History of Meridian, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Meridian, Mississippi
Meridian is the county seat of Lauderdale County, Mississippi. It is the sixth largest city in the state and the principal city of the Meridian, Mississippi Micropolitan Statistical Area...
begins in the early 19th century before European-American settlement. Originally settled by the Choctaw Indians, the land was bought by the United States according to the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was a treaty signed on September 27, 1830 between the Choctaw and the United States Government. This was the first removal treaty carried into effect under the Indian Removal Act...
in 1830. The city grew around the intersection of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad was a railroad in the Southern U.S. The M&O was chartered in January and February 1848 by the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It was planned to span the distance between the seaport of Mobile, Alabama and the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois...
and the Southern Railway of Mississippi and developed a largely rail-based economy. Although much of the city was burned down in the Battle of Meridian
Battle of Meridian
The Battle of Meridian was fought in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, from February 14 to February 20, 1864, between elements of the Union Army of the Tennessee led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk...
during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, the city was rebuilt and entered a "Golden Age." Between about 1890 and 1930, the city was the largest in Mississippi and a leading center for manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
in the Southern United States
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
. After the decline of the railroading industry in the 1950s, the city's economy was devastated, resulting in a slow population decline. The population has continued to decline as the city has struggled to create a new, more modern economy based on newer industries. In the past 20 years or so, Meridian has attempted to revitalize the city's economy by attracting more business and industry to the city, most specifically the downtown area.
Establishment
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
Nation. Under pressure from the US government, the Choctaw
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
agreed to removal
Indian Removal
Indian removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river...
from all lands east of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
under the terms of the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek
The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was a treaty signed on September 27, 1830 between the Choctaw and the United States Government. This was the first removal treaty carried into effect under the Indian Removal Act...
in 1830. Although many Choctaws moved to present-day Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, a significant number chose to stay in their homeland, citing Article XIV of the treaty. Today, most Choctaws, who are part of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is one of three federally recognized tribes of Choctaw Indians. On April 20, 1945, the tribe organized under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Also in 1945 the Choctaw Indian Reservation was created in Neshoba and surrounding counties...
, live on several Indian Reservations located throughout the state. The largest reservation is located in Choctaw, MS, 35 miles (56.3 km) northwest of the city.
After the treaty was ratified, European-American settlers rapidly began to officially move into the region. In 1831, only a year after the treaty was signed, a Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
n named Richard McLemore became the first settler of Meridian after receiving a federal land grant
Land grant
A land grant is a gift of real estate – land or its privileges – made by a government or other authority as a reward for services to an individual, especially in return for military service...
of about 2000 acres (809.4 ha). McLemore owned most of the land in the area, and his plantation home
Plantation (settlement or colony)
Plantation was an early method of colonization in which settlers were "planted" abroad in order to establish a permanent or semi-permanent colonial base. Such plantations were also frequently intended to promote Western culture and Christianity among nearby indigenous peoples, as can be seen in the...
was the only notable residence in the vicinity at the time. To attract more settlers to the region and develop the area, McLemore began offering free land to newcomers. In 1833, Benjamin Graham also received a land grant of 82 acres (33.2 ha) in the area now known as Valley Road. Another pioneer named James Trussell bought some land from W. C. Trussell, who had originally purchased the land while it was still part of the Mississippi Territory
Mississippi Territory
The Territory of Mississippi was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 7, 1798, until December 10, 1817, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Mississippi....
. By 1833, enough people had migrated to the area to warrant the creation of a county government; thus, Lauderdale County
Lauderdale County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 78,161 people, 29,990 households, and 20,573 families residing in the county. The population density was 111 people per square mile . There were 33,418 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile...
was established.
Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad was a railroad in the Southern U.S. The M&O was chartered in January and February 1848 by the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It was planned to span the distance between the seaport of Mobile, Alabama and the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois...
began in the area, most of Richard McLemore's land was bought by Lewis A. Ragsdale, a lawyer from Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
, and John T. Ball, a merchant from Kemper County. Both men sought to make a profit from the planned crossing of the Mobile and Ohio with the Vicksburg and Montgomery Railroad, but Ragsdale beat Ball to the area by a few days. Ragsdale's bought the McLemore Farm, which was east of present day 27th Avenue and included much of what would become the central business district. Ball purchased only 80 acres (32.4 ha) west of 27th Avenue. McLemore and his family moved north out of the city, and Ragsdale moved in to McLemore's log home, turning it into a tavern.
Ragsdale and Ball, now known as the founders of the city, began to compete with each other by laying out lots
Lot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
for new development on their respective land sections. The competition intensified over the desired name for the settlement. Ball believed the word "meridian" was synonymous to "junction," so he, along with the industrial citizens of the city, preferred that name, but the agrarian population of the city preferred "Sowashee," which means "mad river" in a Native American language and is the name of a nearby creek. Also, Ragsdale wanted to name the new settlement Ragsdale City after himself. 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. 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.
The competition continued between Ragsdale and Ball. Each day the sign on the station house would be changed, alternating between Meridian and Sowashee. Instead of compromising, the two founders began to lay out city streets with differing plans. One day one of them would drive stakes in line with his plan, and the next day, the other would pull up his rival's stakes and drive some of his own. Ball laid his streets parallel to the railroad, and Ragsdale chose to use true compass headings. The competition is still evident today in the angles at which some streets meet in the city. The intersecting area has been described as "having been formed by some giant who playfully gathered up a
handful of triangles and dropped them at the junction of two railroads."
Eventually the continued development of the railroads led to an influx of railroad workers who overruled the others in the city and left "Meridian" on the station permanently, and the town was officially incorporated as Meridian on February 10, 1860. Meanwhile, the Vicksburg and Montgomery Railroad (which would later become part of the Southern Railway of Mississippi) continued to progress eastward out of Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. It appeared that Ball and Ragsdale had incorrectly anticipated the location of the railroad junction. The railroad was planning to cross the Mobile and Ohio Railroad at Enterprise, Mississippi
Enterprise, Mississippi
Enterprise is a town in Clarke County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 474 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Enterprise is located at...
, but railroad administration could not obtain cooperation from Enterprise officials. Businessmen in Meridian 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 agreed with the owners of the Mobile and Ohio on keeping the name Meridian, as which the city has been known ever since.
Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
began in 1861, Meridian was a small village with several stores and hotels and two churches, one Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and one Methodist, which shared a Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
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
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
arsenal, military hospital, and prisoner-of-war stockade, as well as the headquarters for a number of state offices.
The Meridian Invincibles were established on May 1, 1861, under the command of W.F. Crumpton and William Spinks. On May 21, the Governor ordered the unit, which consisted of sixty-three members, to proceed to Corinth and go into camp under the command of Major General Charles Clark
Charles Clark (governor)
Charles Clark was a Mississippi Democratic political figure, as well as a major general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War.-Early life and career:Clark was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1811...
. The Invincibles eventually became Company H of the 14th Mississippi Infantry and would later see action at the Battle of Fort Donelson
Battle of Fort Donelson
The Battle of Fort Donelson was fought from February 11 to February 16, 1862, in the Western Theater of the American Civil War. The capture of the fort by Union forces opened the Cumberland River as an avenue for the invasion of the South. The success elevated Brig. Gen. Ulysses S...
. They, along with 7000 confederate soldiers, would become prisoners of war.
On February 19, 1863, a train named the Mississippi Southern left the Meridian depot at 3:00 A.M. to transport Confederate soldiers and some civilians from Meridian to aid in the Battle of Vicksburg
Battle of Vicksburg
The Siege of Vicksburg was the final major military action in the Vicksburg Campaign of the American Civil War. In a series of maneuvers, Union Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant and his Army of the Tennessee crossed the Mississippi River and drove the Confederate army of Lt. Gen. John C...
. After the train wrecked near Hickory, Mississippi
Hickory, Mississippi
Hickory is a town in Newton County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 499 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Andrew Jackson, nicknamed "Old Hickory," who passed through the area on his way to fight the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812.-Geography:Hickory is located...
