Meridian, Mississippi

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Meridian, Mississippi
Nickname: Queen City
Location of Meridian in Lauderdale County
Coordinates: 32°22′29″N 88°42′15″W / 32.37472, -88.70417
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Lauderdale
Founded	1854
Incorporated	February 10, 1860
Government
- Mayor	John Robert Smith
Area
- Total	45.9 sq mi (118.8 km²)
- Land	45.1 sq mi (116.9 km²)
- Water	0.8 sq mi (1.9 km²)
Elevation	344 ft (105 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	39,968
- Density	153.1/sq mi (396.5/km²)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code(s)	39301-39307
Area code(s)	601
FIPS code	28-46640
GNIS feature ID	0673491
Website: www.meridianms.org

Meridian is a city in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, United States. The city serves as the county seat of Lauderdale County, the fifth largest city in Mississippi,^[1] and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area. The city's 39,968 inhabitants, as reported in the 2000 census, are governed by a city council headed by Mayor John Robert Smith. Located in the North Central Hills region of the state, the city is 93 mi (150 km) east of Jackson, MS; 154 mi (248 km) west of Birmingham, AL; 202 mi (325 km) northeast of New Orleans, LA; and 231 mi (372 km) southeast of Memphis, TN.^[2]

Meridian has a rich past and deep roots in railroading history in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Established in 1860 at the intersection of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad and the Southern Railway of Mississippi, the city's economy relied heavily on the rails and the goods transported on them.^[3] The city's historic Amtrak station now includes several other modes of passenger transportation including the Meridian Transit System, Greyhound Buses, and Trailways averaging 242,360 passengers per year.^[4][5]

The city was the stage for the Battle of Meridian during the American Civil War when much of it was burned to the ground by General William Tecumseh Sherman.^[6] After the war, the city was rebuilt and entered a "Golden Age"; between about 1890 and 1930, Meridian was the largest city in Mississippi and a leading center for manufacturing in the South.^[7] During this time, many of the sites and buildings in the city's nine registered historic districts were built, and most still survive today.^[8]

The city is also the birthplace of many influential and historic people such as "The Flying Keys," who set the world endurance flight record in 1935 and developed a workable method of air-to-air refueling still used today. The site of the Meridian Regional Airport is named "Key Field" in honor of the two brothers and is home to the 186th Air Refueling Wing.^[9] Many other historic figures were born in Meridian including Jimmie Rodgers, the "Father of Country Music," Hartley Peavey, founder of Peavey Electronics, and James Chaney, one of three civil rights workers murdered by the Ku Klux Klan in 1964.

Since the 1950s, the city's population has been declining slowly,^[10] but the decline has slowed somewhat after an annexation in 2006^[11] and the arrival of numerous displaced coastal residents after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.^[12] The reason for this continuous population decrease lies in economic struggles. After the decline of the railroad industry, the city has struggled to create a modern economy based on newer industries.^[8] In 2003 Mainstreet Meridian, an organization in the city, launched its "Vision 2003" program to attempt to restore downtown to its original prosperity by means of a new, modern economy.^[13]

Contents 1 History 1.1 Foundation 1.2 Civil War Era 1.3 Meridian's "Golden Age" 1.4 Civil Rights 1.5 Revitalization 2 Historic Districts 3 City Government 3.1 Current Council Members 3.2 Judiciary Officials 3.3 Executive Officials 4 Demographics 5 Geography 6 Climate 7 Economy 8 Transportation 8.1 Railroads 8.2 Air Transportation 8.3 Highways 9 Education 10 Media and Publishing 10.1 Newspapers, Magazines, and Journals 10.2 Television 10.3 Radio 11 Sites of interest 12 Famous Meridianites 13 Notes 14 External links

[edit] History

[edit] Foundation

The area which is now Meridian was originally inhabited by the Choctaw Indians. Under pressure from the US government, the Choctaw agreed to removal from all lands east of the Mississippi River under the terms of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830.^[7] Although many Choctaws moved to present-day Oklahoma, a significant number of others chose to stay in their homeland, citing Article XIV of the treaty.^[14] Today, most Choctaws in the area live on the Indian Reservation in Choctaw, MS, 35 mi (56 km) northwest of the city. After the treaty was ratified, European-American settlers rapidly began to move into the area. In 1831, only a year after the treaty was signed, a Virginian named Richard McLemore became the first settler of Meridian.^[7] McLemore owned most of the land in the area, and his plantation home was the only notable residence in the vicinity at the time.^[15] To attract more settlers to the region and develop the area, McLemore began offering free land to newcomers.^[8]

In 1853, around the time that construction of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad began in the area, most of Richard McLemore's land was bought by Lewis A. Ragsdale, a lawyer from Alabama. John T. Ball, a merchant from Kemper County, bought the remaining 80 acres.^[15] Ragsdale and Ball, now known as the founders of the city,^[16] began to compete with each other by laying out lots for new development on their respective land sections. Ball laid his streets parallel to the railroad, and Ragsdale chose to use true compass headings. This competition is evident today in the angles at which some streets meet in the city.^[17]

