Hattiesburg is a fairly new city, founded in 1884, but is steeped in a lot of history. Click here for a short history of the city. It is quickly becoming a favorite area for retirement due to its climate and tax relief for seniors. We found the people here are very congenial and polite, more so. it seems, than other areas we have visited.
The downtown area's historic district is under renovation, but like so many downtown areas across the country, most businesses have closed or relocated to the malls on the outskirts of the city. The city is home of Southern Mississippi University and depends upon the college activity for much of its business. It is obvious the area is not economically challenged. There is lots of residence and business construction. The rural land outside of the city is mainly farm land. The rolling hills are perfect for the many dairy and cattle farms as well as the big cash crop of peanut farming.
One of our roaming journeys brought us to a working farm that also hosts festivals throughout the year. The Mitchell Farm is not only a farm, but a history lesson complete with a museum. I was able to speak with one of the Mitchell family and we discussed the possibility of there being a link to our Mitchell heritage since many migrated through this part of Mississippi. There may be a link very far back, but I could not find one before 1745.
We both agreed this part of the country is beautiful and would not shy away from settling here. But alas, there is so much more of this country to see. We'll keep this place in mind.
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