, the First Choctaw Battalion, which had been organized days earlier in a camp near Meridian, led rescue and recovery efforts. Noted Choctaw Historian Clara Kidwell writes, "in an act of heroism in Mississippi, Choctaws rescued twenty-three survivors and retrieved ninety bodies when a Confederate troop train plunged off a bridge and fell into the Chunky River."
General (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, general is a four-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. General ranks above lieutenant general and below General of the Army or General of the Air Force; the Marine Corps does not have an...
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American soldier, businessman, educator and author. He served as a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War , for which he received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of the "scorched...
turned eastward toward the city to begin what would later be called the Battle of Meridian
Battle of Meridian
The Battle of Meridian was fought in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, from February 14 to February 20, 1864, between elements of the Union Army of the Tennessee led by Maj. Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman and Confederate forces under Lt. Gen. Leonidas Polk...
. Because of several feint
Feint
Feint is a French term that entered English from the discipline of fencing. Feints are maneuvers designed to distract or mislead, done by giving the impression that a certain maneuver will take place, while in fact another, or even none, will...
s and other confusing maneuvers performed by Sherman, Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (United States)
In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Leonidas Polk
Leonidas Polk
Leonidas Polk was a Confederate general in the American Civil War who was once a planter in Maury County, Tennessee, and a second cousin of President James K. Polk...
, leader of Confederate
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
troops in the city, was convinced Sherman was headed not for Meridian but for Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, so he decided to fall back to Demopolis, Alabama
Demopolis, Alabama
Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, Alabama, United States. The population was 7,483 at the time of the 2010 United States Census....
, and prepare for a rear attack, leaving the city and its surrounding territory to the mercy of the enemy.
Sherman reached Meridian on February 14, 1864. He and his army waited in the city for Brigadier General
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
William Sooy Smith
William Sooy Smith
William Sooy Smith was a West Point graduate and career United States Army officer who rose through the ranks to become a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War....
, 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. Among the damage was the destruction of an arsenal, immense storehouses, and the railroad in every direction. 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." Despite the destruction, the railroad lines in the city were rapidly repaired and operating again only 26 working days after the battle.
Golden Age
Shortly after the Civil War a central business district grew in the downtown area, leading to a population increase. By 1870 the population had grown to 2,709, and the city was named the county seatCounty seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Lauderdale County. This short-term growth led to the establishment of several educational facilities as well as diverse religious institutions, including Presbyterian, Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, Jewish, and Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
. Before the war, most churches were either Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
or Methodist. The growth during Reconstruction was set back when downtown was destroyed in a fire in 1871 during the Meridian race riot
Meridian race riot of 1871
The Meridian race riot of 1871, also called the Meridian Riot, was a race riot in Meridian, Mississippi in March 1871. It followed the arrest of freedmen accused of inciting riot in a downtown fire, and blacks' organizing for self-defense...
, related to freedmen's efforts to resist the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
. Up to thirty black men were killed by a white mob.
The city quickly recovered and defined an 1872 fire district requiring buildings to be constructed of brick. The remainder of the 1870s saw hard times for the city, including economic troubles during the Panic of 1873
Panic of 1873
The Panic of 1873 triggered a severe international economic depression in both Europe and the United States that lasted until 1879, and even longer in some countries. The depression was known as the Great Depression until the 1930s, but is now known as the Long Depression...
, and a yellow fever
Yellow fever
Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
in 1878. Yellow fever affected almost 500 residents, leaving at least 86 dead, which resulted in a quarantine
Quarantine
Quarantine is compulsory isolation, typically to contain the spread of something considered dangerous, often but not always disease. The word comes from the Italian quarantena, meaning forty-day period....
in the city. Rail passengers entering the city were required to provide a health certificate certifying that they were free of the disease. Many of the fatalities from the riot and epidemic were buried in McLemore Cemetery
McLemore Cemetery
McLemore Cemetery is a cemetery in Meridian, Mississippi. The cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979, and is the oldest surviving historic site in the city.-History:...
