Author: Old Firehouse Museum Wiggins

This is the public website for the Old Firehouse Museum, the official museum for Wiggins and Stone County, Mississippi,

Honor Roll: Gordon McHenry

Gordon McHenry Japan 1946
Gordon McHenry Japan 1946
McHenry's in War Jobs Article
McHenry’s in War Jobs Article

 

Among those Stone County natives part of “The Greatest Generation” is Gordon S. McHenry. Better known for his medical practice for many many years, SGT McHenry was part a member of the Military Police in the Occupation Forces in Japan in 1946.

Floyd and Hazel McHenry had six children. All were involved in WWII in some way. In the article included in this post, Gordon is the “high school student at the Junior college (Perk)”. Floyd died in 1941 and did not see the involvement of his children in the war effort.

 

Source: McHenry Family Archives

Bank of Wiggins Hosts Museum Heroes Exhibit

Heroes
Heroes

Visit the Bank of Wiggins to see The Old Firehouse Museum’s first traveling exhibit, Stone County’s Heroes. The exhibit includes a wall of photos of some 350 men and women from our area who served in the military in WWII. It is incomplete. We are still looking for photos of others who served.

Please take time to visit the exhibit… it is quite moving and inspiring. During WW II, brothers were sent overseas to fight. Some families had 3 or 4 brothers in the service. The Brooks family had 7 brothers in the war. What sacrifices the mothers and fathers made by giving up their sons and daughters to fight for the freedom of all.

If you have photos of Stone County heroes from any branch of service and from any time period, please email those to oldfirehousewiggins@gmail.com.

Honor Roll: Burnis Bond

Burnis Bond USS Arizona
Burnis Bond USS Arizona

CPL Burnis L Bond, USMC, gave his life for our country aboard the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941, at Pearl Harbor.

CPL Bond was a member of the USS Arizona Whaleboat Team. Only two members of this team survived at Pearl Harbor. He is honored by the Marines at this TogetherWeServe.

Fun Fact: John Perkins

John Perkins
John Perkins

John Perkins SCE 9-27-2006 MGCCCJohn Perkins Confederate Dead Registry

John Perkins is the man for whom the community of Perkinston is named. After serving in the Confederate army, he became one of the homesteaders in South Mississippi. His home remains (in an expanded form) in the community today. See Len Blackwell’s The Perk Paperboy. This portrait was donated by his family to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.

Fun Fact: Ole MIss Band (from Stone High Band)

Ole Miss Band 1975-76
Ole Miss Band 1975-76

This photo appeared in the Stone County Enterprise in the fall of 1975. Three of the four are Stone County natives. Can you identify them?

Fun Fact: Sixty Years and Counting

Gordon and Mildred McHenry Wedding
Gordon and Mildred McHenry Wedding

Gordon Spencer McHenry and Mildred Lucille Herlong married at Central Presbyterian Church in Jackson on August 31, 1952. On August 31, 2012, they celebrated their 60th Anniversary with their children and grandchildren in Madison, MS.

Dr. McHenry was raised in McHenry and son to Floyd and Hazel McHenry. Mildred was raised in Pattison, Mississippi, daughter of Thomas and Elma Herlong. For over 45 years Gordon and Millie made their home in Wiggins.

Marshall Ramsey: River of Stone

This short story appeared today on artist/columnist Marshall Ramsey’s website.  Wiggins and the Dizzy Dean rest area are mentioned. I took a little personal liberty as webmaster to share this because I believe in many ways, he describes many South Mississippians I have known my entire life.Enjoy River of Stone.

Fun Fact: Anchor Cafe

Mike Cain has published this photo on Facebook several times.  This was a long standing Wiggins landmark. My guess today it could be featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives! My specific memories of this place were when Jack McHenry owned it. He made awesome stuffed crabs, gumbo, and my staple – hamburger steak with onions and gravy!

Anchor Cafe
Anchor Cafe

Fun Fact: Stone High Tennis

Stone High Tennis - 5A South Champs
Stone High Tennis – 5A South Champs

Did you know the Stone High School tennis team is making history for Stone County?  This group of students is headed to the state tourney in Jackson this next week. Go Tomcats!

Source: http://www.misshsaa.com/Sports/Tennis/Brackets.aspx; Photo is from post by Lisa Argo Rowell on Facebook

Fun Fact: Little Dills

Back in the 60’s, one of the fun community events in Stone County was square dancing. The student version of that was known as the “Little Dills”. “Dills”, of course was in reference to the Pickle Factory.  The grown up version of this group was known as the “Pickleville Squares”.

Check out this Stone County Enterprise article for more information about square dancing history in Stone County.

Little Dills
Little Dills