Collection Title: Hattiesburg Historical Photographs

Collection Number: M246

Dates: ca. late 1800s-1986

Volume: 1.65 cu. ft.

Provenance: Materials in this collection were donated by Dr. Kenneth G. McCarty, Jr.

Copyright: This collection may be protected from unauthorized copying by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code).

Biographical/Historical Sketch:

Hattiesburg, Mississippi is centrally located between Jackson, the state’s capitol, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and it is the county seat of Forrest County. The area is known regionally for its Piney Woods and excellent water resources. Hattiesburg was originally a small settlement, owing its birth to an entrepreneur named William Harris Hardy, who chose the site of Hattiesburg for a railway station connecting Meridian to New Orleans. He named the town, Hattiesburg, in honor of his wife, Hattie Lott Hardy, and it was incorporated in 1884. The main thoroughfare that cuts through Hattiesburg is called Hardy Street in honor of William Harris Hardy. Hattiesburg’s first elected mayor, was Oliver Hazzard Perry Jones, in 1884.

The resources of the Piney Woods region supported industries in lumber and turpentine, in addition to transportation. The transportation industry and its central location in proximity to other major cities in the area led to Hattiesburg's nickname, "The Hub City."

During World Wars I and II, Camp Shelby, which is located just south of Hattiesburg, served as a military training center, and the influx of military trainees and their families during World War II nearly doubled the city's population. Camp Shelby currently operates as a National Guard training camp.
After WWII, Hattiesburg settled into a stable economic climate supporting commercial industries, medical care facilities, financial institutions and institutions of higher learning.

In 1982, Dr. Kenneth Graham McCarty, Jr. compiled and edited the book, Hattiesburg: A Pictorial History, in celebration of the city's centennial. Originally from Vancleave, Mississippi, Dr. McCarty is a retired Professor of History from the University of Southern Mississippi. He has lived in Hattiesburg since the 1950s, when he relocated to attend Mississippi Southern College (now USM). After receiving bachelor's and master's degrees from USM, he earned a Ph.D from Duke University before beginning his teaching career with the University of Southern Mississippi. In his publication, Dr. McCarty was assisted by written contributions from his colleagues in the history department at the University of Southern Mississippi: Dr. John Gonzales, Dr. Theodore Schmidt, and Dr. John Skates.

Sources:

M208 Hattiesburg Municipal Records from 1885-1991
“Americans” column. Hattiesburg American, Sunday, August 16, 1981, page 2A.

Scope and Content:

The Hattiesburg Historic Photographs Collection contains a large assortment of photographs and other materials documenting the progress and development of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The collection is divided into four series:

Series I Photographs included in Hattiesburg: A Pictorial History
M246-1 to M246-213

Series II Photographs not included in Hattiesburg: A Pictorial History, but pertaining to Hattiesburg, Mississippi: M246-246 to M214-479

Series III Miscellaneous Materials Concerning Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Series IV Photographic Negatives

Series I consists of photographs that Dr. Kenneth G. McCarty Jr. compiled for his book, Hattiesburg: A Pictorial History. These photographs document the growth and development of Hattiesburg, Mississippi from the late 1800s to the 1980s. Included are photographs that document the railroad and timber industries, residential and commercial growth, natural disasters, the growth of local educational institutions, and social events. Not all of the photographs that appear in the book are included in this collection. It should also be noted that for some of the images that do appear in the book, there is no positive image available -- only a negative. In addition, several photographs pertaining to the University of Southern Mississippi are also available in Archives Record Group 2 (USM Photographs), in the McCain Library and Archives. Images in this series are arranged in the order in which they appear in the book.

Series II is comprised of photographs that document the progress of Hattiesburg, but were not included in the book, Hattiesburg: A Pictorial History. These photographs span periods from the late 19th to the late 20th centuries and are supplemental to those included in McCarty’s publication. These images reflect the same topics as those in Series I. For some of the images in this series, there is no positive image -- only a negative. Some images in this series are of areas outside Hattiesburg.

Series III contains a variety of information concerning Hattiesburg. Included are the Hattiesburg Area Historical Society’s calendar series for the years 1976-1980, 1984, and 1986, which feature images from Hattiesburg's past, and a 1993 Forrest General Hospital calendar exhibiting old Hattiesburg residences. An 1898 booklet entitled “Facts about Hattiesburg” is also in this series, as well as, a pamphlet circulated by the Hattiesburg Commercial Club describing the various resources which enabled local agricultural and industrial progress to take place. There are also coloring books that highlight the history of Hattiesburg, and an abundance of Hattiesburg American newspaper clippings featuring past images of life in the Hub City.

Series IV consists of negatives for many of the photographs within the collection, as well as some negatives for which positive images are not available. These, too, are documentary in nature and depict the growth of Hattiesburg.

This collection will be of interest to anyone interested in the history of Hattiesburg and its social, commercial, educational, and political development through the years.

Other Finding Aids:

Box and Folder List
Photograph Log

Related Collections:

M182 William H. and Hattie Lott Hardy Papers
M380 William H. and Sallie J. Hardy Papers
M208 Hattiesburg Municipal Records

M246
Hattiesburg Historic Photographs Collection
Box and Folder List

Series I: Photographs Included in Hattiesburg: A Pictorial History

Series II: Photographs Not in Hattiesburg: A Pictorial History

Series III: Miscellaneous Materials Concerning Hattiesburg, Mississippi

Series IV: Negatives

Created by: Brooke Roberts
Prepared and maintained by
The University of Southern Mississippi Libraries Special Collections
http://www.lib.usm.edu/spcol/index.php
118 College Drive #5148   Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5148

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Revised: June 6, 2006