150th anniversary issue by Natchez Democrat

1865

150

2015

ANNIVERSARY

THROUGH theYEARS

Natchez through the pages of The Democrat

Earl Norman took this photo of The Natchez Democrat’s headquarters on the corner of Main and Pearl streets in downtown Natchez.

ongratulations, you are officially part of an important milestone in Natchez’s history. The newspaper you are holding in your hands (or reading in digital format) is celebrating its 150th anniversary of reporting the life and times of Natchez.

We humbly thank our community; the newspaper only exists because of the dedication and support of all of those people. As the City of Natchez prepares to begin its own 300th birthday next year, it’s interesting to note The Natchez Democrat has been informing and entertaining generations for more than half Natchez’s existence. Today, after publishing literally tens of thousands of editions and likely well more than a million news articles and briefs, the newspaper continues to be a strong, community newspaper. During our last official survey more than 8 out of 10 local

residents reported regularly turning to The Democrat for news and information. The newspaper’s printed edition continues to be the most widely read source for local news with the second being the newspaper’s digital offerings. In today’s special edition, our staff — along with the help of several local historians — has attempted to organize by decade some of the biggest news that was reported in the pages of this newspaper. Despite our best efforts, we’ve almost certainly missed a few things that some readers will think should not have been omitted. We apologize for any such omissions in advance and, as always, welcome feedback by

writing to us at: P.O. Box 1447, Natchez MS 39121 or by email to newsroom@natchezdemocrat.com. We hope you enjoy this look back at a brief synopsis of your newspaper’s history. We also pause today to simply say, “Thank you.” We wish to thank our loyal readers as well as the local and national businesses whose advertising support helps the newspaper invest in our people and facilities, good community causes and remain independent of outside influence. Thank you so much for being a part of our 150th milestone, and we look forward to serving our community for decades and decades more to come. Italian-born Paul A. Botto, left, founded The Natchez Democrat in October 1865. James W. Lambert became joint owner a few months later.

Democrat’s story closely tied to city’s history From staff reports Natchez — The Natchez Democrat’s 150 years of existence have humble roots befitting a city made great over the decades by waves of European immigrants. Two mid-19th century Natchez immigrants — one Italian-born, the other a New York child of Irish parents — ultimately founded Natchez’s oldest continuously operating newspaper of record. Italian-born Paul A. Botto

founded The Natchez Democrat on Oct. 8, 1865. The first issue of the originally weekly publication was published with the assistance of Andrew Marschalk Jr., whose father is known as the “founder of the Mississippi Press.” Marschalk Jr. succeeded his father as the editor of “The Mississippi Herald and Natchez Gazette,” which began publishing at the very beginning of the 19th century. Only a few months after The Democrat started publication a

second important man entered the business — James W. Lambert. Lambert became the business manager and joint owner with Botto. Lambert and his descendants would shape much of the history of the newspaper. Neither Botto nor Lambert were Natchez natives, both having been brought to town at relatively young ages. Botto was born in Genoa, Italy, in 1840. He moved to Natchez with

his parents at age 7 and left home at a relatively young age to explore the world. He learned the printing craft in St. Paul, Minn., before returning south, eventually leading a newspaper in Alexandria, La., until 1859 when he returned to Natchez to work with his brother Louis, in merchandising. At the outset of the Civil War, Botto volunteered with

the Natchez Fencibles, part of the 12th Mississippi Regiment that saw substantial action at many battles including Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He entered as a private but eventually became a first sergeant. Botto was captured in Petersburg in 1864 and served the remainder of the war in a Union prison. Lambert was born in New See history, PAge 3

the natchez democrat

XXX

www.natchezdemocrat.com

Fads come and go, but a family meal will never go out of style.

Since 1969

The

Markets

Hometown people, serving your hometown Natchez • Vidalia • Ferriday • McComb

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 |

| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015

150th anniversary issue

the natchez democrat

www.natchezdemocrat.com

HISTORY: March 1965 fire in Democrat’s Main Street headquarters tested the resolve of newspaper From Page 1 York in 1838. He was the son of Irish immigrants. The family moved to Natchez when Lambert was only an infant. Lambert joined the Adams Light Guard in 1861 at the outset of the Civil War. The unit became a part of the 16th Mississippi Regiment. Lambert rose to the rank of captain and, like Botto, fought in many engagements including fighting with Stonewall Jackson. Lambert ultimately was captured at Chancellorsville. He was soon after released in a prisoner exchange only to be recaptured in 1864 at Petersburg. He served out the remainder of the war also in a prison, though a different prison than where Botto was incarcerated. The two business partners were described in an article published on occasion of The Democrat’s 100th anniversary as being quite opposite. “We know that Paul A. Botto was serious, a decided scholar and gifted writer but he was delicate, nervous and slightly inclined toward melancholy,” an article from 1966 reads. “On the other hand, James W. Lambert was full of dry humor, tolerant of mankind and a genius for business.” They remained partners until Botto’s death in 1879 at age 39. At that time, Lambert purchased the remaining interests in the newspaper. Lambert continued to be in charge of the newspaper’s business interests and its sole owner until his death in 1906. Approximately six years before his death Lambert founded what was then called the “Poor Children’s Christmas Tree,” an organization that brought Christmas gifts to thousands of less fortunate children throughout the area. The Natchez Christmas Tree Fund continues to carry on his legacy to this day, led by his descendants. The Democrat still publishes the names of donors and continues to serve as a collection point for monetary donations to the fund. Lambert’s only surviving son at the time of his death, James K. Lambert, assumed the duty of editor of the newspaper from the