Ball soon erected a small wooden station house and coerced the owners of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to grant depot privileges to the site. The owners agreed, provided the station was constructed according to their specifications and was furnished at the community's expense. Mobile and Ohio named the station Sowashee Station after the nearby Sowashee Creek. For nearly two years, though, the site was treated as a mere flag station and denied ordinary station accommodations while the expense of station maintenance fell on Ball himself. Fierce competition continued between Ball and Ragsdale; Ragsdale wanted to name the new settlement Ragsdale City, and Ball (along with most citizens) supported Meridian.^[18]

Meanwhile, the Southern Railway of Mississippi was being constructed eastward out of Jackson, Mississippi. The railroad was planned to cross the Mobile and Ohio Railroad at Enterprise, Mississippi, but railroad administration could not obtain cooperation from Enterprise officials. Businessmen in Sowashee were more than eager for this economic opportunity and convinced Southern to cross there instead. After persuasion from Ball and other citizens of the city, William Crosby Smedes, the president of the Southern Railway, suggested to the owners of the Mobile and Ohio that Sowashee be renamed Meridian. The Mobile and Ohio accepted the name, and the town was officially incorporated as Meridian on February 10, 1860.^[15][18]

[edit] Civil War Era

See also: Battle of Meridian

When the American Civil War began in 1861, Meridian was a small village with several stores and hotels and two churches, one Baptist and one Methodist, which shared a Sunday School service. An academy had also been built, and the school was in full operation. The town's strategic position at the railroad junction led to the construction of a Confederate arsenal, military hospital, and prisoner-of-war stockade, as well as the headquarters for a number of state offices.^[15]

After the 1863 Vicksburg campaign, Union forces under General William Tecumseh Sherman turned eastward toward the city to begin what would later be called the Battle of Meridian.^[7] Because of several feints and other confusing maneuvers performed by Sherman, Lieutenant General Leonidas Polk, leader of Confederate troops in the city, was convinced Sherman was headed not for Meridian but for Mobile, Alabama, so he decided to fall back to Demopolis, Alabama, and prepare for a rear attack, leaving the city and its surrounding territory to the mercy of the enemy.^[19]

Sherman reached Meridian on February 14, 1864. He and his army waited in the city for Brigadier General William Sooy Smith, whom Sherman had ordered to lead a small cavalry from Tennessee to rendezvous in the city and continue into Alabama. He gave up after a week and returned to Vicksburg on February 20. While he and his army were waiting, Sherman ordered his troops "to wipe the appointed meeting place off the map" by destroying the railroads and burning much of the area to the ground. After the destruction of the city, Sherman is reported to have said, "Meridian with its depots, store-houses, arsenal, hospitals, offices, hotels, and cantonments no longer exists."^[6] Despite the destruction, the railroad lines in the city were repaired only 26 working days after the battle.^[7]

[edit] Meridian's "Golden Age"

The town experienced a boom in the aftermath of the Civil War and entered a "Golden Age" around the turn of the 20th century. The railroads in the area provided for a means of transportation and an influx of industries, which caused a population boom. The 1870 population of 2,709 almost tripled by 1885 to around 8,000 and nearly doubled again to 15,000 by 1898. By 1906 the population had almost doubled again to reach 28,000.^[8] Between 1890 and 1930 Meridian was the largest city in Mississippi and a leading center for manufacturing in the South.^[7]

Industry profits helped finance the construction of most of the city's major buildings, including the Grand Opera House, which opened in 1890. The opera house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was renovated in 2006 along with the neighboring Marks-Rothenberg Department Store into an upscale theater and conference center and renamed "The Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts."^[7]

In 1894 the Wechsler School was built as the first brick public school building in the state for African-American children, after the full community passed a bond issue to build the substantial school. The school served the city until 1978. Since then, the building has been used by a variety of community organizations. The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 15, 1991, and in 1994 ownership of the building was transferred to the Wechsler Community Art Association. The association has a multi-year plan to renovate the building for extended community use.^[20]

With funding from the national philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, two Carnegie libraries were built in 1913 — one for whites and one for African Americans in the segregated society. The library for whites was established in a building originally owned by members of the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian, who sold it to the city on September 25, 1911.^[21] The city used the library until 1970, when it was converted into the Meridian Museum of Art. The library for African Americans was built at 13th Street and 28th Avenue on land donated by St. Paul Methodist Church.^[22][23] Despite the demolition of the former African-American library on May 28, 2008,^[23] both buildings are currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[24]

