 |
Subscribe to City LineDecember 5, 2009
From the office of Mayor George Schloegel
Gulfport could see cold temperatures and perhaps sleet and snow later today, according to a winter weather advisory from the National Weather Service.
The possibility of snowfall in South Mississippi is always exciting, but we should remember that freezing rain can make traveling on slippery roads very dangerous. We urge you to take every precaution necessary if you must travel this weekend.
Snowfall this weekend would certainly be a great way to usher in the holiday season, and on Monday, we will officially welcome the spirit of Christmas in Gulfport by lighting the tree in the rose garden next to City Hall during a holiday open house.
We hope you can make it to this very special event, because not only will we celebrate the holidays, be we also will honor a man who’s vision was beyond comprehension.
Capt. William Hardy was a giant among men. He saw for South Mississippi a future that would benefit many generations.
Hardy charted the Gulf & Ship Island Railroad from Jackson to the Coast and he laid out another railroad from Meridian to New Orleans, which included the world’s longest bridge, 21 miles across Lake Pontchartrain.
The route took him through Hattiesburg, which he named after his second wife, Hattie Lott.
Hardy was a well respected circuit judge and was co-author of the Mississippi Code of 1906.
While serving in the Mississippi Senate, he was responsible for the construction of the new capitol in Jackson.
Named in honor of this great man are Hardy Street in Hattiesburg and Hardy Avenue in Gulfport, just off of West Beach in full view of the port that he envisioned so long ago.
William Harris Hardy is buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Gulfport, and the words, “Founder of Hattiesburg and Gulfport,” can be seen today on a modest, granite slab.
The statue of Hardy that stood since Camille at the old Gulfport Chamber has been restored, and on Monday at 4:45 p.m. we will unveil the monument in the rose garden next to City Hall where it will stand as a constant reminder of what this visionary did for Gulfport and all of Mississippi.
Monday’s open house also will be a great time for you to tour the newly renovated City Hall, and we hope you can join us as we celebrate the holidays in Gulfport.
Sincerely,
George Schloegel
Mayor
Office of Public Information - rlafontaine@gulfport-ms.gov - Phone: 228-868-5782
P.O. Box 1780 Gulfport, MS 39502-1780 - FAX: 868-5800