At top is a picture of the third issue of The Natchez Democrat printed in 1865. At bottom is a picture of The Natchez Democrat printed in 2015. In 1970, James Boone Jr., bottom left, bought The Democrat from the Lambert family. tence, the newspaper has merged with competitors and modified its name and masthead several times, but the focus on being a newspaper to inform the Natchez community has remained consistent throughout. Never, perhaps, was that resolve more tested than on the morning of March 26, 1965. A fire, an electrical problem believed to be its source, destroyed the newspaper’s long-time home, a prominent building on the corner of Main and Pearl streets. All of the newspaper’s equipment with the exception of the press was destroyed, and most

time of his father’s death until James K. Lambert’s own death in 1933. The newspaper remained in the Lambert family’s ownership until October 1970 when the newspaper was purchased by Natchez Newspapers Inc., a company founded and owned by James B. Boone Jr. of Tuscaloosa, Ala. It was Boone’s second newspaper purchase, having purchased the Picayune newspaper just a few months prior. Today, Boone Newspapers and its affiliates own 70 newspapers in 12 states. Through the years of its exis-

1865-1869 Civil War aftermath

of its records and archives were destroyed or damaged by the fire, smoke or water. The morning of the fire, the Lambert family decided to continue publishing the newspaper with the help of nearby newspaper owners in Vicksburg and McComb. Only one day of publication was missed due to the fire and, to our knowledge, the newspaper hasn’t missed an edition since. The newspaper constructed a new facility on North Canal Street completed in an amazing five months of construction, where it still publishes today. The newspaper’s history is tied closely to the history of Natchez itself. Like Natchez, the newspaper plans to be here for a long, long time to come.

DEMOCRAT TIMELINE 41865: Paul A. Botto founds weekly newspaper, The Natchez Democrat 41866: James W. Lambert joins Botto as co-owner and business manager. 41870: Newspaper begins publishing three times each week. 41872: The Natchez Democrat moves into new building at the southwest corner of Main and Pearl streets. 41872: The Democrat merges with The Courier, originally founded in 1830. The consolidated newspaper is named the “Tri-Weekly Democrat and Courier.” 4Late 1800s: The Democrat becomes a daily publication. 41915: The Natchez Democrat and Natchez News merged. 41916: The Democrat editor and owner James K. Lambert bought out the other owners and changed the consolidated newspaper’s name back to The Natchez Democrat. 41965: The Democrat’s Main Street building is destroyed by fire. 41965: Five months after fire, The Democrat moves into new home on North Canal Street. 41970: Lambert family sells newspaper to Boone Newspapers. 41998: The Democrat launches first website at natchezdemocrat.com 42010: The Democrat launches a separate publication, alifestyle magazine, Natchez the Magazine.

On the day after the 13th amendment abolished slavery, there was no clear mention of such on the front page of The Natchez Democrat, which was then a weekly newspaper. Instead, the newspaper’s editor published an opinion piece that reflected the emotions many white locals were surely feeling. Below are excerpts from the piece.

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 1865 “We believe in that Constitution — we regard it as unsurpassed by any political instrument that ever emanated from man. To support, defend, and protect it is to us a duty of love. We only wish that the loyal North could feel the same reverence for it, that has ever actuated the people of rebellious Mississippi.” “But we have also to support, protect and defend the United States. This is indeed no labor of affection. Interest made it our duty to take the oath. That oath we shall observe. That oath has changed our actions, not our thoughts. To pretend that our affection is national — to pretend that we love Massachusetts as we do Mississippi — to pretend that we love the Union or the flag of the Union, would be transparent hypocrisy, and should make us despicable in the sight of all good men.”

“When we walked out of our dreams and found ourselves conquered, it was a simple question of interest whether we should leave the country or return to our homes.”

“We looked abroad and saw nothing encouraging in the idea of voluntary exile.” “When in the pride of our power, and in the tide of success, and possessing all the elements of national greatness, the South found no friend among all the nations of the earth who would reach out to her the hand of friendship and bid her God-speed in her march to independence.”

the natchez democrat

150th anniversary issue

1870-1879 Reconstruction in Mississippi

www.natchezdemocrat.com

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 |

The beginning of the decade brought guarded optimism to many citizens when Natchez and the state were readmitted into the Union after the Reconstruction Act of 1867. Local black leaders rose to new heights as the region struggled to rebuild after the Civil War.

“The agony is over, and Mississippi is again a State in the Union. ... Shall we congratulate our readers upon this result? In one sense we may do so. It is true the State does not enter free and untrammeled, except by the supreme law of the land, as in all justice she should do, but she is thrown in as it were, bound hand and foot, and gagged; and no man knows how soon she may be summarily ejected like Georgia, and remanded to military custody. But she is in for all that, and we must look and hope for the best. ...” Mississippi rejoins the Union: The Natchez Democrat reacted to the state of Mississippi’s readmittance in to the Union in March 3,1870 with an optimistic tone. Despite being under military rule after the end of the Civil War, the newspaper celebrated the reintroduction of civil rule and voiced hope in that the citizens would once again have a voice in the election of its leaders. NATCHEZ STATESMEN: Two black Natchezians achieved notable positions in the halls of state and national government. Natchez minister Hiram R. Revels, far left, became the first African-American to be elected to the U.S. Senate in 1870. As a Republican, Revels filled the seat vacated by Confederate President Jefferson Davis. At right, John R. Lynch was elected as a U.S. congressman in 1873. Lynch previously served as the first black Speaker of the Mississippi House.

