Category: SCAC-History

“A Gathering of Heroes”

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The Perk Players and The Telling Trees Project present “A GATHERING OF HEROES: STONE COUNTY STORIES” on February 16, 17, & 18th  at 7pm and February 19th at 2pm at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Perkinston, Mississippi, in the  Malone Hall Auditorium. An additional performance will occur at the Mary C. O’Keefe, Ocean Springs, Mississippi on March 4th  at 7pm.

This original play, written by Tonya S. Hayes is based on oral histories via interviews collected by the Telling Trees Project of Stone County, Mississippi.  The plot follows a young Len Blackwell, a well-known Mississippi Gulf Coast attorney and Stone County native, on his paper route as he discovers the everyday heroes in his community: teachers, veterans, police, fire fighters, farmers, volunteers, neighbors and community leaders.  Based on the examples set by his local heroes,  he realizes that he can become a hero to others.

This is a Stone County community and Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College collaboration. The production includes community members, leaders, families, and college students and is made possible through a Tourism Development Grant from the Stone County Economic Development Partnership. This production celebrates what makes our community unique and special- the people that reside here.

Tickets: General admission $5 available at the door. Tickets for: military, police, fire fighters, emergency personal are complimentary.  A donation of $5 worth of canned goods will serve as a ticket and will be donated to the Stone County Our Daily Bread Food Pantry.

For more information please contact Daisha Walker 601-928-6289 or daisha.walker@mgccc.edu

Centennial Poles at the Bank of Wiggins

Centennial poles Bank of Wiggins

Celebrating Stone County’s Centennial! The first set of “Centennial Garden Poles” are located at the branch of the Bank of Wiggins! The Bank was one of the sponsors for the poles. Local artists painted the Centennial Poles, the Heritage poles that celebrate businesses that are at least 100 years old, and a theme pole that celebrates the business  (painted by artist Kym Garraway).

Congratulations to Stone County and the Bank of Wiggins on their 100th Birthday!

Pictured l to r: Vicky Bass, Jessica Hickman, Chelsie Black, Tammy Ladner, Jen Bowman, Ron Stanley and Bret Berger.

 

Telling Trees – Our Firefighters

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Fire Chief Jody Hatten shared the Wiggins Fire Station story for the Telling Trees Project with recent SHS graduate and MGCCC student, Jackson Jones. The February 2016 production of “A Gathering of Heroes”-sharing Stone County’s Best – included our Stone County’s Fire Fighters.

Photo by Kim Jones

Stone County Centennial Mural

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We Gather Together – SC100

Photos from the play about us – We Gather Together!

We Gather Together

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Make your plans now to join us! For more information, click here.

 

Dizzy Dean’s Birthday Celebrated

Great day at the Dizzy Dean Welcome Center in Wiggins, Stone County, Mississippi, celebrating Dizzy’s Birthday ! Come see Dizzy’s mural at the Welcome Center and meet “Dizzy” the cat!

Dizzy was born January 16, 1910, in Lucas, Arkansas, but called Stone County home for many years.

Celebration of Emilie Blackmore Stapp

Almost finished! The second traveling Emilie Stapp mural featuring the characters from her books is being painted by artist Sherry Carlson with the art students at MGCCC-Perkinston Campus. This mural is funded by the Stone County Arts Council in partnership with the Mississippi Humanities Council, MGCCC and the Friends of Stone County Libraries. A special thanks to Sherry who is donating her time and talent, Sandra Cassibry (Fine Arts Chair/art instructor at MGCCC-Perkinston Campus) and the Pink Rooster Gallery in Ocean Springs for helping secure the canvas.

These murals will travel to the schools in Stone County and help tell the incredible story of Emilie Stapp, children’s writer and philanthropist, who lived in Stone County. This mural and a second traveling mural sharing Stapp’s life will be featured March 11th, 12:30-1:30, at the Visual Arts Center for Daisha Walker presentation on Stapp funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council, March 15th, 10AM-4PM, during the Doll Show and Tea Party at the Senior Citizens Center sponsored by The Old Firehouse Museum, and March 18th at 6:30PM  at the Visual Arts Center when the Walker presentation is repeated.

MGCCC-Perkinston Campus Art Students
Emilie Stapp Mural

 

VFW Mural Dedicated on Veterans’ Day 2013

The newest mural sponsored by The Telling Trees project was dedicated on November 11, 2013. The mural, painted by Kym Garraway, honors CPL Bobbie Griffin, a POW in Japan during World War II, and PFC Eugene Young who was KIA in Vietnam. VFW Memorial Post #2706 in Wiggins is appropriately named for these fine Americans who put their lives so boldly on the line. The mural tells part of their stories as well as reminds us of the many many activities that took place in the VFW building over the years.

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Emilie Blackmore Stapp

Emilie Blackmore Stapp, an American children’s author and philanthropist, and her sister, Marie Graham Stapp, were women with a mission. Their lives are documented in an extensive collection of lively correspondence and letters, published and unpublished manuscripts for children’s stories in books, periodicals, and newspapers; original plays, illustrations and publicity materials; and, personal items, such as photographs of friends and notables, fragile scrapbooks documenting Emilie Stapp’s from 1904 through the time of her death in 1962 can be found in the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection at The University of Southern Mississippi, McCain Library & Archives.

The Stapps lived in Indiana, Iowa, Massachusetts, and finally in Mississippi during a significant historical period, covering two world wars and the tumultuous Jim Crow era. Emilie Blackmore Stapp probably was years ahead of her time in her work with children of all races and creeds, raising funds for two World Wars, and other philanthropic efforts.  Some of these, commencing soon after their arrival in Wiggins, include deeding the land and facility for the Women’s Club of Wiggins, donating over 4000 books to establish the first lending library in Stone County, and funding construction for a new post office.

The Stapp sisters bought a farm they named Friendship Farm out Highway 26 East.  There  they established a pecan orchard and built their homenamed The Dolls’ House. The home received its name from a rare collection of over 400 dolls of historic significance, that the Stapp sisters acquired from their world travels and prominently displayed there during their lifetimes.You will be hearing more about Emilie Blackmore Stapp in the months ahead as The Old Firehouse Museum and The Stone County Arts Council jointly will celebrate her life and accomplishments in several very distinct ways. You will not want to miss those events so stay tuned for dates to be published!

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