Yesterday, I attended a meeting hosted by the Pearl River County Historical Society.
They had a good crowd, the majority of whom were seniors.
The presentation was given by Juanita Gex and Jerry Stough and was about Logtown, but you can read more about that in tomorrow’s Item.
Needless to say, I was impressed by the presentation, the speakers and visitors.
Logtown, for all intents and purposes, ceased to exist in the early 1960s.
Many in attendance remembered not only the event, but also trivia and fond memories of the now almost forgotten town. I’m from Hancock County and only became familiar with the place when I covered my first news story as a reporter with the Sea Coast Echo almost three years ago.
I sat back and listened to their stories and realized how lucky I was to hear the information being handed down.
It’s not often you get to hear first-hand accounts of a major historical event.
My biggest regret is not sitting down more often with my grandparents and asking them all sorts of questions about their childhoods and the events they experienced.
However, I do have a few stories saved in my memory. My Paw Paw remembered seeing Gone With the Wind at the movie theaters when it premiered. He must have been pretty impressed with that, because he told the story quite often.
He also spoke about the destruction Hurricane Camille caused in 1969. In 2005, he survived another catastrophic event, Hurricane Katrina.
My grandfather taught me many things about farming and told me what it was like to raise hogs, peacocks and geese.
By the time I was born, he had quit raising hogs, so I never got to see the animals in action.
While I enjoyed all of the history classes in school, there’s nothing better than hearing a first-hand account.
I encourage everyone to attend a historical society meeting, speak with your grandparents or pay a visit to the seniors that may live on your street.
You won’t be disappointed and just may learn a thing or two.