In 1929 the Threefoot Building, Meridian's tallest skyscraper, was built in the Art Deco architectural style. Today, the historic building, located adjacent to the Grand Opera House, is an important city landmark and is a contributing building within the Meridian Downtown Historic District, one of nine recognized historic districts in the city.^[7]

The city's population continued to climb until it peaked in the 1950s. The decline of the railroad industry caused significant job losses, whose combined economic impact resulted in a population decline as workers left for other areas. The population has since continued to decrease as the city has struggled to create a modern economy based on newer industries.^[8]

[edit] Civil Rights

See also: Mississippi civil rights workers murders

During the height of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, Meridian was a major center of organizing and activism. The Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) had a field office there, with members including James Chaney and other local residents, along with Michael and Rita Schwerner and Andrew Goodman, volunteers from the North. They worked on creating a community center, preparing people in the area for voter registration to regain the power to vote, and organizing a boycott of a variety store that had yet to hire its first black.^[25]

The activism was not widely accepted among whites in the area; it caused great tension between not only white and black citizens of Meridian, but whites and blacks throughout the South. Racial tension often translated to violence. In June 1964 Chaney, Schwerner and Goodman went to Neshoba County, Mississippi to meet with members of a black church which had been bombed and burned. The three young men disappeared that night on their way back to Meridian.^[25]

Two months later authorities discovered the bodies of the men buried in an earthen dam. The federal government indicted seventeen Klansmen, and tried ten for conspiracy under the Force Act of 1870. Seven men were convicted and three were acquitted.^[26] In 2005 the case was reopened; Edgar Ray Killen, a Klansman, was convicted of three counts of manslaughter and sentenced to three terms of 20 years each.^[27]

The murders of Chaney, Schwerner, and Goodman — along with years of work from other activists — helped gain national support for Federal legislation to end segregation and protect civil and voting rights of all citizens. Meridian later honored Chaney by renaming a portion of 49th Ave after him. The city has also held a Mississippi Civil Rights Martyrs Memorial Service each year since 1964^[28] and built a memorial at his gravesite located in Okatibee Cemetery, by Okatibee Baptist Church.^[29]

[edit] Revitalization

Currently Meridian is undergoing a major effort to revitalize downtown. The project owes its beginning to the construction of a new Amtrak Station in 1997. The construction of the Amtrak station and linking of transportation modes sparked a citywide effort to restore downtown to its lively prosperity of the early 20th century.^[3]

In 2001, the Rosenbaum Building was renovated and reopened containing condominiums on the upper floors and retail stores on the street level. Weidmann's restaurant, built around 1870, was sold to a group of local investors and reopened in fall 2002 after extensive renovations.^[30]

In 2003, Mainstreet Meridian launched a program called "Vision 2003," prioritizing the continued revitalization of downtown. Mainstreet Meridian, along with The Riley Foundation, helped renovate the historic Grand Opera House in 2006 into the "Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and the Performing Arts." A 6-story parking garage, built to provide parking for the future Riley Center, opened in 2005.^[13][30]

Plans are underway to renovate the Threefoot Building into an upscale hotel before the end of 2009. The demolition phase is set to begin around June 2008, and construction should begin at the end of the same year. The renovation is estimated to take 15 to 18 months to complete if all financing goes as planned.^[31]

Other designed and proposed projects in the city include bridge improvements in several locations throughout the city, including the 22nd Avenue bridge, the "gateway to downtown." The city has also proposed building several museums in downtown and an African-American Business District on 5th Street, as well as several murals and public arts projects on various buildings' facades.^[32] Mainstreet Meridian also plans to increase residential housing and create more night time activities in the city. More downtown property and business owner involvement is also encouraged.^[13]

[edit] Historic Districts

Meridian contains nine registered historic districts illustrating the city's rich history. One district, the Meridian Downtown Historic District, is a combination of two older districts, the Meridian Urban Center Historic District and the Union Station Historic District. Many architectural styles are present in the districts, most from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, including Queen Anne, Colonial Revival, Italianate, Art Deco, Late Victorian, and Bungalow. The districts are:^[24][33]

 1  East End Historic District — roughly bounded by 18th St, 11th Ave, 14th St, 14th Ave, 5th St, and 17th Ave. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1987. Its significance lies in its large collection of late 19th and early 20th century Queen Anne and Colonial Revival style cottages built during Meridian's "Golden Age."

 2  Highlands Historic District — bounded by 15th St, 34th Ave, 19th St, and 36th Ave.^[8] The district grew from the introduction of Meridian's light rail streetcar system in 1883. The streetcar line began on 8th Street, continued up 34th Avenue, then turned west between 19th and 20th Streets and continued into Highland Park, just outside the western boundary of the district. The streetcar line provided transportation in and to the area that allowed it to develop. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1987.

 3  Meridian Downtown Historic District — runs from railroad tracks north to 6th St between 18th and 26th Ave, excluding Ragsdale Survey Block 71. The district is actually a combination of two older districts, Meridian Urban Center Historic District and Union Station Historic District. In 2005, Meridian's city council voted to combine these two districts into one large district. The new district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 16, 2007.