Alcorn State University founded: The historically black, landgrant university just up the road from Natchez found its start when the Mississippi governor appointed a board of trustees in March 1871. Among the first board members were ex-Sen. Hiram Revels and future congressman John R. Lynch. The school located on the campus of the former Oakland College. Oakland Chapel, at left, was part of the campus and was built between 1840 and 1850.

On The River in the Heart of Historic

We congratulate The Natchez Democrat on

rs Y ea

| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015

150th anniversary issue

1880-1889 Age of infrastructure

the natchez democrat

www.natchezdemocrat.com

Much of the focus of the 1880s in Natchez was bringing the newest technological inventions to the area. Electricity, telephone service, railroads, ice service and the first Natchez Water Works were all introduced to the area residents in the decade.

Ring, Ring: The first telephone service came to

Natchez in April of 1881. In January 1882 The Daily Democrat reported that 56 people has already joined the local telephone exchange. Other residents were beginning to understand the convenience of the new communication device.

Electricity: In May 1888,

The Daily Democrat reported that a local businessman was establishing an electric plant for the city. It was not the first of its kind for the area. In 1886, Thomas Reber had already built an electric plant to furnish power for his entertainment venue near the Forks of the Road.

OPEN MAKE a home your own BRANCH

Running the rails: in the 1880s trains rivaled

steamboats as a preferred form of transport, the railroad and the efforts to bring locomotive service to Natchez became a regular focus of local news.

WITHDRAWAL

AlwAys building on trAdition, strength And stAbility. Your Hometown Bank

The Concordia Bank & Trust Company, Vidalia has the unique distinction for

a Louisiana bank having operated in Mississippi...

roudly serving the Miss-Lou for more than 150 years with relevant, timely stories, pictures, facts and fun...

...During the Mississippi River flood of 1927, when the entire parish of Concordia was under water, the bank moved to

concordiabank.com

Natchez, Mississippi, where it operated without the loss of one day’s work

Home Equity CA S H I N O N YO

Vacation • Wedding • Home Imp

Mobile Banking Works like a checking account • Stop

TRANSFER FUNDS CHECK BALANCES BILL PAY MOBILE ALERTS line of credit today. It’ll be ready whe Turn your smartphone into your own personal Concordia branch with our new mobile banking app. There is no monthly fee. Since 1903, Concordia Bank has supported the entrepreneurial spirit of our Stop by and register for online banking, then download the app. neighbors by providing the financial services they’ve needed to make their offer financial 24/7. services that canconcordiabank.com be tailored to meet Now you’re businesses open grow. for We business your business needs.

5 1 0 1865 - 2

Since 1903 Ferriday

Monterey

FERRIDAY | MONTEREY | VIDALIA | NATCHEZ | WOODVILLE

Ferriday

Monterey

Vidalia

Natchez

Woodville

8898-1_Concordia_HomeEqu_5.0025x10.75.indd 2

the natchez democrat

150th anniversary issue

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 |

www.natchezdemocrat.com

1890-1899 A lasting vision of Natchez

The beginning of the last decade of the 19th century in Natchez saw the construction of new buildings that typified an age filled with optimism and merriment. The spirit of the age was soon overshadowed by the panic of 1893, which spurred a period of depression in the United States. NOrman's natchez: The 1890s was a busy decade for one of the region’s most well-known photographers, Henry Norman, at right. Hired by Henry Gurney in 1870, Norman soon went out on his own to open a studio. He photographed weddings, portraits and images of city and country life during the post-Civil War period. During the 1890s, Norman regularly published advertisements, below, in The Daily Democrat, offering specials to those who ventured into his studio at 111 Main St., bottom right. Many of Norman’s glass-plate negatives were discovered in the 1960s and restored by Dr. Thomas Gandy and his wife Joan Gandy, who later became editor of the newspaper. The collection of photos is now part of the Louisiana State University archives.

The AGe of Extravagance: Photographer Henry Norman documented the construction of new buildings full of fanciful details and extravagant materials in downtown Natchez. At left, the Temple Opera House was built in 1891 and would later become home to the Natchez Drug Company. At center, the Natchez Hotel with its ornate dome and corner tower was also built in 1891. Both images were taken by Norman.

1900-1909 From tragedy to triumph

Natchez began the 20th century with an eventful decade. Tragedy struck Natchez twice in spring of 1908, first with the explosion of a local drug company, then with a deadly tornado. Howard Taft, the only president to ever visit Natchez while in office, lifted the spirits of the area with patriotism, and The Democrat began a Christmas tradition that continues over a century later.

President Taft visits natchez: On Oct. 29, 1909, President Howard Taft arrived in Natchez by steamboat. His visit remains the only time a sitting president has ever stopped at Natchez, and was marked by a huge parade and a Court of Honor event on the bluff. The Democrat kept the city informed of the president’s schedule, the parade route, and details about who would be in which cars in the parade.

