Hattiesburg

Hattiesburg


The area of present-day Hattiesburg had been inhabited by the indigenous Choctaw and Chickasaw peoples. The first European settlers were the French. Later the area was conquered by the British. In 1783, seven years after the United States had proclaimed independence, the British finally ceded the area to the new country.

In the 1830s, the indigenous tribes were forcibly relocated to the region of present-day Kansas and Oklahoma. In 1882, Hattiesburg was founded by civil engineer William H. Hardy at the confluence of the Leaf and Bouie rivers. The town was named for his wife Hattie.

The railroad arrived in 1884, spurring a lumber boom and the city's rapid growth.

In the 1960s, two nuclear devices were exploded in the nearby salt domes, for research in the development of these weapons. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina caused severe damage in Hattiesburg.

Nowadays, Hattiesburg is a prominent university city. It is a railroad hub and an important trade and industrial center for the surrounding farm and timber area. Sand, gravel, steel, lumber, industrial machinery, signs, resins, furniture, apparel, rubber, food, beverages and chemicals are all produced there.

Points of interest
  • The Courthouse.
  • The Confederate Monument.
  • De Soto National Forest is located not far from Hattiesburg.
  • Forrest County Public Library.
  • Hattiesburg City Hall.
  • The Hattiesburg Train Depot opened in 1910. The station was rebuilt in 2007. It is located at 308 Newman Stree.
  • Hattiesburg Zoo opened in 1950. It is home to about 60 different animal species. The zoo is located in Kamper Park.
  • Kamper Park was laid out on land that had originally been donated to the Daughters of the Confederacy in 1902, who, in turn, donated it to Hattiesburg in 1908. The park is home to the Hattiesburg Zoo.
  • The Water Tower is located near the Turtle Creek Mall.
Museums
  • The African American Military History Museum opened in 2009. It is housed in the East 6th Street USO Building, which was completed in 1942. In 2013, a tornado damaged the building and parts of the collection were soaked by rainwater. The museum is located at 305 E 6th Street.
  • De Grummond Children's Literature Museum.
  • The Freedom Summer Trails.
  • The Hattiesburg Area Historical Society Museum is located at 723 Main Street.
  • The Hattiesburg Pocket Museum is located at 119 W Front Street.
  • The Mississippi Armed Forces Museum opened in 2001. The exhibition is divided into different section that focus on World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Storm, the Global War on Terrorism and a section dedicated to the Medal of Honor. Items on display include military weapons, related equipment, clothing and medals. The museums is located at Camp Shelby, about 19 km (12 mi) south of Hattiesburg.
Galleries
  • The A Gallery is located at 134 E Front Street.
  • The Hattiesburg Arts Council Gallery is housed in the Hattiesburg Cultural Center, at 723 Main Street.
  • The Lucile Parker Art Gallery is located in the Thomas Fine Arts Building on the campus of the William Carey University. The collection contains 141 artworks by Lucile Parker and 17 by Marie Hull.
  • The Sarah Gillespie Collection comprises a large collection of 20th-century art from Mississippi. The gallery is located at 498 Tuscan Avenue and it is part of the William Carey University.
  • The University of Southern Mississippi Art Gallery.
Theaters
  • The Saenger Theater was named after the Saenger brothers, who had built and operated it.
  • The William Carey Center and Dinner Theater.
  • The University of Southern Mississippi Theater Department organizes original productions and broadcasts of National Theater Live! from London in the United Kingsom.
Religious buildings
  • The Bay Street Presbyterian Church.
  • The Court Street Methodist Church.
  • The Sacred Heart Church.
There are several hotels and restaurants in town. Hattiesburg is in southeastern Mississippi, on the Leaf River, 140 km southeast from Jackson and 1,410 km southwest from Washington D.C.

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