. Despite these early troubles, the town experienced an economic boom and entered a "Golden Age" around the turn of the 20th century.
Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad was a railroad in the Southern U.S. The M&O was chartered in January and February 1848 by the states of Alabama, Kentucky, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It was planned to span the distance between the seaport of Mobile, Alabama and the Ohio River near Cairo, Illinois...
, the New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad
New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad
The New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad was a Class I railroad in Louisiana and Mississippi in the United States. The railroad operated of track from its completion in 1883 until it was absorbed by the Alabama Great Southern Railroad subsidiary of the Southern Railway in 1969.- History :The...
, the Alabama and Vicksburg Railroad, the Alabama Great Southern Railroad
Alabama Great Southern Railroad
The Alabama Great Southern Railroad is a railroad in the U.S. states of Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It is an operating subsidiary of the Norfolk Southern Corporation , running southwest from Chattanooga to New Orleans through Birmingham and Meridian...
, and the Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad
Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham Railroad
The Kansas City, Memphis & Birmingham Railroad is a historic railroad that operated in the southern United States.The company was created by consolidation in 1887 from a line of the same name and the Memphis and Birmingham Railway. The KCM&B operated between Memphis, Tennessee and Birmingham,...
. The railroads 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, and the city was given the nickname "The Queen City." Between 1890 and 1930, Meridian was the largest city in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
and a leading center for manufacturing
Manufacturing
Manufacturing is the use of machines, tools and labor to produce goods for use or sale. The term may refer to a range of human activity, from handicraft to high tech, but is most commonly applied to industrial production, in which raw materials are transformed into finished goods on a large scale...
in the South.
As the population grew, a commercial district developed in the downtown area, made accessible by a mule-drawn trolley
Trolley (horse-drawn)
Among horse-drawn vehicles, a trolley was a goods vehicle with a platform body with four small wheels of equal size, mounted underneath it, the front two on a turntable undercarriage. The wheels were rather larger and the deck proportionately higher than those of a lorry...
system that connected different parts of the city. Industry profits helped finance the construction of most of the city's major buildings, including the Grand Opera House
Grand Opera House (Meridian, Mississippi)
The Riley Center, also known as the Grand Opera House and formally as the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts is a performing arts and conference center in Meridian, Mississippi...
and its associated Marks-Rothenberg Store, which opened in 1890. The opera house, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, was combined with the neighboring Marks-Rothenberg Department Store and renovated in 2006 into an upscale theater and conference center. Together the buildings now comprise "The Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts."
Wechsler School
Wechsler School is a historic school in Meridian, Mississippi erected in 1894. The school was the first brick public school building in Mississippi built with public funds for African-American children. It originally served primary through eighth grades but was later expanded to include high 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.
By 1897 the mule-drawn trolley system was replaced by an electric trolley system
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
, operated by the Meridian Street Railway and Power Company. The addition of this system increased economic activity in the downtown area and allowed the city to spread out. The trolley system eventually reached up to 10 miles (16.1 km) north of the downtown area. A significant business that developed in this period was Soulé Steam Feed Works
Soulé Steam Feed Works
Soulé Steam Feed Works is a historic business founded in Meridian, Mississippi in 1891 by George Soulé. The complex was listed as a contributing property to Union Station Historic District, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 under the Meridian Multiple Resource...
, owned by George W. Soulé, which industrialized cotton and helped grow the lumber industry in the city. Partly due to Soulé's business, Mississippi was ranked sixth among the states in cotton seed production by the 1920s.
With traffic increasing due to a growing population, the city built Union Station
Meridian (Amtrak station)
Meridian, Mississippi's Union Station is located at 1901 Front Street. The station is included in the Union Station Historic District within the larger Meridian Downtown Historic District, both of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
in 1906 to coordinate all the railroads. Along with Union Station, several hotels were built, including Hotel Meridian, Grand Avenue Hotel, Terminal Hotel, and Union Hotel. By 1907 an average of 40 trains per day passed through the city, and the various railroad companies provided over 6,000 jobs to the city's residents. By 1920 as many as 100 trains per day passed through the station. The passenger station's central tower was demolished in the 1940s, and further demolition took place in 1966, but the city has since rebuilt the station in its original Mission Revival style. After its completion in 1996, the station was renamed the Meridian Multi-Modal Transportation Center.
