-loaded. Later, when you have to do a brochure or release to the public, all those decisions are made. It makes all the choices easier to make down the road.” And no doubt Richardson has his eye on what’s down the road, at the same time maintaining the important milestones of the past. “Rodney’s found a way to be respectful of the history of the building his business now occupies,” Rowell said. “In a time when there’s so much emphasis on being environmentally conscious, reviving these sustainable buildings is really the ultimate act of being green.” Along with being green, Richardson aims for excellence in all that he does with the business and renovation efforts. “A friend told me the other day that he thought of our business when he saw an ad campaign. It said that a business was ‘Rare but exceptionally well done.’ That, Richardson said, goes beyond the awards or accolades Rare Design has received, serving as inspiration for the decade to come. More information on Rare Design can be found at www.raredesign.com.

hattiesburg’s entertainment destination h a p p y 1 2 5 t h b i r t h d a y !

BROOKHAVEN LITTLE THEATRE SUPPORT THE LOCAL ARTS www.brookhavenllittletheatre.org

SPECIAL |

Hattiesburg celebrates 125 years

At the Crossroads Af ter 125 years, all roads - and railroads lead to Hattiesburg’s continued g rowth

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TEXT BY VALERIE WELLS ARTWORK COURTESY HISTORIC HATTIESBURG DOWNTOWN ASSOCIATION The right timing created Hattiesburg 125 years ago. If the timing had been slightly off, the nearby community of Monroe might have become the dominant city in the region instead. “Hattiesburg is a victim of circumstance, a consequence of geography,” said historian Andrew English. He remembers crossing the bridge from Petal into Hattiesburg one day when he was a boy. His father told him this was the spot the Leaf and Bouie rivers came together and that the first name of the community was Twin Forks. The story fascinated English and he started asking why. Through a lifelong pursuit of local history, he discovered Monroe on the other side of the rivers. Soon after the Choctaw Cession of 1830, white Americans started settling the Piney Woods. Just a little northeast of present day Hattiesburg, several veterans of the War of 1812 created the community of Monroe. Close to it was Gen. Andrew Jackson’s famed military road that cut through this area to New Orleans. The memory of the road and the community is still there on Old

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Monroe Road in Forrest County. What Monroe lacked was two railroad lines crossing. The Twin Forks community became Gordon’s Station, a stop along the tracks. It was smaller than Monroe, but a savvy businessman from Meridian had a plan in 1880. William Hardy was sitting under an oak tree near Gordon’s Creek when it hit him like Isaac Newton’s apple that this would be a perfect spot for a city. Perhaps it was more than a dropping acorn that gave him the idea. A city between Gulfport and Jackson could be profitable. “While resting, Captain Hardy spread a map of Mississippi on the ground and studied the surveyed line of the New Orleans and North Eastern Railroad.,“ the Hattiesburg Historical Society says in its literature. “He drew a line through the virgin pine forest and intersected the New Orleans and North Eastern Railroad where the city of Hattiesburg is now located.” The city was founded in 1884. Hardy named it for his wife, Hattie, who never visited the city. Trains and lumber created a bustling economy in Hattiesburg in the late 1800s. It also brought

Old photographs and postcards depict life the way it was in Hattiesburg’s early years. Opposite, the original Hattiesburg High School was built around 1921 on Main Street. The building, which was abandoned years ago after serving as the Hattiesburg School District’s headquarters for years after the new high school was built on Hutchinson Avenue, was gutted by an arsonist’s fire in 2007. The brick shell remains and architect Larry Albert is heading up the city’s effort to rebuild it for use as an arts center with the University of Southern Mississippi. Top left, horses and buggies were the main source of transportation when this photo was taken in front of the M.L. Thompson Sales Stable in 1912. Left, horse-drawn carriages line the unpaved Main Street in this view taken in 1906. Below, the 500 block of Main Street was bustling in the 1940s, with the Kress 5 and dime store on the corner and the Merchants Cafe on the bottom floor of the Bufkin-Cadenhead bulding. The Albert & Associates architectural firm is now located in the renovated building.

Top, traffic was certainly a lot lighter downtown in the late 1920s or early 1930s, as this hand-tinted post card shows. This view of Main Street is looking north from the Front Street intersection. The Kress store and BufkinCadenhead building are on the left. The Sarphie’s jewelry store sign can be seen on a building across the steet. Bottom, Main Street in the early 1900s, looking south from the Pine Street intersection. Note the trolley tracks in the middle of the street. When a portion of North Main Street was dug up and repaved in the 1990s, some of the old tracks were discovered. The tower of Bay Street Presbyterian Church is visible in the distance.

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trouble. It was a wild west town, English contends. Gunfights, murders and illegal activity were rampant. One notorious example was the famous Sullivan-Kilraine fight at Richburg Hill, the last heavyweight bare-knuckle championship in the nation. It was illegal and attracted thousands to Hattiesburg in July 1889. “The crowd was restless and the situation was ugly,” English writes in his new book, “Ringside at Richburg.” “Many fight fans were armed with revolvers and some of the spectators were known toughs from Meridian, New Orleans, St. Louis and Louisville.” Monroe, however, never had such a sensation. Because of the railroads and the timber, Hattiesburg continued to grow. South Mississippi College - now known as William Carey University - opened in 1906. Mississippi Normal College - now called the University of Southern Mississippi opened in 1910. During World War I and World War II, Camp Shelby just south of Hattiesburg became a large training base for soldiers headed overseas. Thousands of National Guard troops from around the United States have trained at Camp Shelby before heading to Iraq in recent years. Beginning in the 1970s, the same decade that saw desegregation in Hattiesburg schools, the city started expanding westward, with dozens of shopping centers and subdivisions popping up in the Oak Grove area. Hattiesburg, the county seat of Forrest County, gradually annexed parts of the city that had leaked over into Lamar County. The main street in town named for Hardy cuts a straight line through town from Gordon’s Creek in downtown to the now annexed portions of Oak Grove. It’s a physical timeline of the city’s development.