 4  Meridian Urban Center Historic District — roughly bounded by 21st and 25th Aves, 6th St, and the former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979. In 1872, the streets in this district were beginning to develop around the new railroads. The rails provided economic success in the area, which resulted in a large range of late 19th and early 20th Century architectural styles including Italianate row buildings and an Art Deco skyscraper known as the Threefoot Building. The Urban Center Historic District was combined with the Union Station Historic District in 2005 and became the Meridian Downtown Historic District.

 5  Union Station Historic District — roughly bounded by 18th and 19th Aves, 5th St, and the former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Originally added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 as the Meridian Depot District, the district contains Union Station, Terminal Hotel, General Supply Co., and the Soule' Steam Feed complex. Before 1905, this area was primarily residential, but the construction of the Union Station in 1905-1906 led to the development of this area in business and industry. The name change occurred in 2000, after completion of the renovated Union Station Multi-Modal Transportation Facility. The Union Station Historic District was combined with the Urban Center Historic District in 2005 and became the Meridian Downtown Historic District.

 6  Merrehope Historic District — bounded by 33rd Ave, 30th Ave, 14th St, and 8th St. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 19, 1988. Following the Civil War, Meridian's economy boomed through railroading, Logging and textile enterprises. As Meridian began to grow northward, so did the need for housing. The housing development period for this district was late 1860 through 1940.

 7  Mid-Town Historic District — bounded by 23rd Ave, 15th St, 28th Ave, and 22nd St. The district is a collection of architectural and historically important 20th Century residences representing the houses of Meridian's wealthy industrialists, professionals and merchants, as well as the working class. Because of this historic architecture, the district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1987. The homes in the district are associated with Meridian's rapid growth at the beginning of the century, when the city was the center of Mississippi's railroad economy. The district has a large percentage of brick structures, built as an alternative to the wooden frame residences made popular by the lumber industry and mills in Meridian.

 8  Poplar Springs Road Historic District — roughly bounded by 29th St, 23rd Ave, 22nd St, and 29th Ave. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1987. It is a collection of residences representing the prosperity of Meridian at the turn of the 20th century and pre-Depression era. The district developed around Poplar Springs Road (now Poplar Springs Drive), at the time a winding country road leading into the north of the city. Hundreds of shade trees were planted and still contribute to the streetscape of the Poplar Springs Historic District.

 9  West End Historic District — roughly bounded by 7th St, 28th Ave, Shearer's Branch, and 5th St. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. It presents continuous streetscapes of historic buildings built during this time period. The period of significance for West End dates from 1870 to 1936, representing the rise of Meridian from its destruction during the American Civil War to the position of Mississippi's largest city. The steady growth of Meridian's economy during this time made possible the expansion of this district.

[edit] City Government

Meridian is governed by a city council, headed by the Mayor, John Robert Smith. City Hall is located at 601 24th Avenue, and since September 13, 2007, the building has been undergoing a restoration to its original 1915 condition. Temporary City Hall is located at 2412 7th Street.^[34]

[edit] Current Council Members

• Dr. George Thomas (Ward 1, Vice-President)
• Mary A.B. Perry (Ward 2)
• Barbara Henson (Ward 3)
• Jesse E. Palmer, Sr. (Ward 4, President)
• John C. Harris (Ward 5)

The Council Clerk is Pam McInnis.

[edit] Judiciary Officials

• Robbie Jones, City Court Judge
• Beauchamp Jones, Judge Pro Tempore
• Alfred Cory, City Prosecutor
• Amanda Rainey, Assistant Prosecutor
• Joseph Denson, Public Defender

[edit] Executive Officials

• Bill Hammack, City Attorney
• Ken Storms, Chief Administrative Officer
• Ed Skipper, Finance and Records Director
• Monty Jackson, Public Works Director
• Mark Naylor, Parks and Recreation Director
• Don Farrar, Community Development Director
• Jeff Homan, Fire Chief
• Benny Dubose, Police Chief
• H. C. Partridge, Homeland Security Director

[edit] Demographics

City of Meridian    Population by year[35]
Year	Population	%±
2000	39,968	—
2001	39,395	-1.43%
2002	39,245	-0.38%
2003	39,114	-0.33%
2004	38,665	-1.16%
2005	38,360	-0.78%
2006	38,200	-0.42%

As of the census of 2000,^[36] there were 39,968 people, 15,966 households, and 10,026 families residing in the city. The population density was 885.9 inhabitants per square mile (342.0 /km²). There were 17,890 housing units at an average density of 396.5 per square mile (153.1 /km²). The racial makeup of the city was 54.37% African American, 43.99% White, 0.17% Native American, 0.60% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.08% of the population.

