MERIDIAN —    East Central Mississippi – some will tell you, we are just “one block from the Pearly Gates.” Yes, just a block away from perfection, even in the sultry heat of the dog-days-of-summer. How do we survive? Why, we prepare – plenty of sweet tea and lemonade, shade trees, box fans, homemade ice cream, swimming pools, front porch swings, cooling conversations, oh, and, of course, the A/C. But most importantly, I think, it is the strength of our people. Hey, we’re not wimpy nor have we ever been. This fact is proven by our brief history that I have cited below – please enjoy the read. After reading, I am certain you will be proud -- proud to be a member of the East Central Mississippi community.

    Mississippians from the past were cooled by our lush piney woods – enjoyed the creeks and rivers that flowed throughout the area. The Choctaw Nation constructed Nanih Waiya about 1,700 years ago, a great earthwork mound, known as the Mother Mound and built on Choctaw sacred ground located in present day Winston County. It was a place of peace and rest for the great Choctaw Nation. The earliest Spanish and French explorers found the Chata, an early name for Choctaw inhabitants, as a people who flourished and were known as a “civilized tribe” with governmental centers, each with a chief. The Choctaw people built permanent dwellings or cabins and were sustained by organized hunts and growing of crops.  Chief Pushmataha, considered by some as the greatest of all Choctaw Chiefs, honored the importance of family and organized tribal councils/governments to benefit all of his people.  It is an honor to his memory, and to the hard work during the 70s, 80s, 90s and into the 21st Century by Chief Phillip Martin, and others, including the present day chief, Phyliss J. Anderson, who has recently quipped the amazing resort’s theme, Pearl River Resort. It’s like Vegas with sweet tea, that the great Choctaw Nation has continued to provide, through its many Pearl River Resort amenities, a place of peace and rest.

    And then, General Sherman entered East Central Mississippi.  He trotted his war horse into our area in early 1864, actually arrived in Meridian in February. It was total war and total destruction – burned crops, killed livestock, and destroyed the infrastructure of the city, but not the courage of the people. Within 26 days the railroad lines were repaired and allowed the continuance of railroad traffic. The war ended and Meridian experienced a rebuilding boom – between 1890 and into the early 20th Century, Meridian was one of the largest cities in the State of Mississippi. Meridian became an important railroad and manufacturing center. This period saw the construction of much of Meridian’s present-day skyline including the Marks-Rothenberg building, Meridian Grand Opera House, Threefoot Building, and many churches. By 1900, the city had some 25,000 residents.

     The 1930s Great Depression came to Meridian as well as the entire nation with a vengeance. Many jobs ended during the economic downfall, and the citizens of East Central Mississippi remembered the lessons taught by their forebears of the inner strength needed simply to survive. Music brought a desperately needed solace to the soul. Meridianite, Jimmie Rodgers, later known as the Father of Country Music, rose to fame with his unique “blue yodels.”Home gardens that yielded turnip greens and sweet potatoes became the dietary mainstay of the citizens of East Central Mississippi.

     The 1960s witnessed some of the area’s most troubling years – the Vietnam War, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and the overwhelming need for racial equality. The brave souls of the NAACP, CORE, SCLC, and, perhaps, most importantly, the heart-filled efforts and courage of our East Central Mississippi local citizens helped abundantly to bring the residents of this area together as one mind and one heart. This never before ability rendered the opportunity to recognize and respect the different identities in the East Central Mississippi culture, and brought a desire and need for our citizens to work together to find common ground; connected with deep and strong roots.  It has continued.

    Now into the 21st Century, East Central Mississippi has witnessed unprecedented accomplishments – advancements in education, entertainment, medicine, the arts and world-famous artists, sports, world-wide-known entrepreneurs, renewal and revitalization of historic downtown Meridian, people working together with respect, and a new and promising outlook for individual responsibilities that include family values and pride of community. We may not be totally there yet, but, I think, we are very close -- just “one block from the Pearly Gates.”

    As the future dawned, the residents of East Central Mississippi could look back at a wealth of accomplishments. William Faulkner, one of Mississippi’s most famous novelists, once said, “To understand the world, you must first understand a place like Mississippi.” Another Mississippi writer, Willie Morris, explained it this way: “Physically beautiful in the most fundamental and indwelling way, (in that) it never leaves you.” A recent Mississippi advertisement said, “Mississippi. Feels like coming home.” All of these sentiments are true, but they miss the sweet essence of the state and the strong spirit of the people.

     One final thought … there is no place like East Central Mississippi, where the people think with their hearts and love with their souls.