Cyclone sweeps through south: In April 1908, a series of

NATCHEZ DRUG COMPANY: On March 14,

1908, a violent explosion destroyed the Natchez Drug Company sending fiery debris all over the neighborhood, killing at least 11 and injuring dozens more. Other homes and businesses were destroyed in the aftermath, and martial law was declared and enforced by local militia. The explosion was caused by a gas leak in the Natchez Drug Company’s first-floor laboratory. Five of the explosion’s victims were young women. They are buried in the Natchez City Cemetery under the famous Turning Angel monument, which inspired the annual Angels on the Bluff event and the Greg Iles novel, “Turning Angel.” The Democrat kept the public informed on funeral arrangements for the fallen, the condition of the injured and relief resources for the displaced.

tornadoes referred to as the Dixie Tornado Outbreak swept through the entire South, killing 320 people and injuring thousands more. One tornado plowed through Louisiana, Mississippi and into Alabama, crossing the Mississippi River through Concordia Parish and Adams County. The Democrat reported on April 25 that of 85 local residents killed, 83 were black.

CHRISTMAS TRADITION: James

W. Lambert, former publisher of The Democrat, began the Poor Children’s Christmas Fund in 1900 to raise money to buy toys for needy children in the Natchez area. The Democrat continues to support the organization, now called the Christmas Tree Fund, every year to provide Christmas joy to underprivileged local children.

| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015

150th anniversary issue

the natchez democrat

www.natchezdemocrat.com

1910-1919

Early in the decade, the focus in and around Louisiana was on the swelling Mississippi River. But soon, Natchez residents celebrated new beginnings and public spaces before buckling down to prepare for life during a world war.

Eyes turn to river then war Great flood of 1912: A precursor to

the more well-known Mississippi River flood of 1927, the 1912 flood wreaked havoc in the Louisiana parishes surrounding Natchez. A levee that protected to town of Lake Providence broke, and the town was cut off from communication. Thirty thousand residents along the Mississippi River were driven from their homes. The newspaper arranged for special reports to be given at night to keep the area abreast of updates.

1911

National headlines

Duncan Park: The heirs of

Dr. Stephen Duncan donated the property now known as Duncan Park to the city. The property included the historic houses Auburn and Sunnyside, which had burned. The family sought to see the land used as a public park forever.

1913 CARPENTER SCHOOL No. 2 built: Not long after

its construction, Carpenter School received a designation by the American School Board Journal as the most outstanding school building of the year. Included inside the Neoclassical building was an indoor swimming pool. The school was designed by a Chattanooga, Tenn., man, but constructed by local architect and builder Robert E. Bost. Local philanthropist Nathaniel Leslie Carpenter funded the project.

Prohibition enacted and enforced: On Oct. 28, 1919, Congress passed the National Prohibition Act. The national story published in The Democrat reported that local officers were expected to take the initiative in enforcing the law.

America enters world War I: When President Woodrow

Wilson’s attempts at mediation and non-intervention failed, he declared war on Germany and its Emperor Wilhelm Kaiser II. A day after the April 6, 1917, proclamation and mobilization of the U.S. Navy, the country — and local families — awaited the draft of the national guard into federal service.

1920-1929 Rising waters, soaring growth

The Roaring 20s came to Natchez with a boom in civic building and economic growth. Even the historic Mississippi River Flood of 1927 could not halt this decade of social and civic excess, but the stock market crash of 1929 brought the country to its knees.

BUILDING BOOM in NATCHEZ: The 1920s saw rapid growth in building construction in Natchez, including several historic buildings that went up during the decade. The $750,000 Eola Hotel was finished in 1927 and remains the tallest building in Natchez. During this period of public expansion and civic spending, Natchez City Hall was constructed in 1924, Brumfield School in 1925, Chamberlain-Rice Hospital, commonly known as the former Natchez General Hospital, in 1925, and the Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center, which was at the time Natchez High School, in 1927.

National headlines

1927 flood: The waters of the Mississippi River rose to 56.6 feet in May of 1927 in the fifth-highest river flood in Natchez history. The rainfall was approximately 10 times the region’s average, and the spring of 1927 saw dangerously high waters in the region. Though the bluffs protected Natchez, just across the river, Vidalia endured weeks of floodwaters destroying farmland and houses. Many local residents, especially poor blacks, were stranded without food and clean water for days.

STOCK MARkET CRASHES: In October 1929, the stock market crashed,

birthing the Great Depression. Some 19 million shares were sold, and prices dropped to historic lows. Billions of dollars were lost in a single day, and the aftershocks were felt worldwide. Economic recovery would take years.

the natchez democrat

150th anniversary issue

1930-1939 Natchez opens her doors

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 |

www.natchezdemocrat.com

The Great Depression was taking its toll at home and the seeds of what would become World War II were blossoming in Europe and eastern Asia, but Natchez wasn’t ready to give up. The garden clubs organized to attract money from the genteel crowd while new industry offered hope for the blue-collar man. Goat Castle Murder: The murder of Jennie Merrill

1938 CITY OF VIDALIA IS ON THE MOVE: When the U.S.

Army Corps of Engineers needed to widen the Mississippi River between Natchez and Vidalia and build a new levee, more than 100 buildings were relocated or rebuilt from the riverfront area to the city’s present location.

at Glenburnie, which was eventually shown to be a botched robbery by a drifter, captured national attention after her two eccentric neighbors — who lived in a nearby home overrun with livestock, including goats — were charged, though ultimately proven innocent. The national press referred to it as the “goat castle” incident, but in Natchez it was simply reported as a murder.

