Hattiesburg, Mississippi. A Time to Give Back

Friday, November 7, 2014

Ron and I are so incredibly blessed.  We have a wonderful family, fantastic friends and are living our dream; we love our life!

A couple of years ago we joined the Nomads.  "Nomads" is an acronym for Nomads On a Mission Active in Divine Service.  Nomads provide volunteer labor for United Methodist Organizations.  We do new construction, remodeling, and repairs for churches, children's homes, camps, colleges, outreach missions and disaster recovery.

We arrived in Hattiesburg, Mississippi today where we joined six other Nomads. While here, we will be staying in Oak Grove, at the Oak Grove United Methodist Church.  We will be doing disaster rebuilding.

Oak Grove United Methodist Church

The church has put in five RV sites with full hook-ups for the Nomads to use...

the church's cemetery across the parking lot from our RVs

Cooper and his girlfriend, Muffin

isn't Muffin cute?

our team ~ back row, Ron, Dan, Larry, Cindy & Tony
next to me is Nula (Dan's friend), Dottie (married to Larry)
Cindy & Tony are unrelated

Hattiesburg is a large city (we were surprised at how large it is).  This is the largest city we've been to since we were in the Dallas/Fort Worth area this past April.  Located in the Pine Belt, (named after the longleaf pine trees that are abundant in the region) Hattiesburg is home to The University of Southern Mississippi.

On Sunday, February 10, 2013 a violent EF4 multiple-vortex wedge tornado struck and devastated parts of Hattiesburg, West Hattiesburg and surrounding areas.  It was one of eight tornadoes that touched down in southern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama that day. The tornado reached a maximum width of 0.75 mile and reached maximum estimated sustained winds of 170 mph.  The tornado did over 35 million dollars worth of damage.  Hattiesburg was declared a federal disaster area.

Nomads have been doing disaster rebuilding in Hattiesburg for the past year. They will complete their service on December 18, 2014.

Our team worked on two homes.  Dan, Ron and myself worked at Miss Kenya's home.  The tornado tore part of the roof off of her home and did interior damage.

Dottie, Larry, Cindy and Tony worked on Larry's home.  His home also sustained considerable damage.

Our "job" at Miss Kenya's was to finish up the kitchen; flooring, trim and odds and ends.  Our goal was to be finished in time for her to move in by Thanksgiving.  We succeeded.  She was able to move back in the week before Thanksgiving.

Miss Kenya's home

Dan sanding the floor in preparation for the
vinyl flooring that will be put down

rolling up the vinyl flooring

I learned how to use the router

Dan's turn

cutting out a notch

hold it steady

that was a tricky piece. we put boards on top of the new
flooring to protect it while we worked

The first part of the first week we were working, the weather was beautiful. Sunny, warm with temps in the mid to upper 70's.  We took advantage of it and ate our lunch outside.  Larry, Dottie and Cindy joined us a couple of times...

Cindy and Dan soaking up some rays

Dottie and Larry

All too soon the weather changed.  Thanks to winter storm Bozeman!! Hattiesburg, like much of the country, was in a deep freeze.  Low's in the 20's with highs in the mid-30's.  We were blessed to have heat while working at Miss Kenya's.  The rest of the team working at Larry's were not so lucky.  They did not have electricity nor heat.  They used a generator and propane heater to keep themselves warm.

Finishing up at Miss Kenya's...

working on the trim

moving the refrigerator back in

it fit! never a doubt!!

All that remains is to install a couple of lights...

On Monday, November 17 our entire team gathered at Miss Kenya's.  We blessed her home and presented her with a bible.  The bible was signed by all of the Nomads that have worked on her home over the past months...

Kenya, her son and Mavis (Kenya's social
worker)

Tony, Ray (the volunteer coordinator for all volunteers),
Darryl (who is in charge of all the disaster remodeling) and
Dan.

Cindy, Kenya, (still smiling) Mavis & Tony

It was very touching and humbling to witness Kenya's joy and happiness.

That evening our team went to Golden Corral for dinner.  Golden Corral was celebrating veterans that evening and as Ron, Dan, Tony, and Larry are all veterans, it was a no-brainer to dine there...

good food, good fellowship

The rest of our time in Hattiesburg was spent working at Larry's house...

getting the generator started

stuffing insulation in crevices

consulting on the lattice work

Dottie

Cindy was dressed for the weather- both
inside & outside!

Tony cutting sheetrock for the bathroom

Larry. we didn't always have the best
lighting

Larry, the homeowner.  He told us stories of
his life growing up in this home.

warming up...

by our "campfire"

Darryl working on plumbing

As Ron and I were leaving the next day, we felt duty-bound to honor the DR (disaster rebuilding) Nomad tradition of dining out with the remainder of the team.  It's a nice way to end our time with the Nomads.  We chose to dine at Leatha's BBQ.  By far, the best BBQ I have ever eaten! And, believe me, I have eaten a lot of BBQ!!

Dan, Tony, Dottie & Larry.  Cindy (who went to NOLA for
the weekend) & Nula (still having back pain) you were
missed!!

the only pigs that were safe!!

Yum!!

Friday, November 21

We enjoyed our time here in Hattiesburg and have met some great friends.  It is time to move on.  After lots of hugs and best wishes we hit the road...
Next stop Texas!

Til next time,
Dawn, Ron & Cooper

Vicksburg, Mississippi ~ Part II Vicksburg Today

Thursday, October 23 ~ Friday, November 7, 2014

Vicksburg is a small  beautiful city.  The Mississippi River, antebellum homes, beautiful flowers and, of course, the people.  The people here are warm and friendly and always offer a smile.

After exploring the Civil War side of Vicksburg, we turned our attention to some of the museums the city has to offer.