There were 15,966 households out of which 31.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 23.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.2% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city the population was spread out with 27.2% under the age of 18, 9.9% from 18 to 24, 26.6% from 25 to 44, 19.7% from 45 to 64, and 16.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 84.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $25,085, and the median income for a family was $31,062. Males had a median income of $29,404 versus $19,702 for females. The per capita income for the city was $15,255. About 24.6% of families and 28.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.8% of those under age 18 and 22.0% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Geography

Meridian is located at 32°22′29″N, 88°42′15″W (32.374841, -88.704160)^[37] in the North Central Hills region of the state. The city is 93 mi (150 km) (1.5 hours) east of Jackson, MS; 154 mi (248 km) (2 hours) west of Birmingham, AL; 202 mi (325 km) (3 hours) northeast of New Orleans, LA; 231 mi (372 km) (4 hours) southeast of Memphis, TN; and 297 mi (478 km) (5 hours) west of Atlanta, GA.^[2]

The region's geology consists of sands and clays from the paleocene and eocene epochs and soil in the ultisol order.^[38] The area surrounding the city is covered with cotton and corn fields along with oak and pine forests, and its topography consists of clay hills and the bottom lands of the head waters of the Chickasawhay River.^[15]

The natural terrain of the area has been modified in the urban core of the city by grading, but it maintains its gentle rolling character in the outlying areas. Numerous small creeks are found throughout the city and small lakes and woodlands lie in the northern and southern portions of the city.^[8]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 45.9 sq mi (118.9 km²), of which 45.1 sq mi (116.8 km²) is land and 0.8 sq mi (2.1 km²) is water.

[edit] Climate

Meridian is in the Humid subtropical climate zone. The average high temperature during summer months (June through August) is around 90 °F (32 °C) and the average low temperature is around 70 °F (21 °C). In winter months (December through February) the average high temperature is around 60 °F (16 °C) and the average low temperature is around 35 °F (2 °C). The warmest month of the year is July with an average high temperature of 92.9 °F (33.8 °C), and the coldest month of the year is January with an average low temperature of 34.7 °F (1.5 °C).

The average annual precipitation in the city is 58.65 in (148.97 cm). Rainfall is fairly evenly distributed throughout the year, and the wettest month of the year is March in which an average of 6.93 in (17.60 cm) of rain falls.^[39]

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Record high	83°F (28°C)	85° (29°)	90° (32°)	95° (35°)	99° (37°)	104° (40°)	107° (42°)	106° (41°)	105° (41°)	97° (36°)	87° (31°)	84° (29°)
Normal high	58° (14°)	63° (17°)	70° (21°)	77° (25°)	84° (29°)	90° (32°)	93° (34°)	93° (34°)	88° (31°)	78° (26°)	69° (20°)	61° (16°)
Normal low	35° (2°)	38° (3°)	44° (7°)	50° (10°)	60° (15°)	67° (19°)	71° (21°)	70° (21°)	64° (18°)	51° (11°)	43° (6°)	37° (3°)
Record low	0° (-18°)	8° (-13°)	15° (-9°)	28° (-2°)	38° (3°)	42° (6°)	55° (13°)	51° (11°)	34° (1°)	24° (-4°)	16° (-9°)	2° (-17°)
Precipitation	5.9 in. (15 cm.)	5.4 (13.6)	6.9 (17.6)	5.6 (14.3)	4.9 (12.4)	4 (10.1)	5.5 (13.8)	3.3 (8.5)	3.6 (9.2)	3.3 (8.3)	5 (12.6)	5.3 (13.5)
Source: USTravelWeather.com

[edit] Economy

Industries in Meridian, Mississippi[40]
Industry Type	Institutions	Employees
Healthcare & social assistance	178	5,698
Retail trade	378	4,892
Manufacturing	54	2,493
Food services	107	2,446
Waste management, & remediation service	54	2,074
Wholesale trade	74	1,692
Administrative & support	51	1000-2499
Information	32	573
Professional, scientific, & technical services	118	500-999
Accommodation	21	295
Arts, entertainment, & recreation	16	157
Rental & leasing	25	132
Real estate	40	97
Educational services	8	20-99
Other	129	649

In Meridian's early days, the economy depended greatly upon the railroads in the area. The city was the largest in Mississippi at the turn of the 20th Century with five major rail lines and 44 trains coming in and out of the city daily.^[3] The city's economy not only depended on the rails but the goods, such as timber and cotton, transported on them. With these rail-based industries, the city was a great economic power in the state and region between 1890 and 1930.^[7]

Though its economy slowed with the decline of the railroading industry in the 1950s, the city has adapted, moving from a largely rail-based economy to a very diverse one. The city's 178 healthcare and social assistance institutions contribute greatly to its economy by providing 5,698 jobs to residents of Meridian and the surrounding area. Retail is another major employer in the city, with 378 institutions employing 4,892 people.^[40] Nearly $2 billion annually is spent on retail purchases in the city.^[41] The city is also home to two military facilities, Naval Air Station Meridian and Key Field, which supply more than 4,000 jobs to the city's residents.^[42]