The Fortnightly Book and Magazine Club, formed in the 1880s, built wide support for a Carnegie library
Carnegie library
A Carnegie library is a library built with money donated by Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. 2,509 Carnegie libraries were built between 1883 and 1929, including some belonging to public and university library systems...
in the city in 1908. Israel Marks, a city leader, also led a group including Professor Shaw, Professor Triplett, Dr. Howard, Jeff Wilson, Frank Berry, Henry Strayhorn, and John Harris, to raise money for an African-American library. The club women enlisted Marks to approach the national philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist, businessman, and entrepreneur who led the enormous expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century...
for funding assistance.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and is the only Carnegie library ever built for African Americans in the country. The library for whites was established in a building originally owned by members of the First Presbyterian Church of Meridian
First Presbyterian Church of Meridian
First Presbyterian Church of Meridian is a historic church in Meridian, Mississippi, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979. The church was founded in 1856 by eight members including John T. Ball and Lewis A. Ragsdale, founders of the city of Meridian...
, who sold it to the city on September 25, 1911. The city used the library for whites until 1970, when it was renovated and converted into the Meridian Museum of Art
Meridian Museum of Art
Meridian Museum of Art is an art museum located at 628 25th Avenue, Meridian, Mississippi. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 and declared a Mississippi Landmark in 1985...
. The library for African Americans was built at 13th Street and 28th Avenue
Carnegie Branch Library (Meridian, Mississippi)
The Carnegie Branch Library at 13th St and 28th Ave in Meridian, Mississippi is one of two former Carnegie libraries in the city, both funded by a grant from Andrew Carnegie in 1904. This library was built for blacks while the other was built for whites. The other library was built at 25th Ave and...
on land donated by St. Paul Methodist Church. It served various community uses after the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Civil Rights Act of 1964
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against African Americans and women, including racial segregation...
ended segregated facilities. Despite the demolition of the former African-American library on May 28, 2008, both buildings are currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
When a commission government
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
brought 90 industrial plants to the city in 1913, industry in the city began attracting many settlers from the surrounding areas, causing the city's population to continue to climb into the 1920s. After World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the city erected a monument on the corner of 6th St and 23rd Ave depicting a doughboy
Doughboy
Doughboy is an informal term for an American soldier, especially members of the American Expeditionary Forces in World War I. The term dates back to the Mexican–American War of 1846–48....
in uniform to honor fallen soldiers from the city and surrounding area. During the industry boom of the 1920s, Meridian's automobile industry began to grow. Livery stables that were built around the city later evolved into service stations for vehicles.
In 1929 the Threefoot Building
Threefoot Building
The Threefoot Building is a historic building located in downtown Meridian, Mississippi. The building is the tallest building in the city, standing 16 stories tall. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979, under the Meridian Multiple Property...
, Meridian's tallest skyscraper of seventeen stories, was built in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
architectural style. Today, the historic building, located adjacent to the former 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
Historic districts in Meridian, Mississippi
There are nine historic districts in Meridian, Mississippi. Each of these districts is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One district, Meridian Downtown Historic District, is a combination of two older districts, Meridian Urban Center Historic District and Union Station Historic...
.
Even through the stock market crash of 1929 and the following Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the city still attracted new businesses from surrounding counties. With high unemployment and low wages, though, escapism
Escapism
Escapism is mental diversion by means of entertainment or recreation, as an "escape" from the perceived unpleasant or banal aspects of daily life...
became popular not only in the city but in the entire nation. People began going to the theater to watch movies about the lavish lives of the rich and "escape" the troubles of their own lives. Capitalizing on this mindset was the S. H. Kress & Co.