HISTORY’S H E ROES FORMER USO BUILDING PAYS TRIBUTE TO AFRICAN-AMERICAN VETERANS

TEXT BY SHANNON ESTES PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY HATTIESBURG CONVENTION COMMISSION

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An old white building on East Sixth Street in Hattiesburg is, at first sight, a modest relic left over from an era of past glories. The World War II-era tank guarding the property reminds visitors that this building’s time passed by years ago. Immediately upon stepping into the parking lot, however, the lifeless old building comes alive with Big Band music which conjures up mental images of soldiers dancing with pretty girls. This building, after all, is the former USO for African-American soldiers. Built during the second world war for the recreation of black servicemen and women, the old structure has been transformed into many

Hattiesburg’s own Ruth Bailey Earl stands in the center of the World War II exhibit as a symbol of the indomitable spirit of the African-American woman.

different entities since then, from a library to a community center and now, a museum honoring the very same soldiers it served during the era of segregation. “The USO Club is a historic landmark and is a one of a kind institution in the United States,” said Iola Williams, Hattiesburg Convention commissioner. “It’s amazing to see this building, which was once a symbol of segregation, become a symbol of freedom, not only for AfricanAmericans but for everyone. It’s only fitting that some of our nation’s bravest would be honored here.” Anyone stepping into the African-American Military History Museum should expect to be

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SPECIAL |

Hattiesburg celebrates 125 years

THE EXHIBIT TELLS THE WELL-KNOWN STORIES OF ALL-BLACK AND FIRST-BLACK UNITS OF WORLD WAR II, SUCH AS THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN

Children and adults can take the wheel of an army truck and learn about the brave men of the Red Ball Express through an interactive trivia game.

greeted with a friendly, “Hello, welcome to the museum.” There are boards on the wall next to each exhibit explaining what is being displayed. There is a cell phone option which allows visitors to call a toll-free number and listen to the audio designed to describe each exhibit and historical trivia. For the technologically impaired, nearly every exhibit has a video that can be activated with the punch of a big red button. HISTORY BUFF’S DELIGHT “The museum covers the military history of our nation,” said Richard Barnes, 18, a museum employee. “I took ROTC in high school and I love history. There are nice exhibits and even history buffs can learn a lot here.” The exhibits begin with an explanation of black bondage prior to the Civil War. A wall display honors Crispus Attucks, one of the first martyrs of the American Revolution, Attucks was one of five people killed in the Boston Massacre

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and an inspirational figure during the War of Independence. There are also references to black Americans who fought the British in the War of 1812. The larger exhibits begin with the Civil War. Thousands of black Americans, some of them former slaves, joined the U.S. Army in the fight to preserve the union and end the enslavement of their race. Life was hard for soldiers of this war. One striking exhibit shows a blue uniformed soldier trying to lead a horse that is stuck up to its knees in mud. The horse is also wearing period gear, including the famous McClellan saddle used by the cavalry of the day. There are also rare mementoes from the Spanish-American War of 1898. Mostly associated with Teddy Roosevelt, the war to end Spanish domination of Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Philippines included many Americans of color. Decorations from this war adorn the walls in worn, but honorable condition.

The next exhibit - World War I - is not for the claustrophobic. Visitors are taken through a narrow hallway with walls that are lined with logs and painted to look like dirt. Immediately the feeling of being closed in sets in. Fortunately, the “trench” isn’t very long and leads to a wall with other World War I items, photos and medals.

WORLD WAR II The old USO’s next exhibit is probably the largest. It depicts the era of the 1940s when Americans of African descent were called upon to help liberate Europe and Asia from the Axis powers. Dozens of items adorn the walls, including colorful posters, striking photos and medals. The exhibit tells the well-known stories of allblack and first-black units of World War II, such as the Tuskegee Airmen, but it also includes lesser known historical units such as the “Triple Nickle.” The “Triple Nickle” was an all-black airborne unit named the 555th Parachute Infantry. These men were trained for combat in the Pacific in what was called “Operation Firefly.” Called “smoke jumpers,” the 555th jumped over wildfires and landed in the forests of Montana, Oregon and Washington. Their mission was to find Japanese bombs which had landed along the West Coast. The government feared that the nation would panic if it learned that the U.S. homeland had been attacked, and the “Triple Nickle” was sworn to secrecy. A more interactive display depicting the Red Ball Express of the European campaign is sure to garner the interest of active youngsters. A jeep sits in front of a video screen. Kids are encouraged to climb in and “drive.” Turning the wheel changes the image on the screen, giving the driver the feeling of hauling supplies through France.

