Category: Civic

Fun Fact: Stone County Circuit Clerks

From W.P.A. Research Project — Subject : County History

(This was written around 1937.)

“Stone County holds the record of having more men serve as Circuit Clerk in one month than any other county in the state. The records of that office  show four different men held the office during the month of June, 1918:

W.L. Curry served 6 days

W.R Hatten , under appointment, served until the 16th when he resigned to enter the race for Circuit Clerk

W.F. Danley, appointed by the Governor, served to the 28th

J.N. Dale was elected on the 28th in a special election held for that purpose.

Fun Fact: Speed Limits

The following reminder  appeared in the Stone County Enterprise,
August 5, 1916:

“Automobile drivers should remember that there is an ordinance governing the speed limit to TWELVE MILES PER HOUR on the streets and six miles per hour turning corners in Wiggins and should govern themselves accordingly.”

Fun Fact: Anthony Herrera

Here is a  picture of Stone Countian and actor Anthony Herrera in the musical LITTLE MARY SUNSHINE performed at Ole Miss in the Summer of 1967.
Actors L:R – Marilyn  Maxwell, Ted Solomon, and Anthony Herrera

Anthony Herrera
Anthony Herrera

Fun Fact: Wiggins Memorial Park

From the Stone County Enterprise -Wiggins 100th Anniversary Timeline:

“1953 — Citizens dedicated Wiggins Memorial Park and a memorial was installed there for commemorating the forestry activities of Brooks Toler.    The park was located on Hwy 49 S (now Magnolia Drive) in Wiggins.”

Most of us called it simply “the roadside park”.  Mike Cain said when she was young, lots of parties and picnics took place there and it was a popular “parking place” for high schoolers! Cille McHenry Litchfield remembers picnics and Girl Scout day camp events being held there when she was little.

The park no longer exists, but the monument is scheduled to be placed on lawn of the Old Firehouse Museum this summer. It’s a big old stone and was located  underneath bushes and debris on the property which had been bought by local developer.

Fun Fact: Stone County – Mississippi’s Mural County

Effective May 1, 2012, via Senate Resolution 643, the 2012 Mississippi Legislature declared that Stone County is Mississippi’s Mural County. Sunset Through the Longleaf Pines was the first mural erected and can be found in Blaylock Park. Since then over twenty mosaic tile and painted murals have been erected in the County with more in the planning stages. The murals evolved through The Telling Trees, a project to capture and present the stories of Stone County through the arts.

Sunset Through the Longleaf Pines
Sunset Through the Longleaf Pines

Fun Fact: Emilie and Marie Stapp

Around 1928, Emilie and Marie Stapp moved to the small town of Wiggins, Mississippi where they had acquired 80 acres of land two miles east of town on Mississippi Hughway 26. They named their new property Friendship Farm. In the quiet solitude of southern Mississippi, Emilie Stapp could fully devote herself to creative writing. Upon the fertile ground of Friendship Farm, Emilie and Marie Stapp established a pecan orchard and built their home named The Dolls’ House. The home received its name from a rare collection of over 400 dolls of historic significance, that the Stapp sisters acquired from their world travels and prominently displayed there.

Soon after their arrival in Wiggins, Mississippi, Emilie and her sister Marie, became actively involved within the community. In 1932, they deeded 12 acres  of land and a club house to the Women’s Club of Wiggins, and with a donation of over 4,000 books, they established the first lending library in Stone County. Becoming concerned with the dilapidated condition of the old post office, the Stapp sisters funded construction of a new post office for the City of Wiggins.

The collection of dolls and their personal papers are part of the McCain Library and Archives at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Emilie Stapp
Emilie Stapp

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

Fun Fact: Stone County in the Mississippi Code

Map_of_Mississippi_highlighting_Stone_County

While it was the will of the people to create a new county from Harrison County, this officially occurred by act of the Mississippi Legislature in 1916.

Miss. Code Ann. § 19-1-131. Stone County.

Stone County is bounded by beginning at the northwest corner of section six, township two, south, range thirteen, west; thence running south along the eastern boundary line of Pearl River County to the southwest corner of section thirty-one, township four, south, range thirteen, west; thence running east to the southeast corner of section thirty-six, township four, south, range thirteen, west; thence running north to the northeast corner of section twenty-five, township four, south, range thirteen, west; thence running east to the southeast corner of section twenty-one, township four, south, range nine, west; thence running north along the eastern boundary line of Jackson and George Counties to the northeast corner of section four, township two, south, range nine, west; thence running west to the point of beginning. The county site is Wiggins.

HISTORY: SOURCES: Codes, Hemingway’s 1917, § 3892; 1930, § 3953; 1942, § 3088; Laws, 1916, ch. 527.

Fun Fact: Stone County 2030 Comprehensive Plan

Did you know that Stone County has a comprehensive plan for economic development that takes into account our history? The plan includes many interesting details about us.

Cover - Stone County 2030 Comprehensive Plan
Cover – Stone County 2030 Comprehensive Plan

 

Fun Fact: Wiggins Kiwanis Charter 7-15-1954

Wiggins Kiwanis Meeting 7-15-1954
Wiggins Kiwanis Meeting 7-15-1954

Found this photo when surfing through the digital archives at USM. The associated data indicates this was when the Wiggins Kiwanis Club received their charter.  I think I recognize Dr. Prevost (front row, second from left). Do you recognized others?

Source: http://digilib.usm.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/waller/id/1438/rec/33