Peavey Electronics Corporation, which has manufactured guitars, amplifiers, and sound equipment since 1965, operates its headquarters in the city. Other businesses in the area include Avery Dennison, Structural Steel Services, Sara Lee, Tower Automotive, and Teikuro Corporation. The city is also home to four industrial parks. New businesses in the city are expected to bring in more than $250 million in new investments and add around 670 jobs.^[42]

Phase I of the construction of Meridian Crossroads, a shopping center in the Bonita Lakes area of the city, was completed in November 2007. The completion of Phase I has provided a major boost to retail in the area, and Phase II is projected to boost the region's economy even more.^[32]

In downtown, the MSU Riley Center provides revenue from tourism, arts, and entertainment sales. The Riley Center attracted almost 63,000 visitors in its second season in 2007.^[32]

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Railroads

Amtrak's Crescent line connects Meridian with the cities of New York City, New York; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Baltimore, Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Charlotte, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; Birmingham, Alabama; and New Orleans, Louisiana. The Amtrak Station (also called Meridian Multi-Modal Transportation Center and locally Union Station) is located at 1901 Front Street, part of the Meridian Downtown Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Originally built in 1906 but later demolished in 1966 and rebuilt in 1997, the station includes several modes of passenger transportation including the Meridian Transit System, AMTRAK, Norfolk Southern rail corridor, Greyhound Buses, Trailways and other providers of transit services.

The number of passengers on Amtrak trains, Greyhound buses, and Meridian Transit System buses averages 242,360 per year.^[5]

[edit] Air Transportation

The town is served by Meridian Regional Airport, located at Key Field, 2811 Airport Boulevard South, 3 mi (4.8 km) southwest of the city. The airport opened in 1930, just before the Great Depression. During the Depression, residents of the city contemplated abandoning the airport because of the cost of maintenance, but in 1935 Brothers Fred and Al Key, managers of the airport, thought of a way to keep the airport operating. From June 4 until July 1, 1935, the brothers flew over the city in their plane, the "Ole Miss." The record they established in their 27 days aloft, totaling 653 hours and 34 minutes, attracted enough publicity and funds to the city to keep the airport running. Key Field is therefore named after the brothers, whose flight endurance record remains unbroken in conventional flight.

The airport offers 4 non-stop daily flights to Atlanta via Delta Connection, operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines in Atlanta, Georgia.

[edit] Highways

Interstate Highways
Interstate 20, runs west to Jackson, Mississippi and east to Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
Interstate 59, joining with I-20 in the city, runs north to Tuscaloosa, Alabama and south to Laurel, Mississippi, and New Orleans.
An addition to Interstate 85 is planned, and will terminate just across the Alabama state line from the city through Demopolis and Selma, Alabama to Montgomery.[43]
U.S. Highways
U.S. Highway 11 runs parallel to Interstate 59.
U.S. Highway 45 runs north to Columbus, Mississippi and south to Quitman, Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama.
U.S. Highway 80 runs west to Jackson, Mississippi and east to Demopolis, Alabama and Montgomery, Alabama.
State Highways
Mississippi Highway 19
Mississippi Highway 39
Mississippi Highway 145
Mississippi Highway 493

[edit] Education

Meridian is home to two post-secondary educational institutions. Meridian Community College is located at 910 Highway 19 N and offers free tuition for four semesters to graduates from the Meridian Public and Lauderdale County School Districts as well as homeschooled children who reside in the city limits.^[44] Mississippi State University also operates a campus in the city. Seven hundred sixty-three students from 33 counties throughout the state and several in Alabama attend the college.^[45]

The city's youth attend schools in the Meridian Public School District, which includes 7 elementary schools, 2 middle schools, 2 junior high schools, and 2 high schools.^[46] Some children in the city limits attend schools in the Lauderdale County School District as well.^{[citation needed]} The city also contains several private schools including Calvary Christian School, Lamar School, Russell Christian Academy, and St. Patrick's Catholic School.