ONE OF A KIND Other exhibits explain the courage and determination of those men and women who served in Korea, Vietnam and the most recent wars of

the Middle East. Local heroes such as Jesse L. Brown, the first black naval aviator, are honored as well as national black military figures such as Gen. Colin Powell. There is even a Hattiesburg Hall of Honor that electronically displays images of African-Americans who served in the military. The Historic USO Club is the only surviving USO built exclusively for African-American soldiers and has helped provide an identity for African-Americans in Hattiesburg for more than half a century. That fact is not lost on the young people who work there. “Working here is a fun opportunity and I’m proud to have the chance to be a part of this,” said Jasmine James, 17. “This USO is the last one. It’s one of a kind.”

Veterans Raylawni and Al Branch place dog tags on the museum’s deployment map, showing where they served

IF YOU VISIT THE MUSEUM Hours: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday Location: 305 E. Sixth Street, Hattiesburg Admission: Free Phone: (601) 450-1942 Web: www.hattiesburguso.com

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SPECIAL |

Hattiesburg celebrates 125 years

PHOTO COURTESY ALBERT & ASSOCIATES

MOVIE PALACE

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A FTER 80 Y EARS , S AENGER T HEATER S TILL D EFINES E NTERTAINMENT FOR THE P INE B ELT

TEXT BY LEIF MUNKEL PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY HATTIESBURG CONVENTION COMMISSION In 1929, the nation was in the midst of one of the worst economic crises it had ever seen. The Great Depression left millions without work and even more in poverty. Movies became popular as inexpensive distractions and movie houses sprang up across the country, including in downtown Hattiesburg. On Thanksgiving Day 1929, the Hattiesburg Saenger Theater, built by brothers Abe and Julien Saenger, opened. During the golden age of Hollywood, the Saenger Theater brought the world to the Pine Belt through moving pictures. John Wayne thundered across the western plains on horseback, while Charlie Chaplin gave viewers a much needed laugh. It was this escapism that gave the nation and the City of Hattiesburg the lift they needed during those difficult times. Eighty years have passed since the Saenger Theater opened its doors, but the Saenger

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Theater has remained a cultural and historical icon in the Pine Belt, and in today’s economic climate it remains a means of escapism. “The Historic Saenger Theater has been the hub for entertainment and culture throughout its 80 years in Hattiesburg,” said Hattiesburg Convention Commission Executive Director Rick Taylor. “Many community groups and friends of the Saenger have worked hard to keep the theater in good condition.” The Hattiesburg Saenger, originally one of seven Saenger Theaters operated throughout the South, quickly became the crown jewel of Hattiesburg. It was designed by New Orleans architect Emile Weile and is one of Mississippi’s two examples of the movie palace type. Weile infused characteristics of Neo-classical Revival Style and Art Deco Style, including Mayaninspired elements into the theater’s decor. The theater boasts a 778-pipe Robert Morton Pipe Organ, which was specially designed for the Saenger’s acoustics. It has been reconstructed, and is one of the only Robert Morton organs in the United States still in its original position. The Saenger was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and has undergone two renovations: The first in the 1980s was undertaken by Mayor Bobby Chain, and in 2000, it underwent a $3.75 million renovation.

The Hattiesburg Convention Commission inherited operation of the theater from the City of Hattiesburg in 2003 and it once again entertains with world-class events which dazzle audiences from across Mississippi. It would have been impossible for the Saenger brothers, Abe and Julien, to ever imagine that the small theater they built 80 years ago would house some of the biggest events in Mississippi, including this year’s 80th Anniversary Gala. At 8 p.m. Sept. 26, to begin the celebration of its 80th anniversary, the Saenger Theater will host the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra. The Big Band became popular during the early years of the Saenger Theater in the 1930s. Dorsey formed his orchestra in 1935 and had such hits as “Manhattan Serenade” and “The Big Apple.” Dorsey’s smooth, lyrical trombone style led to his popularity among swingers. Dorsey would die in 1956 but his orchestra continued to flourish under various conductors, including today’s most recent conductor, Buddy Morrow, one of this era’s greatest trombone players, who has worked with many Big Bands and jazz groups throughout the United States. He joined the Tommy Dorsey orchestra in the 1940s and also played with the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra after serving in World War II. “For the Saenger’s 80th anniversary we wanted to bring in a special act that was indicative of the theater’s founding era,” said Public Relations and Marketing Manager Traci Rouse. “The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is almost like looking into a time capsule for that generation.” In addition to the concert, the 80th Anniversary Gala will include a dessert reception and special memorabilia for guests. Tickets for the event are $20-$30 and can be purchased through the Saenger Theater Box Office at (601) 584-4888 or online at www.HattiesburgSaenger.com.

Left, the Saenger Theater, under construction, was designed by New Orleans architect Emile Weile. It is one of Mississippi’s two examples of the movie palace type. Opposite Inset, Saenger upon completion in 1929

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SPECIAL |

Hattiesburg celebrates 125 years

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZ ATION

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TEXT BY VALERIE WELLS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIAN BENSON Despite a national recession, downtown Hattiesburg is thriving with new businesses. “Almost every month, we’ve had a major building sell,” said Betsy Rowell, executive director of the Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association. For example, the large Komp building on East Pine Street sold recently. The former headquarters of Komp Equipment Co. - a historic, large landmark - now will house more downtown living space. Developers are renovating the space into more loft apartments, a popular