First stop, my cola loving friends, was the Museum of Coca-Cola History and Memorabilia.  This is a small museum, housed in the original Biedenham Candy Company building, located in the downtown area. The building has been restored to the way it was in the 1890's...

In the summer of 1894, a young candy merchant named Joseph A. Biedenham of Vicksburg, Mississippi, had an idea that was to shape the American, and later the international, soft drink industry.  His idea?  He took a popular fountain beverage known as Coca-Cola, put it in bottles and shipped it to the rural areas outside the Vicksburg City limits.

This was the first time Coca-Cola had been sold in bottles.  Mr. Biedenham created a totally new concept of marketing the beverage and the rest, as they say, is history...

door leading into the museum

memorabilia

bottle washer

carbonator

filler table

luggage!

oh, if only this soda fountain had some ice
cream!

bottling plant. no longer in use

Our next stop was the Lower Mississippi River Museum (LMRM).  The museum contains both static and interactive displays providing visitors with a unique look at life surrounding the Mississippi River.  Visitors can explore the river's past as well as examine the science behind water movement.  This museum is the first of its kind in the United States as it is the first and only museum to maintain and house a fully restored, dry docked riverboat.

model showing rivers that flow into the Mississippi

We learned about river transportation...

Dugout canoes were the most convenient form of river transportation. Normally made of pine or cypress, canoes varied from a  two-person raft up to a canoe capable of holding 50 people.

River rafts were first used by settlers.  These flat boats were used as one-way craft only.  Loaded upstream, they were floated downriver where their cargo was unloaded and each vessel was dismantled and sold for lumber.

Flats (flatboats) were rectangular, flat-bottomed boats without keels.  They were easy to build, but difficult to steer.  They were an awkward, one-way craft.  They were also dismantled when they reached their downriver destination.

model of a flat-boat

Side-wheel steamers...these ships carried products and passengers quicker and cheaper than other modes of river transportation.

side-wheel steamer

Cotton steamers were common on the Mississippi River in the 1850's.  Because of river meandering, swift currents and crossings, uncharted shoals and sandbars as well as sandbars made river travel dangerous.  By the mid-1800's, the average life of a steamboat on the river was only 18 months.

cotton steamer model

We also learned about levees, floodways and channel improvements that the Corps. is doing.  Interesting.

Other interesting facts include:

We made our way outside to the riverboat which is aptly named the Mississippi IV. The motor vessel Mississippi IV is the fourth U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' vessel to carry that name.  It is a diesel-powered vessel with an all-steel superstructure. The four levels of the structure are the main deckhouse, second deckhouse, Texas deckhouse and the pilot house.  It served as a towboat and vessel inspection until decommissioned in 1993.  It was moved to its present location (on land) in September 2007.  Due to maintenance, we were limited to touring the second deckhouse...

womens cabin. also contained a bathroom and small closet

linen closet 

kitchen

dining hall

Last, but not least, we visited the Old Courthouse Museum.  The courthouse sits on one of the highest hills in the city of Vicksburg; the clock tower rises high above all other buildings...

The courthouse was built entirely by slave labor.  During the siege, the courthouse was damaged by Federal artillery fire from both land-based batteries and the gunboats and mortar scows of the Union fleet.  Many Union artillerists aimed at the clock tower for target practice.  Knowing that the building was the pride and joy of the people of Vicksburg and Warren County, Confederate Lt. Gen. Pemberton housed Union prisoners in the upstairs courtroom and notified Major Gen. Grant and Admiral Porter that if they persisted on firing on the building, they would kill they own men.

It was here that Jefferson Davis launched his political career.  It was here, from the clock tower, Union troops raised the Stars and Stripes on July 4 1863, signifying an end to the 47-day siege.  It was also here that Jefferson Davis (his brother lived in Vicksburg) made his first public appearance following his imprisonment after the Civil War.

The building is simply beautiful.  The first floor houses the majority of the museum; it is divided into "rooms" such as the "confederate" room, the "pioneer" room, the "Vicksburg" room and the "early American" room. The second floor is home to the "costume" room and the courtroom.  Some of the highlights include...

actual photo of the USS Cairo

drawing of a torpedo that sank the USS Cairo

Gen Grants chair

antebellum furnishings

coals were placed in this foot warmer. it was used in a buggy
to keep one's feet warm

knife used to cut the ribbon when the Mississippi River
bridge was opened on May 20,1930

actual newspaper

notice his boots

bathtub

I think I like this bathtub better

underarm shields. circa 1870

lady's split drawers. 1900

knitted hood. 1870

it was here, in this courtroom, that Gen. Pemberton
surrendered to Gen. Grant

jurors chairs

this fireplace was the only source of heat in the winter

attorneys and their clients would sit here

judges chair

this room, off of the courtroom, formerly held the judges
chambers. it now is a room dedicated to Jefferson Davies

referring to Jefferson Davis. rather prophetic...

original confederate ballot

Jefferson Davis favorite chair

these pillars are massive

The downtown residential area is very interesting.  The old courthouse sits among newer homes as well as antebellum homes.  Some of the local sights...

the current courthouse, located directly across the street
from the old courthouse

beautiful home, several of these homes have
been turned into B&B's

gas lamps in the residential district.
look closely and you can see the
flame

home of Martha Vick. Vicksburg is named after her husband,
who established the first church in the county

Louisiana live oak

starting to see some color changes...

the business district (view from the residential district)

the river is just a short walk down from the residential area

love seeing all the barges

getting a drink from the Mississippi

Back at the campground...

Coop and his new girlfriend (she loved him)
Tinkerbell

It's been a blast as well as very educational.  The time has come to head out to our next adventure...in Hattiesburg.

Til next time,
Dawn, Ron & Cooper the RV dog