[edit] Media and Publishing

[edit] Newspapers, Magazines, and Journals

Name	Published	Website
The Meridian Star	daily	MeridianStar.com
Memo Digest	weekly
East MS Business Journal	monthly	EMBJ.net
Mississippi Business Journal Online	daily online	MSBusiness.com

[edit] Television

Name	Programming	Analog	VHF Digital	UHF Digital
WTOK	ABC Affiliate	11	11.1	49.1
WTOK-DT2	Fox Meridian	—	11.2	49.2
WTOK-DT3	Meridian's CW	—	11.3	49.3
WMAW	Public Broadcasting	14	14.1	44.1
WMDN	CBS Affiliate	24	—	26.1
WGBC	NBC Affiliate	30	—	30.1
W47CG	TBN Affiliate	47	—	—
WIIQ	Public Broadcasting	49	—	19.1

[edit] Radio

FM Call sign Frequency Website Genre WKZB 106.9 1069thebuzz.com Classic rock, 60s, 70s, 80s WJXM 105.7 1057thebeat.com Hip-hop, R&B WZKR 103.3 Oldies WUCL 102.1 Classic Country WMSO 101.3 Miss101.com Country WLKO 98.9 KLOVE.com Christian Contemporary WOKK 97.1 WOKK.com Country WJDQ 95.1 Q951.com Top 40 WMLV 93.5 V935.com Adult Contemporary WMAW 88.1 Public Radio

AM Call sign Frequency Website Genre WFFX 1450 Sports WMER 1390 Gospel WNBN 1290 Gospel WMOX 1010 WMOX.net Talk WALT 910 Talk WSJC 810 Lifetalk.net Religious, Talk WYLS 670 Urban Contemporary Gospel

[edit] Sites of interest

Around Town Carousels Abound[1] is a public arts project of 62 carousel horses, representing the historic Dentzel Carousel in Highland Park (see below). Sixty-two pieces have been sponsored by local businesses and citizens, and design of the horses was conceived and painted by local artists. They are placed throughout the city and county.^[47]

Bonita Lakes is a city-owned, 3,300 acre (13 km²) park including three lakes. The park also includes the Long Creek Reservoir and Lakeview Municipal Golf Course, along with nature trails, a jogging and walking track, biking paths, horseback riding trails, pavilions, picnic facilities, boat ramps, paddle boats, concessions, and fishing. The site is also the possible future home of the Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Center[2] (pending government legislature for funding). Besides the lakes, the Bonita Lakes area includes Bonita Lakes Mall[3], Bonita Lakes Crossing, and Bonita Lakes Plaza. The 633,685 sq ft (58,871 m²)^[48] mall offers over 100 shopping venues, including department stores, specialty shops, restaurants, eateries, and United Artists Theatres.

The Causeyville General Store opened in 1895 as a general store and gristmill. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has many original fixtures and demonstrations of the working gristmill. It is also the home of Meridian's Mechanical Musical Museum, one of the most popular attractions in the area.^[4]

Different Seasons[4], formerly known as Crossroads, is one of the gay bars featured in the Kevin Smith film Small Town Gay Bar and one of only 8 gay bars in Mississippi.^[49]

Dunn's Falls[5] is a 65 ft (19.8 m) waterfall created in the mid 1850s by John Dunn, an Irish immigrant,^[50] once used as a power source for a gristmill and the manufacture of Stetson hats. The park is a natural wildlife refuge including a picnic area with barbecue grills, a gristmill pond, several campsites, and hiking and swimming areas.

The Frank W. Williams Home, built in 1886, is a fine example of the Queen Anne style of residential architecture, with stained glass, oak paneling, parquet floors and detailed gingerbread. Many original features and antique furnishings are in the home. The house is located at 905 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Drive on the same lot at the Merrehope Historical Home.^[4]

Merrehope is a stately 20-room Victorian mansion, restored and furnished by the Meridian Restorations Foundation, Inc. Originally, part of the home was used as headquarters for Confederate General Leonidas Polk and was spared by Union General William T. Sherman and his troops when they attacked the city during the Civil War and burned much of it to the ground.^[4] The home is located at 905 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Drive on the same lot as the Frank Williams Home and is one of few homes in Meridian that remained standing after Sherman's raid during the Civil War.^[6]

The city's former Grand Opera House, renovated in September 2006, is remarkable for being preserved to its original beauty while incorporating the latest in modern technology and amenities. The Grand Opera House and the adjacent Marks-Rothenberg Department store were built in 1889 by two half brothers, Israel Marks and Levi Rothenberg. In addition to the extensive theater renovation, the department store was completely transformed into a state-of-the-art conference facility. Together the theater and conference space currently make up the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts[6], owned and operated by Mississippi State University-Meridian Campus.[7]

The Hamasa Shrine Temple Theater houses a 778-pipe organ, the equivalent of a 100-piece symphony orchestra, one of two organs of its kind known to exist. This beautiful theater, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was constructed in 1923 in the Moorish Revival style by the Hamasa Shrine and leased to the Saenger Theater chain in 1927. Saenger originally leased the building for 25 years and renewed for an additional 20, ending in 1972.^[51] With seating for 1800 persons, the silent movie era was a prosperous time for the Temple. At the time, it was one of the largest stages in the United States, second only to the Roxy Theater in New York City.