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trend in downtown living. And that’s not all. The Curry building on East Front Street will house five loft apartments upstairs and three retail stores at the street level. One of the new shops will sell frames, a welcome addition to an arts district. New developments and plans keep cropping up. The Family Y will open a gym on Mobile Street next year. About a block away, a new restaurant will open and will be yet another music venue for regional bands. For more than 20 years, key

people worked quietly behind the scenes to put all this rebirth in motion. Slowly, steadily, a core group of dedicated volunteers with a common vision put all the pieces in place to create the current renaissance, which includes the renovation of the train depot and the charming Walnut Street restaurants and storefronts. Downtown had been virtually deserted in the 1970s when Cloverleaf Mall opened and retailers moved west, but now it’s starting to boom again, this time with restaurants, a bookstore, art

galleries and nightclubs. Part of the success now was all about timing, Rowell said. “Kids growing up in the suburbs are tired of that,” she said, referring to the young downtown entrepreneurs. Instead of strip malls and giant marts, this younger generations prefers niche shops, intimate lunch dates and oneof-a-kind experiences. And in turn, a thriving downtown needs the energy of “new blood,” Rowell said. Along with the music and the art and the coffee shops, there’s a commitment to recognize what Mayor Johnny DuPree calls Hattiesburg’s “other downtown” - the MobileBouie Street area. The historically black business district and neighborhood is now embraced by the historically white downtown association. The African-American Military History Museum housed in the historic USO Club building on East Sixth Street attracts many visitors. Also set to open soon is a community center at the renovated Eureka School building. From the train depot to the Mississippi 42 Bypass, Mobile Street is the unifying element that connects the two old downtowns. The Mobile Street Renaissance Festival, founded in part by City Council member Deborah Denard Delgado, celebrates the one new downtown. This year, the festival is Oct. 2-4. The downtown is finding other common ground. Two separate studies - one for a business strategy and one for public arts development - concluded the same thing: Gordon‘s Creek is an asset. Both studies suggest making the creek an attractive, linear sculpture park will improve quality of life, attract visitors and keep the new blood pumping. Architect Larry Albert, who oversaw the restoration of the Saenger Theatre and Hattiesburg Train Depot, is heading up the rebuilding of the old Hattiesburg High School on Main Street, which was gutted by an arsonist’s fire in 2007, and will eventually be an art center for the University of Southern Mississippi. Albert also designed the new Hattiesburg public library on Hardy Street, which won a Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts for its design in 1997. Its red tile roof, huge arched windows and twin curving staircases inside reflect the design of the original library on Main Street, which is now the Hattiesburg Cultural Center. “I spent a lot of time in the old building and had a love for it,” Albert said. Rowell sees it all coming together. “It’s amazing when you stop and look at what’s happening in Hattiesburg,” she said.

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HOME & GARDEN |

golden eagle’s nest

At home with Martha Saunders S OUTHERN M ISS

PRESIDENT ’ S

HOME WAS DESIGNED FOR ENTERTAINING

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TEXT BY VALERIE WELLS PHOTOGRAPHY BY ERICA SHERRILL OWENS Martha Saunders has a comfortable morning ritual at home. The president of the University of Southern Mississippi gets up before 6 a.m. each morning with her husband, Joe Bailey. They make coffee, read several newspapers online and then walk about three miles at the Thames Elementary School track a few blocks away. “I was in the inaugural class at Thames,” Saunders said. The Hattiesburg native was in the ninth grade when the school opened as a junior high school. She’s right at home in the neighborhood. The Jamestown Road house, built 30 years ago, is the personal residence of the president. It’s also a public building belonging to the university and the site of many public events. Every month, the president welcomes special guests in the large rooms designed for entertaining. In August, the president hosted a reception for Miss Hospitality contestants, another one for new Southern Miss faculty and another for state officials who oversee state buildings. “It’s well-suited for what it’s supposed to do,” she said. It’s meant to be a place for university business, fundraising and making new friends. It’s

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also meant to be a refuge for the president after long days spent overseeing budgets, being fair during academic debates and pushing an ongoing determination to make Southern Miss “the national university for the Gulf South.” When Saunders moved into the house in 2007, state funds had already been approved to renovate the kitchen. “I kept looking at it. It looks like a real good kitchen to me,” Saunders said. She suggested leaving the kitchen just the way it was and using the money to make other renovations needed in the house. So the kitchen hasn’t changed much at all in recent years. Outfitted with Viking appliances, the functional space allows a flow for busy catered affairs while being warm and inviting enough for making family meals. When it’s just Joe and Martha at home in the evenings or on the weekend, they spend most of their time in a sunny corner with wicker furniture and dappled light. The long, cozy sun porch that runs the length of the back of the house was walled in under a previous administration. It’s one of the couple’s favorite spots to unwind and read or write letters.

In the evenings, the university president writes personal notes on birthday cards to Southern Miss employees. She sends notes to parents of student athletes along with pictures taken by her favorite photographer - Joe Bailey. With a Kindle in her lap, she catches up on her reading. “It’s my favorite thing,” she said. The electronic book reader has come in handy in her frequent travels. She rips out book reviews in magazines or newspapers so she can order the books instantly to her Kindle as she needs new reading material just for pleasure. Recently, she’s read “Ahab’s Wife,” by Sena Jeter Naslund and “First Family” by David Baldacci. On Sunday mornings, the couple visits with their grandchildren via Skype using a Web cam on the Internet. When they get the chance, they visit their children and grandchildren in person. When they are not working, traveling or reading, they are gardening. Joe Bailey has a bonsai garden where he carefully maintains the small tree and bush forms. “Bonsai is an art form,” Bailey said. He even has a bush that he salvaged from the Ogletree House on the Southern Miss campus. He is making a bonsai tree out of it that he wants to give to the Alumni Association to place in the

courtyard there when the renovations are complete. Saunders has a small herb garden close to the door near the kitchen. Under some hanging tomato plants grow basil, thyme, oregano and mint. “I’m fond of tarragon. And a lot of rosemary,” she said.

