More scenes from the old Shiloh Battle Movie

A scene lifted from the old movie shows a Rebel charge including 1-Henry Outlaw, 2-Jack Christian, 3-Ellis Wayne Christian, 4-Jim Agnew, 5-Wyatt Weatherford, and 6- possibly Bruce McElroy.

During the battle at the Hornet's nest, the brave Yankee rifleman, Henry Outlaw, raises up to get off a good shot. This is his worst mistake...

...as he is 'cut down' with opposing deadly fire and falls headfirst over the fence and lies hanging there. His day is done, so to speak.






Near the end of the movie, the battlefield hospital accepts another wounded soldier to be attended to by the Union surgeon portrayed by Dr. R. B. Caldwell.

Happy Memorial Day 2012

Baldwyn has a military display in the Caldwell Circle area, consisting of a large Army tank and several plaques on a wall and a tiled area at that wall. The tiles have names and other data of local folks that served in the military during wartime and peacetime. I had forgotten about this but visited there yesterday after church for a few minutes. Silently, I thanked each one listed there for their service to our great country. Long live freedom!

I took a couple of pics of some of the tiles. I'm sure you may recognize names of people alive and those that have passed on.

Old Main Fire and Death

Were any of you readers there?

On January 22, 1959, Old Main Dormitory at Mississippi State University was home to 1,100 college students. But early on Friday morning, January 23rd, the students were homeless. Old Main was ablaze and the ruins of the largest student housing facility in the United States would later produce the charred body of one of its own. Extremely cold weather, final exams, and students gone home for semester break contributed to the very difficult task and seemingly endless confusion of trying to confirm that all residents of Old Main had escaped the devastating blaze. After three days of investigation, evidence pointed to the strong possibility that the fire had been deliberately set. Searchers found a human skull in the smoldering rubble. The crushed skull was not the result of the fire, a fall or failed escape. It appeared to be murder. Had the fire been deliberately set to cover up a murder? How in the world does college life lead to murder and arson?

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Clipping from Brices Crossroads Interpretive Center archives. Text from a book description, wonder what exactly happened???

Bookmobile and Patrons

The Lee County "Bookmobile" on a visit to Baldwyn, late '50s or early '60s with local kids. Some of them we have identified, but not all - if you know any of the names please comment.
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Photo courtesy of Clarene Evans Houston

The UFO Chase

One Sunday afternoon at the old Baldwyn airport located east of town in a grassy pasture, some local pilots and spectators noticed a bright object in the sky. It was very brilliant and had moved across the horizon. Claude Gentry had some binoculars and after watching it for a while, decided to go aloft for a better look. A fellow pilot, Duke Young and he chased it for a long time before deciding they could not intercept it.

They noted that it had 2 distinguishable lights on it. Their non-supercharged airplane could not get high enough to get other details.

The story was something that had the townspeople talking for several days.The story at left from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution shows how far the story got.

Also several days later, the Tupelo Daily Journal got a bit of news that a similar craft, a plastic weather balloon, was found in a field near Eupora, Mississippi. They connected the stories but it is still unknown if they are realted. Don't know why they were written up as "River Pilots" in the AJC.



This is Mr. Claude and his Stinson Voyager plane. He used it for sport flying, in his business, and for
book research for some of his novels. Notice the painting on the side of the rear fuselage that is a representation of his first published book "Private John Allen".  He could get away from his business for an afternoon of fishing and be on Pickwick Lake and in his boat very quickly.
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Photo courtesy of BCR Museum, Ms Edwina Carpenter.

Henderson Chevrolet Mechanics

Pictured are employees of the old Henderson Chevrolet dealership service department in Baldwyn. Front center and right are Alfred Smith and Turner Christian.

Pete West is right rear. Can any one help with the names of the other three?

Pete was renowned to have the power to remove warts from skin. He did one for me, I recall he told me to look into his eyes and he rubbed the wart with both of  his hands. I can truthfully say it was gone in a couple of days or less.

Henderson Chevrolet was located on US145S, The City Cafe is located in that building now.
Photo courtesy of Betty Smith Massengill
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Add caption

The photo above was an advertisement for Henderson Chevrolet and shows a 1949 or 50 automobile.

Photo courtesy of Agnew's Restaurant, Pratts. Carefully restored by Clarene Evans-Houston.

Do any of you Remember these Lovelies?

These old friends met recently for lunch. They sent this photo and wondered if anyone can remember who they are and the year each graduated.

There isn't a prize for identifying them, but it should be fun.

Pretty, ain't they?

"Our Home" Hotel Register

  Pictured are two pages from the register book of Baldwyn's "Our Home" Hotel. Click on photo for larger view.
  Notice the price for a night's lodging - two dollars. I think that may have included a meal, but I'm not sure. Sunday meals were open to the public for one dollar and included tea, coffee, fruit and dessert along with the meal.
  People in those days were more careful with their handwriting, most all the entries shown here are in very legible script. The dates and other information in meticulous calligraphy were entered on the pages by "Uncle" George Pierce, porter and mainstay figure at the hotel. He was self-educated and a son of former slaves. George lived until 1949 and was revered by townsfolk and travelers alike. He was the wake up person to those who needed that service, he called everyone to dinner, and other things. Here he is shown with dinner bell in hand waiting for the precise moment to ring it for the guests.

  Uncle George met all the trains with his luggage cart in tow. There were many visitors to this area, most notably salesmen. Notice on the register they had people from as far away as St. Louis. If you look close you'll notice that George usually put the weather for that day in the book next to the day and date.
  The hotel burned several years ago. It stood at the corner of Front and Water streets. The front first faced the East and the railroad tracks, but eventually it was redesigned to face North. It also had many visitors in automobiles after train passenger service declined.
  In its' heyday, there was a large bandstand nearby and during good weather many bands played there for the public.
  Funny thing happened with this posting. I saw this book for the first time in many years just today. When it was handed to me, I opened it up without regard to where, and notice what the date is of my open pages. May 1st and additional days, 1910. Just a coincidence?
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Thanks to Edwina Carpenter of the Brices' Crossroads Interpretive Center for these photos.