
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Community \| Obits \| Editorial & Columnists \| Society \| Sports \| Education \| Classified Ads \| Calendar of Events \| Features \| Newsbriefs \| Legals \| Archives \| Subscriptions \| New Photo Gallery

Society

City Personals
Mary Clay Brooks

Sandestin was the place to be

John Bradford Whisenant was inadvertently left out of the trip with the First Baptist Church youth trip to Orange Beach, Ala.

It seems Florida was the place to be for the Fourth of July! Gene, Caitlyn, Grady and I, along with Kay and Laura Wheeler, spent a relaxing week in Sandestin. Hank Wheeler from Newnan, Ga., joined us for the first few days our trip. We ran into Pam, Barry, Emma, Andy and Erin Burleson in the Village. They were there for a press convention and stayed through Saturday. Ironically enough, Gene went to the beach early one morning to stake our claim with our umbrellas and chairs. While there, he ran into David Hollis, who was also vacationing in Sandestin along with his family and friends.

We actually had a real treat while there. In the age of social networking, I have rekindled old friendships, one of which was near and dear to our hearts. We were great friends with a couple from Saucier, for the years we spent on the coast. It just so happened that Anita and Marc Surginer were in Destin. The last time we saw them was 13 years ago, right before we headed north. Anita sent me a Facebook message and we made our arrangements to meet. It was just like old times, only Caitlyn could walk and we had added Grady to our family! They have their very well appointed sailboat docked in Destin Harbor. Grady was thrilled to see they had a kayak, something he had been dying to do since we arrived in Florida. He quickly took off his shirt, put on a life jacket and hopped aboard the kayak, setting out in the bay. Shortly after, fireworks lit the sky over the water from the harbor. It was a wonderful evening for all of us!

Thursday, I received a bizarre call from Barbara Taylor at The South Reporter. Apparently our wonderful neighbor called her alerting her that we had some “swimminals” (thanks, Grace, for the word) in our backyard! He saw them jump our privacy fence and indulge in our pool. Thankfully, he immediately called the police, who were quick to respond. They, too, witnessed the swimminals in action. I called the police department to check on the status as soon as my anger subsided. At that point, they had one in custody and were after the others.

I phoned Elijah Wilson the next day to once again check on the status. I also wanted to make certain he knew we were pressing charges. He was more than helpful, filling me full of information he collected and what the next steps were, as we have never had this happen.

I realize it is hotter than what I would imagine the beaches would be like on the sun, but that certainly does not warrant anyone jumping a fence (breaking a picket to do so, I might add) to use someone’s pool. It is appalling to me that there seems to be no forethought in decisions that are made hastily by some young folks. If it is not yours, you do not take it, partake in it or, for that matter, look at it. How very brazen of the three young people to think they had the authority to enter a private yard secured by a privacy fence to swim! My mind can only wander to a deep, dark place and think what they may have done had the Holly Springs Police Department not been so fastidious in their arrival. I shudder at the thought.

Rita and Johnny Langus of Mobile, Ala., were here for a visit last week. They got to spend time with family and friends while here.

Get well wishes go out to Dick Douglas, who is currently in physical rehabilitation. Hope you are better soon, Dickie!

I had a wonderful visit over the weekend with a dear friend of mine, Harriet Cochran. Every time I see her, it reminds me of how truly grateful I am to have such beautiful, strong, Southern as they get women in my life! She is a true gem, polished all the way. I marvel at her inner beauty and her beautiful works of art.

(To put your news in City Personals, please e-mail maryclayb@yahoo.com; mail to City Personals, The South Reporter, P.O. Box 278, Holly Springs, MS 38635 or call 662-252-4261.

You may also e-mail your City Personal news to southreporter@dixie-net.com).

Museuming
Lois Swaney Shipp
Museum Curator

Holly Springs - handsomest of all southern towns

Would you like to go back in time to another era? This week I read a description of Holly Springs and Marshall County during the War, written by a northern newspaper correspondent. Bobby Mitchell wrote the account about a “Chicago Tribune” reporter named Sylvanus Cadwallader coming to Holly Springs during the War.

As Cadwallader arrived in Mississippi down the Mississippi Central all important railroad, north of Hudsonville, he describes the bountiful rolling hills as being a magnificent agricultural district and every mile of the road runs through plantations fit for princes.

When Cadwallader arrived in Holly Springs, he rode through on his horse and described it as being the handsomest of all the southern towns he had ever seen and described it as the capital of Marshall County. He said the population was 3,500 people and contained many excellent churches and public buildings, a female seminary and on the highest hill in the state.

Then he proceeds to describe “Rocky Mountain” which was the recreational area west of town. He said it was 710 feet above sea level and one of the most charming places in the Union, and contained many elegant private residences.

Crossing town he talks about the depot with its commodious engine houses, machine shops and out buildings, in addition to the passenger and freight depots. Of the foundry-armory, he says, three hospital buildings were erected by the Confederates, where they found about 50 convalescents.

Of the whole town Cadwallader said, “As a handsome, pretty town, too much cannot be said of Holly Springs; nor as a military position, too little. It is wholly untenable by any army, on account of scarcity of water; possesses but few points of defense, and offers many attacks.”

Cadwallader, in conversing with local men and women said the women were a thousand times more violent than the men and they were driving every able bodied man into the rebel army.

I remember reading when the Texas troops came to town, they, too, couldn’t get over Holly Springs being the most beautiful town in the world, and eureka! -- the most beautiful women.

However after the War after having 64,000 northern troops stationed here, and after 62 small skirmishes of war, some of its beauty was destroyed. After the war, 10 years of Reconstruction, the horrific yellow fever epidemic, Holly Springs lost some of its beauty. If a person had the desperate ravages of disease, his appearance would be changed too.

When I took the Marshall County history mini-tour route, it was quite evident, that the ravages of the heat wave have taken some of our beauty. The Lord made those gorgeous rolling hills of south Marshall County, too. He made them in waves, like ocean waves, one after another. When I was tiny I had an aunt that lived in a now-gone antebellum house on the Waterford Mountain Road. I remember sitting on her front porch, which faced west and I could see those gorgeous hills with the setting sun sitting on the horizon. I thought I could see to California. I’ll always remember the beauty of the place.

The heat has left the corn crop dried up and the corn tassels are protruding skyward in a wild circle, looking frantic and forlorn. It is too depressing for a jubilant history tour. We’ll have the tour in January when all the snakes are sleeping.

Added to the Marshall County Historical Museum’s memorial garden in the front yard will be a memorial to Mike Durham. The memorials will be laid about the first of August. These squares cost $50 each. The museum telephone number is 662-252-3669.

P.S. A blind person came to see the museum and took a trip through the whole thing.

Report News: (662) 252-4261 or southreporter@dixie-net.com
Fax: (662) 252-3388
Questions, comments, corrections: southreporter@dixie-net.com
The South Reporter
P.O. Box 278
Holly Springs, MS 38635
©2004, The South Reporter, All Rights Reserved.
No part of this site may be reproduced in any way without permission.
The South Reporter is a member of the Mississippi Press Association.

Web Site managed and maintained by
South Reporter webmasters Linda Jones, Kristian Jones
Web Site Design - The South Reporter

Back | Top of Page