B

V B

i cto r i a n eauty

Groth family grows into Brookhaven’s Sproles House

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TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRUDY BERGER Bruce and Laura Groth of Brookhaven came into this lovely Queen Anne-style Victorian home on Natchez Avenue by way of California and Vermont, an unlikely path for a couple who have adapted so well to Mississippi horticulture that they routinely garner prize ribbons in the annual camellia show. Apparently it is not enough for this busy couple to live in and maintain a stunning, late

19th century two-story stately home, known as the Sproles House, on a large corner lot of a well-traveled residential street. The morning of the photo session, Laura had just received her master’s degree from Mississippi College, summa cum laude no less, and Bruce had taken off on a hiking trip to the northeast. She lasted five minutes into the interview before rushing off to an afternoon class in Natchez – leaving

the writer to admire the intricate details of this eye-popping manse. The Groths have lived in the home four years, having searched diligently for just the right home in Brookhaven before taking the plunge. Laura teaches kindergarten at Mamie Martin Elementary School and Bruce is an executive with an out-of-state company, traveling often. The house was remodeled by its previous owners, the

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Rosses, who completely gutted the rear of the first floor, thereby creating a large open kitchen with spacious counters, custom wood cabinets and 14-foot ceilings, and a cheery breakfast area which opens into a den-sitting area, all surrounded by windows which look out into the large, beautifully landscaped and wellshaded back yard. As one enters the front door,

the first detail to catch the eye is the beautifully carved oak stairway leading to the second floor. To the left is the living room, the centerpiece of which is a massive coffee table crafted from a large wood-framed glass front door, complete with door knob, hinges, mail slot and gold leaf numbers still evident on the glass. Another feature in the living room is the fireplace, with its distinctive surround and Victorian cast iron fireplace cover. Directly behind the living room is the dining room with an antique glass chandelier and

dentil molding. What catches the eye about this house happens before one sets foot inside the front door – it’s the large turret on the northeast corner of the façade, and the two large gable windows above the bay windows on the front and one side that really define the exterior of this house. Next time you are in Brookhaven, ride by and take a look for yourself. And do try to resist the impulse to get out of your car and rest a spell in one of those inviting rockers on the front porch.

pearl street garden

| HOME & GARDEN

Summer Oasis COTTAGE GARDEN ADDS PLENTY OF CURB APPEAL TO HATTIESBURG HOME

I

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE BLOM If you’ve ever driven on Pearl Street in Hattiesburg, then you’re probably familiar with this lush cottage-style garden that takes up an entire lot, filling the space where a house would ordinarily sit. In her living room, lit by natural light through a bay window that offers a view of the yard, Sue Sharp tells the story of the garden’s evolution. She and her husband, Merv, have labored and crafted it for years. Sue’s warnings about the garden not being up to par this summer, due to the drought and heat wave Hattiesburg experienced for more than a month, are waylaid by her enthusiasm for the story. Her large, beautiful, tiger-striped cat saunters in and out of the room, furtively assessing things as Sue talks. A professor of fashion merchandising at the University of Southern Mississippi for 35 years, Sue retired in 2003. Though she’d always had some kind of garden, her passion for planting and growing really blossomed after stepping down from teaching. Then, on Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused major wreckage to the Sharps’ property and home. Their corner lot lost most of its more than 20 pine trees. Ten landed on the house. Although a few pines and one hefty oak withstood the storm, Katrina had uprooted most of the Sharps’ trees, as well as the Sharps themselves. Luckily, they were able to communicate with their neighbors, who were out of town, who said they could stay at their house, enabling the Sharps to relocate right next door. A year later, they purchased the house and began creating a garden for it, where, according to Sue, there was nothing before. But they decided to keep their old garden as well, making the clean-up around their old home a carefully approached task with preservation in mind. Sue would not allow the house to be plowed, even

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though it was unsalvageable, because it would have destroyed the garden. Amidst the beds and flowers, there is now a pergola with wisteria vines, jasmine and other climbing flowers. The gazebo in the center of the garden is reconstructed from the front porch of the old house, adding charm and a haven from the sun with two wooden rocking chairs from which to enjoy the greenery. Despite the harsh weather conditions this summer, Sue has already experienced a special surprise, the blooming of white climbing hydrangeas. Her garden tour, along a quaint winding path created by salvaged brick from the Sharps’ former house, is full of names of the flowers, trees and plants, including a tea tree, a tung oil tree, a bottlebrush tree, coneflowers, Mexican petunias, Texas lilac vitex, yuccas, clematis, roses, Texas Star hibiscus, morning glories, oleanders and batwinged pansies. Everything is so meticulously cared for; even the weeds growing in the cracks of the Sharps’ old driveway aren’t actually weeds. And even when Sue does refer to weeds or unwanted plants, it’s with a hint of affection that she’ll refer to them as “thugs.” Without rain, Sue faithfully waters the garden from daylight to at least 10:30 a.m. most mornings in order to save the garden. But one might imagine she is out there much of the time even in wetter weather, just out of sheer devotion and because of the joy and vitality gardening gives her.