Highland Park houses a Jimmie Rodgers museum which displays the original guitar of "The Singing Brakeman" and other memorabilia of his life and career, as well as railroad equipment from the steam-engine era. In addition to the museum building itself, there are outside memorials, and a vintage steam locomotive on display. Highland park also houses a 19th century carousel manufactured around 1895 by Gustav Dentzel of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Highland Park Dentzel Carousel has been in operation since 1909, is a National Historic Landmark, and is the world's only two-row stationary Dentzel menagerie in existence. Original oil paintings of museum quality adorn the top crown of the carousel, and all 28 animals and 2 chariots on the carousel are meticulously hand-carved of bass and poplar wood and have recently been restored to their original beauty. The Dentzel Carousel arrived in Meridian in 1909 and has since occupied the same location in Highland Park. Its house, also a National Historic Landmark, is the only remaining original carousel building built from a Dentzel blueprint.[8]

Key Field is the site of the famous flight by brothers Fred and Al Key ("The Flying Keys") which set a world endurance flight record in 1935. At 12:32 p.m. on June 4, 1935, brothers Al and Fred Key lifted off in their Curtis-Robbins monoplane, the "Ole Miss," from Meridian's airport. The record they established in their 27 days aloft, totaling 653 hours and 34 minutes, remains unbroken in conventional flight. Working with other Meridianites such as A.D. Hunter and James Keeton, the Key brothers devised a workable method of air-to-air refueling in order to attempt this feat.^[9] Because of that, Key Field is now home to the 186th Air Refueling Wing and the 185th Army Aviation Support Facility, both of the Air National Guard. The site also contains an exhibit reviewing the history of aviation, and is the home of Meridian's Aviation Museum.

Lake Okatibbee[9] is a 4,144 acre (Land area 7,150 acres)^[52] lake which offers boating, fishing, swimming, water, skiing, picnicking, hunting, hiking and camping. Splashdown Country Water Park, a 25-room motel, and cabins are located on the lake. The project was authorized by Congress in 1962 primarily for flood reduction on 26,000 acres (110 km²) of residential, industrial and agricultural lands along the upper Chickasawhay River and Okatibbee Creek.

Loeb's Department Store has remained a Mississippi clothing landmark, having passed through four generations of family ownership. Loeb's has been selling fine men's and women's clothing since 1887, when the store was first opened by Alex Loeb.^[53]

Meridian Crossroads[10] is a 375,000 sq ft (34,800 m²)^[41] plaza with many shopping and dining centers. The center is located off exit 154B on Interstate 20 and includes over 30 tenants, including Best Buy, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, Lane Bryant, Rue 21, Ross Stores Inc., Petco, LifeWay Christian Bookstore, and Books-A-Million, along with Olive Garden, Chili's, and Outback Steakhouse.

The Meridian Little Theatre[11], one of the South’s oldest subscription-based community theatres, was established in 1932 and currently provides entertainment to residents and visitors to Meridian and Lauderdale County, welcoming over 22,000 theatre-goers each season (October through May), making it Mississippi’s largest community theatre.^[54] In 1973, the original theatre burned to the ground and was reconstructed in 1977.^[55]

The Meridian Museum of Art[12] originally served as home of the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian until the city bought the building in 1911 and turned it into a Carnegie Library in 1913. In 1970, the library was transformed into an art museum and has since served as the region's premiere public museum and features rotating exhibitions. The museum was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

A Mississippi Blues Trail historic marker has been placed in Meridian, the first site to receive this designation outside the Mississippi Delta. The marker was placed to honor the city as the birthplace of Jimmie Rodgers and emphasizes his importance to the development of the blues style of music in Mississippi.^[56]

Meridian is the home of Naval Air Station Meridian, a military airport and one of the Navy's two jet strike pilot training bases. Originally called Naval Auxiliary Air Station (NAAS), construction began in 1957 and the station was commissioned in 1961 at a cost of $60 million. The operations area was named McCain Field in honor of the late Admiral John S. McCain, Sr. of Teoc, Mississippi, grandfather of United States Senator and Presidential candidate(2000, 2008) John S. McCain III.

The national headquarters of Peavey Electronics is located in Meridian. Opened by Hartley Peavey in 1965, the company also maintains a museum in the city featuring memorabilia related to the company and many of the musicians using its equipment.[13]

The Union Station Multi-Modal Transportation Center(MMTC) resides in the Depot Historic District of Meridian, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and occupies four city blocks. Union Station includes several modes of passenger transportation including the Meridian Transit System, AMTRAK, Norfolk Southern rail corridor, Greyhound, Trailways and other providers of transit services. Further restoration and development of the Union Station Railroad Museum (REA building) will be a major tourist attraction, inviting MMTC patrons to learn more about Meridian railroading history.

[edit] Famous Meridianites

[edit] Notes

[edit] External links

• Official City of Meridian Website
  • Online Videos from Meridian's Official Website
• Attractions in Meridian, MS
  • Meridian and Lauderdale County Visitor's Map of Attractions in the City
• Meridian Multiple Resource Assessment - National Register of Historic Places

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