1939 ARMSTRONG TIRE & RUBBER OPENS: The

opening of the new tire plant was hailed as a moment for renewed optimism and served as the launching point for Natchez’s rebirth as an industrial city. The company was a major employer in the area. The opening of the plant coincided with the start of construction of the Mississippi River bridge, road paving projects and the installation of rural electricity in Adams County.

National headlines LInDBERGH BABY KIDNAPPED: Natchez

followed closely the 1932 kidnapping of the son of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh. The Democrat ran stories from the case from its beginning until the execution of the alleged kidnapper in 1936.

FIRST SPRING PILGRIMAGE: With reports that “a hospitality and friendliness

characteristic of the Old South will be extended to visitors by the entire citizenship,” Natchez opened its antebellum houses for pilgrimage for the first time in 1932. Within a few years, Natchez’s first salvo into the tourism industry — organized by the garden clubs — had attracted enough attention that automobile magnate Henry Ford and the governor of Tennessee attended in 1939.

1940-1949 Decade of triumph and tragedy

The end of the Great Depression and the beginning of World War II brought a mixture of tragedy and progress to the Natchez area. The Democrat and its readers mourned the disaster at the Rhythm Night Club and rejoiced at the opening of the first Mississippi River Bridge later the same year. World War II brought a constant demand for news from the front lines until victory was finally won. First mississippi River bridge opens:

In September 1940, the first steel bridge between Natchez and Vidalia opened, allowing highway traffic to cross the river at Natchez. The older of the two bridges that today stretch across the river, the 1940 bridge boasted the most modern engineering technology of the time, as well as the lowest toll prices south of Memphis, Tenn. The toll price was designed to match the previous cost of the ferry that served the area.

MISSIssiPPI RIVER FREEZES OVER: In February 1940, ice floes

floated from upstream down the Mississippi River to Natchez for the first time in 41 years, clogging the waterway and necessitating the use of tugboats to rescue ships. The Democrat reported dynamite was proposed to break the ice jams, but ultimately decided against since it would have damaged the levees.

National headlines World War II: The Rhythm night club fire: On the evening of April 23, 1940, the Rhythm

Night Club caught fire, killing 203 mostly young people in Natchez. A popular jazz band from Chicago had attracted a huge crowd to the metal-sided building. When the decorations near the door caught fire, panic ensued as flames spread through the interior of the dance hall. The screams of the victims could be heard for blocks, and many of the dead were unidentified for days. The following days, The Democrat continued to update the public on the death toll and the condition of the hospitalized. The people of Natchez donated thousands of dollars to provide free burn treatment for victims of the tragedy.

Natchez Democrat kept the city informed of all the news from the front lines in World War II. Reports of battles, ship sinkings, victories and other breaking news items were published daily. This “Allies Invade” headline is from June 6, 1944, the day of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015

150th anniversary issue

the natchez democrat

www.natchezdemocrat.com

1950-1959 Reaching for the stars

The 1950s were more than just poodle skirts and rock ’n‘ roll, but there was a “whole lotta shakin’ going on” in the Miss-Lou as locals rose to national fame as a beauty pageant queen and a rock ’n‘ roll superstar. The most well-known industrial company in Natchez’s history opened its doors for business, too, changing the Natchez story forever.

1950

1957

KOREAN WAR: Amid the fame

Jerry lee lewis: Ferriday

of locals and the promise of industrial progress in Natchez, the Korean War gripped the country. Front-page national stories in The Democrat told local readers the stories from the front lines in Korea.

son Jerry Lee Lewis shot to worldwide fame in 1957 with his hit cover of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Going On.” The Killer recorded the song at Sun Records in Memphis in February 1957, and it would make him an instant sensation.

OPENING of international paper mill: When the

International Paper mill opened in September 1950, it brought with it hundreds of jobs and a $3.5 million payroll. The Natchez Democrat welcomed IP to the area with front-page stories and a special IP edition for the company that would make an indelible mark on Natchez’s industrial history. Soon, neighborhoods and businesses were springing up as a result of IP’s presence. Church memberships and civic organizations thrived.

Lynda Lee Mead crowned Miss america: Natchez belle Lynda

Lee Mead put Natchez on the national pageant stage when she was crowned Miss America in 1959. The Natchez Democrat devoted multiple days of coverage to Mead’s crowning moment and even dedicated a specialized headline to announcing her victory as “our own Miss America.” The Democrat included in its coverage national stories about Mead, as well stories about locals dancing in the streets and wild demonstrations of celebration when Natchez residents heard the news.

MONDAY - SATURDAY

Thank You Natchez Democrat For Keeping Us Informed

5 P.M. UNTIL

SHAREABLE DISHES & SIGNATURE COCKTAILS

601.442.9976 130 John R. Junkin Drive, Natchez, MS

Pilothousenatchez.com hotelvuenatchez.com

SOUTHER N TRADITIONS S ERVED ON THE BLUFF

[ SUNDAY LUN CH ] 11:00 - 2:00 F E AT U R I N G DELICIOUS, MADE-TO-ORDER ENTREES S ERV ED W ITH T WO SIDES AND B R EAD

PLUS SOUP, SALAD & DESSERT BUFFET.