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ART |

tracy donald

Portrait of an artist T RACY D ONALD

SHARES HER TALENT WITH

OTHERS AS PAINTER , TEACHER

I

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAYLA ESSARY In a West Hattiesburg art studio usually bustling with budding child artists, there are a dozen canvases positioned on easels, ready to be painted by novice adult painters. This particular evening art class at Bristles features artist Tracy Donald as instructor. An inspiration photograph, depicting a Mississippi Delta sunset, is tonight’s subject. In the next hour, Donald is tasked with providing a lighthearted tutorial on the basics of oil painting, and those 12 canvases will come to life with the brilliant colors of twilight. “It’s my first time to teach

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an art class for adults, and I want these women to go away not only with a nice painting they could be proud of, but also some knowledge of the basics,” said Donald, who dabbled in painting while attending the Art Institute of Dallas years ago. After a 13-year career in graphic design, Donald pursued painting more seriously about five years ago after her family moved to Hattiesburg. Long before delving into sunset paintings, Donald’s first creative subject was one she knew quite well — a portrait of her oldest daughter, Laine. It

didn’t take long for requests to start piling up from people wanting their own children depicted in her unique painting style. “Tracy does these wonderful, unique portraits unlike any I’ve ever seen before with such minute detail,” said Hattiesburg Arts Council Director Patty Hall, who met Tracy when she participated in an emerging artist show at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center a couple of years ago. But Hall cautions against attaching the label of portrait artist too tightly to Donald’s work.

Patty Hall, above, displays Donald’s art at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center.

“As an artist, she is so versatile in her subject matter and style of painting. Along with the portraits, Tracy will turn out some fabulous, very contemporary pieces and I find myself really drawn to that work also. Not to mention the painting she’s done of a pear that’s so luscious, you could just slice right into it.” Hall invited the artist to participate in a seven-week display at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center this summer, featuring a collection of almost

30 paintings. “I got to know Tracy a couple of years ago shortly after she moved to Hattiesburg,” Hall said. “I admired her work and she had a few paintings in our emerging artist exhibit which is held each December. That’s when I really got to know her and spend some time with her. She’s been on my radar, thinking now that’s a young artist I really would like offer a full show.” Donald said she was thrilled to be offered a chance to show-

case her work. “This has been a great opportunity especially in this space because it is such a gorgeous place to have a show,” said Donald. “I’m so grateful to the Arts Council because without them, I probably wouldn’t have gotten this opportunity.” Giving artists a venue for exposure and inspiration was exactly what Hall and others with the Hattiesburg Arts Council and the City of Hattiesburg had in mind when they began renovating the old

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Hattiesburg public library building years ago. “We were hopeful when talks began for renovating this space that they would give us permission to maintain an art gallery here and that has now happened,” Hall said. “We’ve been blessed to participate in introducing new, emerging artists who have gone on and enjoyed a successful art career. It’s been nice to see them in the early stages of their careers and watch them develop themselves as artists. Often as a public space we have events and wedding receptions here so artists are introduced to a wide array of audiences by virtue of having their work on display. And that can lead to a work of art getting sold to someone in the audience, or just getting their name out even beyond this area. So it’s mutually beneficial for the city to have the space enhanced by the work and we believe it’s also a great service to the artist.” Hall said that the space doesn’t come without a few challenges for artists. “It isn’t always easy to have

a one-person show in this space, because of the heights of the ceiling, it seems to be almost too consuming sometimes,” Hall said. “But Tracy paints with such large canvases sometimes so that her work is able to fill a space.” And the opportunity prompted the oil painter to explore new areas of interest. “I’ve done quite a few flowers, some still lifes and landscapes, but one of my favorite areas is abstraction and I figured this was a great chance to explore that genre,” Donald said, adding that she wants to continue exploring the abstract style of painting. “In my opinion, abstract paintings are the most difficult. You are relying on your mind for inspiration and not looking at a photo or subject per se.” Meanwhile, what started as an alternative to dinner and a movie among friends has turned into 12 unique pieces of art. “We started the adult painting classes as an opportunity for women who might not otherwise pursue painting to see

into the window of a painter’s world, and I wanted Tracy Donald to be a part of this opportunity,” said Lissa Ortego, local artist and owner/instructor of Bristles. “Tracy did a great job demonstrating the medium of oil painting and giving everyone a basic glimpse into a skill she knows very well. I found it interesting to see how she works stylistically, and I believe others did as well.” Donald said each person can find ways to explore their artistic side and have a good time doing it. “I wanted them to have a great time being creative and I think they all did.” Hall said not every artist is so eager to share their creative talents with others. “She has such a heart for what art can do for a person, how it can enhance a life,” Hall said. “It’s wonderful to work with someone who is eager to give back to the community with the power of the arts and that’s certainly the case for Tracy.”

