Hagy's Catfish Hotel in Shiloh, TN (Stantonville)

Many of you still enjoy a somewhat long drive to get the catfish and atmosphere at the Catfish Hotel. I have been a guest of theirs for many years, also, and since it is close by now, take an ocassional trip there.



The restaurant in the 30s or 40s. Lady pictured is not known.

On this spot in 1825, Henry Hagy and his wife Polly docked their flat boat, laid claim to several acres of bottom land, and began to build a farm and family. Later their son John built a rough log shack next to the river to store items that were to be shipped by steamboats. The shack was occupied by Union soldiers during the Battle of Shiloh.

The shack earned the name "Catfish Hotel" during the early thirties when Norvin Hagy entertained friends at cookouts. He became well known for the delicious catfish, hushpuppies, and hospitality he served up. Guests who had arrived by river were often forced to spend the night after becoming engrossed in yarns spun and darkness made it unsafe to travel the river, thus the nickname Catfish Hotel.

Yum, yum. Ya'll come!

The river view is from the parking lot looking North at Diamond Island.

Okeelala Festival 2010

Well, it's about that time again! The Baldwyn Okeelala Festival will be held on 2 October (Saturday) and you are invited to attend and meet and greet old friends again. We have been having a good attendance of old Bearcats the last few years, and it seems more are able to come each time.

There are at least two get acquainted events to plan for this year. The 1940-60 (or so) BHS alumni will meet at Agnew's Restaurant at Pratts at 9AM for breakfast, coffee and greetings. Afterward, a former student, Dr. Robert Hamblin will give a reading from his new book Crossroads: Poems of a Mississippi Childhood, published recently. Robert lived across the road from Brice's Crossroads battlefield site and heard many tales from the local loafers that sat around the porch of his family's general store. He has written from those accounts.

Another breakfast for 1960s and up BHS grads will be held the same morning at The Country Inn in Baldwyn. Info for that event will be forthcoming from Phil Cooper and Don McKibben. I will post it to this when complete arrangements are sent to me.

Please try to be there if you can!!!

First TVA City

Remember this old sign as you came into Tupelo from the North on old US45? It greeted us for many years, and I think it may still be there in the area of Main Street and Gloster.

Tupelo was the first city to become a T.V.A. power purchaser. In those days you were required to join as a member to get a reduced rate on your power bill.

The structure in the background is over the railroad tracks and held the traffic lights for the Crosstown intersection as well as for the trains' signals.