$ 1 6 . 9 5 adults •

$ 1 0 . 9 5 kids 10 and under

Complimentary kids 2 and under

deltabk.com #40932 DB NatchezDemocrat150Years_ND5.0025x10.75bw.indd 1

Reservations preferred

10/12/15 10:23 AM

the natchez democrat

150th anniversary issue

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 |

www.natchezdemocrat.com

1960-1969

The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ushered in a decade of turmoil, tragedy and hard-fought change in Natchez. Front page editorials urged newspaper readers to remain calm despite tumultuous days and an uncertain future. Headlines too often reported of bombings and racially targeted killings. At the same time, dozens of local men were shipped off to fight in Vietnam.

The Civil Rights fight

National headlines

1962

George Metcalfe bombing: On Aug.

28, 1965, the grim headline was only a foretelling of worse days to come. Metcalfe, the president of the Natchez NAACP, had been critically injured when a bomb planted beneath the hood of his car exploded when he turned on the ignition.

Chlorine disaster:

More than 12,000 gas masks — and a heap of worry — were distributed to area residents as crews dove in the Mississippi River to retrieve and remove a barge that sank a year earlier in March 1961 while carrying deadly chlorine.

1965 The Boycott: The day

after George Metcalfe was injured, Charles Evers presented the City of Natchez with a list of demands for the civil rights of black residents. Leading up to the rejection of the requests in early September, Evers organized a highly successful boycott of white businesses.

Parchman ordeal: Wharlest Jackson murdered: In what the newspaper called a “most heinous crime,” 37-year-old Wharlest Jackson, a black man who had recently received a promotion at Armstrong Rubber Company, was killed when a bomb exploded in his truck. “There is no act in the long history of Natchez that is as wanton, dastardly, brutal and senseless as the murder of Wharlest Jackson,” the newspaper’s editorial read.

1970-1979 Closure in Vietnam

“271 Are Arrested Here for Blocking Sidewalk,” read the headline on Oct. 3. Mostly black residents advocating for their civil rights in a peaceful manner were arrested and taken to the state penitentiary.

Moon landing: When Neil Armstrong and

Edwin Aldrin Jr. stepped foot on the moon on July 20, 1969, the world watched. The news event was reason enough to drop the “flag” — newspaper jargon for the name of the publication on the front page. Printing a headline or photo above the name of the newspaper is still reserved for the biggest of moments today.

JFK shot, killed: Only a handful of news

events are as widely remembered as the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Texas. The news story garnered the majority of the front page headlines in The Democrat that day — a rarity at a time when a newspaper front page typically carried nearly 20 headlines. Natchez Mayor John J. Nosser was quoted sharing his feelings that day. “I think I share the opinion and thinking of the American people that this is a great tragedy. We are the most civilized and democratic nation in the world, and the approval or disapproval of officials certainly is not expressed with the bullet but with the ballot,” he said.

School integration:

The headline was simple in October on the day after a federal judge handed down an injunction — “Public School Integration Here Starts September 1966.” The implementation was another matter altogether.

The turmoil and uncertainty of the 1960s gave way to a decade of closure — for better or worse. Local men returned from Vietnam, the Civil Rights fights came full circle when a black man was elected to a leadership role in the city and a new emphasis on the role of history in Natchez’s future began to take shape.

1972

National headlines

George West Sr. elected alderman:

West, who defeated an incumbent, was the first black Natchez alderman since reconstruction. His win, he said in May 1972, was a win for Natchez. “This is a victory for Natchez because it will show to the world that there are people in Natchez that showed their vote will transcend racial lines in order to elect a man that the citizens feel will help Natchez move forward.”

1974 historic natchez foundation founded:

The leading line of the newspaper article on June 9 took a chance with a bit of foretelling: “A significant event took place in Natchez last week.” The foundation got its start through the Natchez Historical Society.

1977 Historic Jefferson college: The Mississippi Vietnam war: An overseas war that began late in the 1950s hit home in

Natchez during the 1960s and 1970s, when the city’s young men were shipped to a foreign land. The community rejoiced in early 1972 when Col. John Joseph “Jack” Pitchford was released after being held a prisoner of war for seven years. But war’s evils hit home again later that year when Capt. Thomas Waring Bennett Jr. was reported missing in action over North Vietnam. He was never found.

Department of Archives and History formally opened the site north of Natchez to the public with a July ceremony. MDAH had acquired the property, along with the Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, earlier in the decade.

NIXON RESIGNS: When President Nixon resigned in

August 1974, the news warranted the entire front page of The Democrat and filled an eight-page supplement billed as “an edition your grandchildren will cherish.” The newspaper’s front page editorial was titled, “Refreshing change.”

ELVIS DIES: The King

of Rock ’n‘ Roll was found dead in his Memphis house on Aug. 16, 1977. President Jimmy Carter was quoted saying Elvis had “permanently changed the face of American popular culture.”

| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015

150th anniversary issue

the natchez democrat

www.natchezdemocrat.com

1980-1989

Man has always aspired to flight, and in the 1980s Natchez turned its attention to the skies even as events on the ground — challenges in the economy and new means of energy production — kept residents from feeling too lofty.

Natchez reaches for the skies

National headlines CHALLENGER EXPLOSION: When

GREAT MISSISSIPPI RIVER BALLOON RACE BEGINS: The

first balloon race in 1986 brought “an overflow” of crowds to the site of the festival at the Natchez Mall. Winds were too brisk on the first day for the balloons to take to the air, but on the second day James Biglane led a group of balloonists into the skies. The race was a hit and has continued every year since then. In recent years, many events returned to an area behind the Natchez Mall.

the space shuttle Challenger exploded minutes after launch, Natchez reacted with shock. “I thought it was a sick joke,” a local was quoted saying. “I was waiting for the punch line.”

