5 Places From The Past That You Wish Would Come Back To Mississippi

At one time, Marine Life was a popular tourist destination. And if you lived pretty much anywhere in south Mississippi, you visited this place on a field trip (myself included). Not your normal aquarium, Marine Life was much more hands on, even allowing kids to feed the sea lions. Sadly, Marine Life was completely destroyed during Hurricane Katrina.

This amusement park was another popular Gulf Coast attraction. Filled with rides, games, and even a train, this place was every kid’s dream come true. Although Fun Time USA has been closed since being destroyed during Hurricane Katrina, the "Sun Herald" recently reported plans of the park's reopening. While the owners have yet to release the new park’s location, they plan to include several pieces from the original Fun Time USA, including the merry-go-round and the infamous Humpty Dumpty who refused to come down from the wall on which he was perched during the 2005 storm. The new Fun Time USA should be opened sometime next year, and while nothing will be the same as the original, it is definitely better than nothing.

The once lively water park was opened in 1983. The 25 acre site, located on the Ross Barnett Reservoir, was sold around 2008. The only establishment of its kind in the area, residents were sad to see this water park go.

Located at the state line, Maywood Beach consisted of a manmade lake filled with several hundred tons of white sand. A popular summer hotspot, Maywood Beach offered all kinds of activities for visitors to enjoy. Sadly, the park closed in 2003 but not without making an everlasting impression on those who visited.