S. H. Kress & Co.
S. H. Kress & Co. was the trading name of a chain of "five and dime" retail department stores in the United States, which operated from 1896 to 1981....
store chain with an outlet on 5th Street. Samuel Henry Kress, art collector and owner of the chain, exploited the cheap and readily available labor and materials of the time to build lavish stores to "provide luxury to the common man."
Temple Theater (Meridian, Mississippi)
The Hamasa Shrine Temple Theater, added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, is a historic theater located at 2320 8th Street in Meridian, Mississippi. The Temple Theater was constructed in the Moorish Revival style and began screening silent films in 1928. The theater features a...
. The new theater was constructed in 1928 by the Hamasa Shrine
Shriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
. With seating for 1800 persons, the Temple Theater was much bigger than the Opera House, allowing more visitors at a time. The theater currently houses one of only two Robert Morton
Robert Morton Organ Company
The Robert Morton Organ Company was a producer of theater pipe organs and church organs, located in Van Nuys, California. Robert Morton was the number two volume producer of theatre organs, building approximately half as many organs as the industry leader Wurlitzer...
pipe organ
Pipe organ
The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air through pipes selected via a keyboard. Because each organ pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ranks, each of which has a common timbre and volume throughout the keyboard compass...
s, equivalent to a 100-piece symphony orchestra, still installed in its original location in Mississippi.
After a short stall of the city's economy during the height of the Depression, the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
sparked renovation of some of the city's buildings including the Lauderdale County Courthouse in 1939. After about three more years of slow recovery, the nation entered World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, providing an economic spark to the city. Railroads were essential to transport gasoline and scrap metal to build military vehicles, so Meridian served as the region's railroad center once again. This renewed prosperity lasted until the 1950s when the automobile and Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
became more popular than passenger rails. 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.
Civil Rights
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
(CORE) had a field office there, with members including James Chaney
James Chaney
James Earl "J.E." Chaney , from Meridian, Mississippi, was one of three American civil rights workers who were murdered during Freedom Summer by members of the Ku Klux Klan near Philadelphia...
and other local residents, along with Michael and Rita Schwerner
Michael Schwerner
Michael Henry Schwerner , was one of three Congress of Racial Equality field workers killed in Philadelphia, Mississippi, by the Ku Klux Klan in response to their civil rights work, which included promoting voting registration among Mississippi African Americans...
and Andrew Goodman
Andrew Goodman
Andrew Goodman was one of three American civil rights activists murdered near Philadelphia, Mississippi, during Freedom Summer in 1964 by members of the Ku Klux Klan.-Early life and education:...
, volunteers from the North. They worked on creating a community center, preparing people in the area for voter registration, and organizing a boycott of a variety store that had yet to hire its first black worker.
The activism from Northerners was not widely accepted among local residents; 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
Neshoba County, Mississippi
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 28,684 people, 10,694 households, and 7,742 families residing in the county. The population density was 50 people per square mile . There were 11,980 housing units at an average density of 21 per square mile...
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.
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. In 2005 the case was reopened; Edgar Ray Killen
Edgar Ray Killen
Edgar Ray "Preacher" Killen is a former Ku Klux Klan organizer who conspired in the murders of three civil rights activists—James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner—in 1964....
, one of the Klansmen, was convicted of three counts of manslaughter
Manslaughter
Manslaughter is a legal term for the killing of a human being, in a manner considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is said to have first been made by the Ancient Athenian lawmaker Dracon in the 7th century BC.The law generally differentiates...
and sentenced to three terms of 20 years each.
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 and built a memorial at his gravesite located in Okatibee Cemetery, by Okatibee Baptist Church.
Downtown Revitalization
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
in the 1970s and 80s. Meridian now contains nine historic districts
Historic districts in Meridian, Mississippi
There are nine historic districts in Meridian, Mississippi. Each of these districts is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One district, Meridian Downtown Historic District, is a combination of two older districts, Meridian Urban Center Historic District and Union Station Historic...
, all listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. The Meridian Historic Districts and Landmarks Commission was created in 1979 and the Meridian Main Street program was founded in 1985.