1985 FILMING OF NORTH & SOUTH: The highly acclaimed mini-series about the Civil War was filmed in Natchez, and many locals were featured as extras. Actors who appeared in it included Patrick Swayze, Kirstie Alley, Elizabeth Taylor and David Carradine, among others.

GRAND GULF BEGINS PRODUCING: Though

it initially drew picketing protests, Mississippi Power & Light Co.’s nuclear power plant at Grand Gulf started the production of commercial electricity in July.

1986 ARmSTRONG TIRE CLOSES: UNDER-THE-HILL MUDSLIDE: At 3 p.m., March 29, 1980, a wall of

mud started sliding down the Natchez bluff, crashing into Under-theHill Saloon and the Bowie Knife Delicatessen. “I thought for a minute the whole thing was going to come on down the hill into the river,” witness Steve Stephens said. Two people were killed and seven were in injured. Volunteers, including bar patrons and members of the “Beulah Land” mini-series production crew, helped rescue the victims.

When Armstrong Tire announced it would close, and the 411 people employed there would lose their jobs, approximately half of them were eligible for retirement. The plant was eventually purchased by Fidelity and then Titan Tire, and closed permanently in 2001.

ommitted to serving the local area since the early 1900s by providing both businesses and residents with clean and safe drinking water

Natchez Water Works

Starting parties for over 30 years!

Fast, Easy & Secure You can pay online 24 hours a day at

www.natchezwaterworks.com

601-4 45-5521 150 N. ShieldS laNe Natchez M-F 8 a . m . - 5 p . m .

Serving the Miss-Lou since

DaviDson’s Pa c k a g e s t o r e

199 Seargent Prentiss Drive • Natchez • 601.442.3612

Proudly serving the Miss-Lou Since 1966 Ronnie Williams, 1966

Sandra Ensminger

DeDicateD to Buck trippe

180 Sgt. PRentiSS DRive, natchez, MS, 601-445-4186 601-445-4186 • Mon - Sat 8:30 a . m . - 5:30 p . m .

Ronnie Williams Agent Ronnie Williams, Agent 1700 Carter Street Vidalia, LA 71373 Bus: 318-336-5819 ronnie.williams.b21c@statefarm.com

Build a bundle. Save a bundle.

Teresa Eames

Bundle auto, home and lifeSt., Vidalia, LA 1700 Carter for big State Farm discounts. 318.336.5819 So let me show you how State Farm can help protect all the things that matter most – for a lot less than you think. GET TO A BETTER STATE.® CALL ME TODAY. ®

the natchez democrat

150th anniversary issue

www.natchezdemocrat.com

1990-1999 Luck be a lady

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015 |

The nation weathered storms in the 1990s and so did the Miss-Lou — both literally and metaphorically. A tornado ripped through downtown Natchez, and families waved goodbye to soldiers, but that did not stop the progress at home in the last decade of the 20th century.

1990 Hydro plant built:

The Sidney A. Murray Jr. Hydroelectric Station opened in Vidalia in 1990, making it the largest prefabricated power plant in the world.

NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: In May 1990, antebellum Melrose became the first acquisition of the Natchez National Historical Park which would open the house’s doors to the world.

1999 st. mary becomes minor basilica: St. Mary was officially dedicated as a minor basilica on Sept. 25, 1999. Front-page photographs and a story celebrated the milestone. “The basilica serves as a source of renewed spirit and strength ... “ the Most Rev. Oscar H. Lipscomb said.

National headlines

Natchez Mayor Butch Brown would roll the first pair of dice at the opening of the Lady Luck Casino Under-the-Hill. Locals had waited three years after dockside gambling was legalized in Mississippi for the casino. Photographs on The Democrat’s front page showed the swarm of large crowds into the casino for the opening. “Man, it’s everything they said it would be,” casino-goer Roy Garcia said.

operation desert storm:

Downtown tornado: A tornado swept up the Natchez

bluff and swirled into historic downtown on Feb. 26, 1998, ripping the roofs off buildings and damaging nearly every building in the historic district. The aftermath was captured in multiple stories and photographs in The Natchez Democrat. Cathedral School Assistant Principal Catherine D. Cook told the newspaper, “It’s absoutely ... a miracle that no one was seriously injured.”

2000-2009 THE DECLINE OF LARGE INDUSTRIES

Casino gambling opens:

Staff Sgt. Larry Stewart of Natchez kisses his tearful daughter Bridget before the 1087th Transportation Company of Vidalia ships out for Operation Desert Storm.

The start of a new millennium proved first to be the end of a way of life that had sustained Natchez for nearly six decades. It didn’t come without much worry, hardship and fear on the part of local residents. Many long-time residents simply had to leave. But others stayed, re-educated themselves and prevailed.

Johns Manville Closes: Employees were

2004

in shock and community worries realized in 2002 when the plant, which made roofing materials, announced it would close. Nearly 150 people lost their jobs. The news came two years after Titan Tire stopped production and a year before International Paper’s mill closed.

National headlines

Phillip west elected:

West defeated Republican Sue Stedman to become the first black mayor of Natchez since Reconstruction. “This says the citizens of Natchez are ready to move forward ... to be more united,” West said on the night of his victory.

