Take A Closer Look At The Lost City Of Logtown, Mississippi
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published August 17, 2016
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
Located on the banks of Pearl River, Logtown was once a bustling town with a promising future. It was home to thousands of residents and the largest sawmill in the world; however, by 1964, Logtown was completely deserted.
In 1889, Henry Weston opened the H. Weston Lumber Company, completely transforming the small town. Logtown’s sawmill remained the largest in the world until 1930.
After the mill opened, Logtown continued to grow, and at its peak had approximately 3,000 residents, most of who were involved with the lumber business.
The growing population led to several buildings being constructed. Records indicate Logtown included a post office, bank, hotel, swimming pool, ice factory, grade school, grocery, two churches and a Masonic Lodge (pictured above).
The Logtown ferry (pictured above) was mentioned in the 1919 Blue Book as a possible driving route from New Orleans to Mobile. The passage read, "…a flat-bottom boat towed by a launch, run on signal. A 2-hour trip. Rates $6.00 for car and passengers."
By 1930, after depleting the supply of merchantable timber, the H. Weston Lumber Company went out of business. The closing of the mill caused the town’s population to rapidly decline. By 1961, NASA acquired the area, forcing the remaining 250 residents to move.
Today, all that remains of the once thriving town is the Logtown Cemetery, which has graves dating back to the 1850s. The Logtown Scenic Byway is a great way to see the historic cemetery and the land that was once home to thousands. Click here for more information.