In 1997 Meridian Main Street helped organize the construction of a new Amtrak Station
Meridian (Amtrak station)
Meridian, Mississippi's Union Station is located at 1901 Front Street. The station is included in the Union Station Historic District within the larger Meridian Downtown Historic District, both of which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
based on the design of the historic train station used during Meridian's Golden Age which had been demolished. 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.
In 2001, the Rosenbaum Building was renovated and reopened containing condominium
Condominium
A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...
s on the upper floors and retail stores on the street level. Weidmann's restaurant
Weidmann's Restaurant
Weidmann's Restaurant is a historic restaurant in Meridian, Mississippi, United States, established in 1870. It was originally listed as a contributing property to the Meridian Urban Center Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979...
, built around 1870, was sold to a group of local investors and reopened in fall 2002 after extensive renovations. Meridian Main Street, along with The Riley Foundation, helped renovate the historic Grand Opera House
Grand Opera House (Meridian, Mississippi)
The Riley Center, also known as the Grand Opera House and formally as the Mississippi State University Riley Center for Education and Performing Arts is a performing arts and conference center in Meridian, Mississippi...
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.
The downtown revitalization effort is now spearheaded by a collaboration of three privately-owned organizations: the Alliance for Downtown Meridian, Meridian Main Street, and the Meridian Downtown Association. Though the three organizations are separate entities, the Alliance serves as an umbrella organization
Umbrella organization
An umbrella organization is an association of institutions, who work together formally to coordinate activities or pool resources. In business, political, or other environments, one group, the umbrella organization, provides resources and often an identity to the smaller organizations...
, allowing the Meridian Downtown Association and Meridian Main Street to use the its support staff and housing, and in turn the Alliance serves as a liaison between the organizations.
Plans were underway for the Alliance to renovate the Threefoot Building
Threefoot Building
The Threefoot Building is a historic building located in downtown Meridian, Mississippi. The building is the tallest building in the city, standing 16 stories tall. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 18, 1979, under the Meridian Multiple Property...
into a mixed-use development before the end of 2009; however, as of January 2010, Mayor Cheri Barry has ended the city's relationship with HRI Properties.
Today the Alliance helps to promote further development and restoration downtown and has been designated by the city as the official downtown economic development program, receiving partial funding from the city. The remainder and majority of the organization's funding, however, comes from donations from downtown businesses. The Alliance has stated that it focuses on assisting businesses like specialty shops, restaurants, and bars because these types of businesses help downtown become more active during the day and at night. The Meridian Downtown Association, which is completely privately funded, is primarily focused on increasing foot traffic downtown by organizing special events, and the Meridian Main Street program supports existing businesses downtown.
Other designed and proposed projects in the city include 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.
Historic districts
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
, 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
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
, Colonial Revival, Italianate, Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
, Late Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
, and Bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
. The districts are:
East End Historic District — roughly bounded by 18th St, 11th Ave, 14th St, 14th Ave, 5th St, and 17th Ave.
Highlands Historic District — roughly bounded by 15th St, 34th Ave, 19th St, and 36th Ave.
Meridian Downtown Historic District — runs from the former Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
Gulf, Mobile and Ohio Railroad
The Gulf, Mobile and Ohio was a Class I railroad in the central United States whose primary routes extended from Mobile, Alabama, and New Orleans, Louisiana, to St...
north to 6th St between 18th and 26th Ave, excluding Ragsdale Survey Block 71.
- Meridian Urban Center Historic District — roughly bounded by 21st and 25th Aves, 6th St, and the railroad.
- Union Station Historic District — roughly bounded by 18th and 19th Aves, 5th St, and the railroad.
Merrehope Historic District — roughly bounded by 33rd Ave, 30th Ave, 14th St, and 8th St.
Mid-Town Historic District — roughly bounded by 23rd Ave, 15th St, 28th Ave, and 22nd St.
Poplar Springs Road Historic District — roughly bounded by 29th St, 23rd Ave, 22nd St, and 29th Ave.
West End Historic District — roughly bounded by 7th St, 28th Ave, Shearer's Branch, and 5th St.