2005 Hurricane katrina:

The Miss-Lou escaped major, widespread damage from the hurricane, which made the community a prime location for those fleeing more severely affected areas. For more than a month, the area housed thousands of storm evacuees in shelters and private homes.

2007 International Paper closes: In

2003, when IP closed its doors, the future for Natchez simply wasn’t very bright. The factory responsible for so much in Natchez was gone. Yet, the newly unemployed residents found a reason to hope. “I don’t know what God’s plans are, but whatever they might be, they’re good,” IP worker Greg West said.

Klansman guilty:

James Ford Seale, 72, was convicted and sentenced to three life terms for his role in the 1964 murder of two black teenagers, Charles Moore and Henry Dee of Franklin County.

Federal courthouse opens: Memorial Hall on

Pearl Street opened its doors as a U.S. Courthouse. The building, originally built in 1853, has been an auditorium, opera hall, skating rink and library. The addition of frequent court proceedings was a welcome addition for downtown shops and restaurants.

Sept. 11 attacks: When the twin towers of

the World Trade Center came crumbling down, a new tragic and historic moment was marked in the minds of all living generations. The following day, The Democrat’s headline read “America attacked!” reminding all local readers that this act by international terrorists was a personal one.

obama elected first black president:

When President Obama made history in November 2008, Adams County was part his winning majority. Obama received 58 percent of the county’s presidential vote in an election that drew approximately 70 percent of the registered voters to the local polls. The newspaper printed and sold hundreds of commemorative copies of the next day’s edition.

| SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2015

150th anniversary issue

the natchez democrat

www.natchezdemocrat.com

2010-2015

The Mississippi proves her might

The Mississippi River — as it always does — has offered reminders in our most recent years of its role in the daily lives of all local residents. From its 2011 exhibition of sheer mightiness to its now constant ability to bring us together for a stroll on the Natchez Trails, our river still makes us who we are.

2010

National headlines

Deepwater horizon explosion: Two local

residents were among 11 men killed with an oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico. Two other local men were injured. More than 200 million gallons of oil spilled into the gulf, prompting a 6-month drilling shutdown.

Natchez Inc. formed:

Private investors fed up with economic development efforts committed funds to form and fuel a new publicprivate development arm. Among their success stories is Von Drehle, which is investing $100 million in a papermaking facility.

Osama bin laden dead: On May 2,

2011, 10 years after the War on Terror began, U.S. Navy SEALS killed in Pakistan the al-Qaeda terrorist responsible for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

2012 Prison riot: A nine-hour Natchez Trails Project: Six years

Mississippi River flood: Waters crested May 19, 2011, at

61.9 feet, 13.9 feet above flood stage. By that point, the entire Vidalia Riverfront was underwater. In Vidalia and Natchez, affected businesses shut down for weeks. Concordia Parish residents sat on edge, fearful of a levee break.

of work culminated in June 2011 when the city celebrated the opening of the Natchez Trails Project. The effort, led by the volunteer community group, the Community Alliance, widened existing walking paths along the edge of the Natchez bluff and added new trails, trail markers and informative panels. Almost overnight the new trails brought the community to the river for recreation and relaxation.

7,557

number of display ads published last year.

independent carriers deliver the newspaper to residents in the area.

The Democrat is also sold through 37 newspaper vending racks and inside 45 stores.

More than

$25,000

in donations to local non-profit groups last year.

259

tons of newsprint used annually to print The Democrat.

riot at the Adams County Correctional Facility left one guard dead and the community on edge.

Second casino opens:

Magnolia Bluffs Casino, just upriver from the Isle of Capri Casino, opened to gamblers in December. A front page photo of Mayor Butch Brown throwing the dice at the craps table was nearly identical — with the addition of a few gray hairs — to the 1993 photo of the mayor when the Lady Luck opened. Magnolia Bluffs became the only casino in town, though, in 2015, when the Isle closed its doors.

Gay marriage Legalized: On June 26,

2015, a U.S. Supreme Court decision legalized same sex marriage in all 50 states. Reactions in Natchez were mixed. “I’ll say this, I am disappointed in our leadership in America today for ruling the way they did,” said Paul Sutherland, senior pastor at Highland Baptist Church. But the area’s gay community saw it differently: “It’s about time,” said Layne Taylor, executive director of the Natchez Little Theatre. “Hopefully, people will now realize this won’t make any difference in their lives.”

5,432

Number of individual newspaper pages produced last year, across 365 publication days, yielding an average number of pages produced each day of 14.9.

full-time employees.

$1,000,000 annual payroll.

21,993,219 number of pages read on natchezdemocrat.com in the last 12 months.

BY THE NUMBERS

Vidalia LOUISIANA

• 3 Fortune 500 Companies/ Industries • Sidney A. Murray, Jr. Hydroelectric Station • 2 “Shovel Ready” Industrial Parks • Vidalia Landing & Riverfront on the Mississippi River • State Welcome Center • Convention Center • Long Term Acute Care Hospital • Medical Complex • Riverwalk • Hotel • Spa • Amphitheater • RV Park • Recreation Complex with Baseball, Softball, Tennis, Basketball • City Park • Port of Vidalia • Broadband

Visiatt us

www.CityofVidaliala.Com

THIS INSTITUTION IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY PROVIDER AND EMPLOYER.