To find out what’s on display at the Hattiesburg Cultural Center or to schedule a mini-gallery talk with the artist, call the Hattiesburg Arts Council at (601) 583-6005. Information on Bristles Art Studio is available at www.bristlesstudio.com or by calling (601) 450-ARTS.

missions

| SPIRITUALITY

HOUSE RAISING Summit church builds hope, homes and a future in Waveland

E

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRUDY BERGER Every year during the first week of June, First Baptist Church of Summit sends out a construction mission team. It may be to build a church or to help rebuild damaged homes, but at this time of year a team of anywhere from 30 to 70 people, ranging from youth to senior adults, will hit the road on this trip. This year, the trip was to have been to Gallup, N.M., but due to a delay in obtaining building permits, a substitution

was made and the trip was just down the road, to Waveland. Many people, even those of us in Mississippi, assume that the Gulf Coast has been rebuilt. Not so. Waveland is in the process of rebuilding, but the damage there remains extensive. The FBC mission team was sent to Shoreline Park Baptist Church to build a home for a family that lost theirs to Hurricane Katrina on Aug. 29, 2005. The project was a ground-

up construction job, to build an 1,100 square foot wood frame house on 12 foot high piers, under new hurricane construction standards. “Scott,” the homeowner, explained that he had been injured on the job and was disabled. Once Katrina hit and destroyed their home, his wife and child had to wait along with tens of thousands of other victims for their FEMA trailer. Once settled in their FEMA

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trailer, it did not take long for Hurricane Gustav to come along and once again wipe them out. FEMA regulations prevent victims from receiving more than one trailer, so they then lost their automobile to pay apartment rent. This family was in a real bind. Left with nothing but the land on which their home had once stood, the Rev. Ed Murphy and Shoreline Park Baptist Church came to their rescue with the church’s innovative construction program. Scott’s home is the 16th such home built under the auspices of the church, this time by volunteers from First Baptist Church Summit. Bro. Ed has seen a lot in the 10 years that he has been the pastor at Shoreline. In the last five years, he has seen loss for his own membership. Waveland was ground zero for the Mississippi coastline during Hurricane Katrina, and the Shoreline church was hard hit. As he recounts story after story, he chokes up frequently at the struggles and difficulties that different people have faced. He even had to bury a church member soon after the hurricane, and when he says “bury” he means preaching and digging the grave as well. This is not your ordinary Southern Baptist preacher. On any given day he might be driving a tractor, using the bucket to hoist sheeting on the job, hauling construction materials to the job site, hauling children around in another van to some activity, tak-

ing a church member to a job interview, putting Freon in a deacon’s truck or just pitching in on anything else that might need to be done. “I surrendered to the ministry late in life,” Bro. Ed explains. “I was 35 at the time and I had my own construction business so I know how to build houses and do a lot of different things.” As he drove around to the various sites of the 16 homes that he has built since Katrina, recounting the unique and touching stories of each family as we approached each site, he says, “I can’t believe there have been this many. How did I do all this?” When asked what he plans to do next, he responds without hesitation, “Sleep. I’m just going to sleep for a while. You see, I get up at 6 every morning and go nonstop until 12 every night. And from midnight until 6 in the morning I don’t really sleep very well because my brain is still thinking about all the details involved. So I really want to sleep.” Bro. Ed and his wife Karen, originally from South Carolina, have grown children and grandchildren scattered around the country. They would eventually like to travel out west and mentor pastors in smaller churches, possibly doing short-term assignments building Sunday school classes or serving as worship leaders in churches. “When they finally lay my body down, I’d like it to be totally spent in service for the Lord,” says Bro. Ed.

tamales | IN THE KITCHEN

‘ TA M A L E L A D Y’ adds

A

s p i c e to farmer’s market

TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHARLOTTE BLOM Alma Gonzales is affectionately known as the “Tamale Lady” to those who frequent Hattiesburg’s farmer’s market in Town Square Park. And she deserves her nickname. Her tamales are fresh and delicious, not to mention cheap ($2.50 each). She sometimes draws a waiting line longer than a school bus, even on a relentlessly hot summer day. Her selection includes shredded pork or chicken, ground beef, jalapeño & cheese, and vegetable. She also makes several kinds of salsa, including one with green beans, and on some occasions, meltin-your-mouth cakes, made from scratch. With one or more of her daughters often helping, they might warn you, before purchasing the salsa, that it will be too spicy for you. And it will be too spicy, but you will not regret it. Gonzales started cooking and serving to the public after Hurricane Katrina. With so much reconstruction in the area following the destruction, she exacted her entrepreneurial spirit and began making lunches and delivering to the job sites. Eventually she gained

a reputation for her specialties like tacos and tamales. Now, she sets up her booth amidst the fruits, vegetables, plants and handmade toys and merchandise at the Pine Belt Farmers’ & Artisans’ Market and Downtown Laurel Farmers’ Market (managed by co-owner of New Yokel Market and Side Door Café, Chris Cagle). She says the process takes her about three days, one day for shopping, one day for cooking the meats, and on the day of the markets, she puts it all together, rising at around 5 a.m. to prepare her spicy dishes. She is sponsored by La Veracruzana, where she uses the kitchen to cook enough food for at least 100 people at each farmer’s market. It would stand to reason that more than Gonzales’s culinary skills draw people to her; her rich and warm personality do, too. Many of her customers come to her for a hug, and even those who don’t know her get passed their plate of food with a term of endearment that will make you think you’re momentarily a part of her family. And family is the most impor-

tant thing to Gonzales. “Money doesn’t really matter. Enjoy your family,” she says. “You don’t know how long you’ll have with them.” Gonzales also emphasizes the importance of caring for those outside of your family, and sharing, even when it seems like there isn’t enough to go around. Always give what you can, she offers sincerely. Though it took her four years to finally get her tamales to her liking, it’s not just about a recipe, she says. “It’s about your heart and your hard work and your good intentions.” Gonzales says when she makes her masa (corn paste) for the tamales, she is praying for everyone who will eat her food, and for everything to come out great. “With my food, you are not just getting tamales, you are getting a piece of love.” FARMERS’ MARKETS • Hattiesburg, Thursday, 3-6 p.m. Town Square Park, corner of Main and Buschman streets • Laurel, Fridays, 3-6 p.m. downtown parking lot

