Hattiesburg in Vintage Postcards

Book excerpt: Located in the heart of Mississippi's piney woods, Hattiesburg was named by William H. Hardy in honor of his second wife, Hattie Lott Hardy. Incorporated in 1884, the town quickly established itself as a regional center of the yellow pine lumber industry, and by 1910 it was the fifth largest city in the state. During the 20th century higher education became an important part of the city's persona, with the establishment of William Carey College and The University of Southern Mississippi. Camp Shelby, established in 1917 to train soldiers for World War I, also trained soldiers for World War II, the Vietnam Conflict, the Persian Gulf War, and the War on Terror. Today, Hattiesburg is the center of a metropolitan area of over 110,000 people that encompasses Forrest and Lamar Counties.