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IN THE KITCHEN |

pecans

NUTS ABOUT

Pecans Thousands of South Mississippians will gather in a shady pecan orchard on Wingate Road, about six miles from Richton, Sept. 25-27 for the 22nd annual Mississippi Pecan Festival. In addition to more than 250 food, arts and crafts and antiques booths, there will be a charity bake-off, live bluegrass and gospel music, a mule pull, antique engine show, draft horse demonstrations, stock dog demonstrations, Pecan Festival Pageant, quilt show, living history homestead and the Purtiest Rooster Contest. At the Living History Homestead, you can watch butter being churned, biscuits being baked on a wood stove, baskets being woven, lye soap being made and Rosey the cow being milked. An herb man will help you find a natural cure for whatever ails you. If you’re nuts about pecans, try these recipes from “Best of the Best 500 Fast & Fabulous Five-Star 5-Ingredient Recipes,” by Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley ($16.95, Quail Ridge Press).

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MONKEY BREAD BREAKFAST 1 (16-ounce) package frozen rolls 3/4 stick butter, melted, divided 1 (3-ounce) package cook ‘n serve butterscotch or vanilla pudding mix 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans Dip frozen rolls in melted butter; reserve remaining butter; place rolls in bundt or tube pan. Sprinkle pudding mix, brown sugar and pecans over rolls. Pour remaining melted butter over all. Leave on counter top overnight. Next morning, bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Invert onto platter and start picking off the delicious warm rolls.

PECAN SANDIES 2 sticks butter, softened 3/4 cup confectioners sugar 1 3/4 cups chopped pecans 1 teaspoon vanilla 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Add flour a little at a time, stirring well. Form into cookies and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Coat with extra confectioners sugar before serving. Makes 3 dozen.

BROWN SUGAR PECAN BITES CHEDDAR PECAN BISCUITS 2 cups self-rising flour 11/2 sticks butter, melted 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese 1 cup chopped pecans Combine flour, butter, sour cream, cheese and pecans, blend well. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased baking pan. Bake at 425 degrees about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

1 packed cup brown sugar 1 egg white, slightly beaten Pinch of salt 2 cups pecan halves 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Preheat oven to 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Blend together sugar, egg white and salt. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto well-greased baking sheet. Turn off oven before putting cookies in. Let sit in hot oven for 8 minutes.

M

LIFE IN SOUTH MISSISSIPPI

SOUTH COAST LIVING SUN, SHRIMP AND SOMETIMES SNOW

TEXT BY KRISTEN TWEDT PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEN MURPHY

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My husband grew up in Nebraska, Massachusetts,

Maryland and finally, Mississippi. I came of age here, where coastal live oaks and sand beaches wrap our southern exposure in timeless beauty. Married to each other and to our South Mississippi home for almost 20 years, we know salt water runs in our veins, the kind that fills the Gulf of Mexico. We always feel best when we’re somewhere within casting distance of its expansive berth and shimmering shores. While he recalls childhood winters of sleds and snowmen, I remember Christmas in shorts and flipflops. He harbors memories of his dad shoveling the sidewalk and coaxing warmth into car batteries. I remember how a scant two inches of the white stuff meant no school and the stunning realization that northern kids ride the school bus past towering snow banks for months at a time. I know what people say about Mississippi. Whenever one of those lists comes out about how we’re number one in something bad and number 50 in something good, I understand how that sounds. But, South Mississippi will always rank as a best place to live in my book. Here, you still find deep pockets of the natural world and secluded respites that only a cloistered

arboretum or the rush of evening tide can provide. Yes, we have Wal-Mart, and the same currency as the rest of the country. We have chain restaurants, although you won’t find the best fried shrimp or boiled crab there. But what is truly the feather in our cap is the loveliness of our landscape, from tidal waters to rolling hills to acres upon acres of undisturbed wetlands and forests. Our south coast waterfront defies description. Without fail, the soothing surf of warm waters will win your soul; the unfettered horizon in glorious sunset hues, your heart. If you need further convincing, just ask the brown pelicans. In the 1970s, the use of DDT pesticide caused a thinning of their eggshells. Babies didn’t hatch, and their numbers plummeted across the Gulf Coast. After time on the endangered species list and a ban on killer DDT, brown pelicans began their resurgence. Today, they’re everywhere, dipping their bucket beaks in the Mississippi Sound in magnificent, plentiful flocks. Even after near decimation, they persevered in triumph, much like Coast residents after Hurricane Katrina’s historical wipeout. There is no place like home. Loving South Mississippi means appreciating those things that are subtle yet critical to fine living. If you recognize the difference between delectable Gulf shrimp and those tasteless creatures quick-frozen and shipped from foreign lands, you might like it here. If you appreciate the essential goodness of a perfect roux, a homegrown tomato and pinkeye purple hull peas, then you have a place at the table. If you like interesting people, fish tales and an ice cold beer, then bring your cooler and drop on by. South Mississippi ranks high among destinations that really matter, the kind of places that make quick friends of visitors and lasting friends with those who stay. For all its perceived lack of “best of” status, it’s a place of indigenous splendor like none other that always makes us glad to be home.

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