On this episode; Mississippi Roads travels to central Mississippi. We are in what used to be a small farming community that has developed into a well planned city. We are in the city of Madison. http://www.madisonthecity.com/index.htm
The town was named for James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. The community grew up along a bustling railroad track in pre-Civil War Mississippi. It was 1856 when the Illinois Central Railroad opened its Madison Station, the forerunner of today’s City of Madison.
The caboose in downtown Madison is a reminder of where the town sprouted up near the railroad tracks. Quaint shops and restaurants are now clustered in the original part of town. Today, the city offers many family friendly events and activities for its citizens like: the Annual Christmas Parade, the Harvest-Time Scarecrow Festival and Freedom Fest.
In our first segment, we go west of town to the Chapel of the Cross for another well attended family event.
Each fall since 1976, the Chapel of the Cross Church in Madison County holds a festival called “A Day in the Country.” The festival features more than 100 artists and craftsmen, homemade baked goods, jams, jellies and sauces, Kids Kountry, daylong music, hayrides, Chapel tours, a variety of food for every taste, and, of course, the traditional 63-Egg Cake.
Everything is made from scratch and sold by parishioners. The goals are to provide proceeds that go towards numerous outreach programs and to continue the restoration of the hand made Gothic Revival Chapel. The purpose of A Day in the Country is to promote spiritual and physical growth in the community and church.
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If you are into sports then Liberty Park in Madison is an ideal place for you to spend an afternoon or evening. This multi-purpose sports complex has five lighted baseball and softball fields, five soccer fields; five lighted batting cages, two beach volleyball courts, a paved walking trail and a playground for the kids.
And speaking of sports, Viking Corporation recently took over as the title sponsor from Southern Farm Bureau in the only PGA event to be held in the state and it takes place right here in Madison every fall.
Viking Range Corporation, manufacturer of ultra-premium appliances for the home, has signed an agreement with the PGA Tour to become the title sponsor of the Viking Classic which will be held at Annandale Golf Club in Madison, Mississippi. This four year sponsorship agreement ensures this PGA Tour tournament will remain in Mississippi and will serve as the state's largest professional sporting event.
http://www.vikingclassic.com/welcome.shtml
Madison has flourished as it has grown from a small town into a carefully planned city. Strict ordinances, such as ones designating architectural controls, providing landscape and building guidelines have helped to preserve the charm and integrity of one of Mississippi’s fastest growing cities.
The Malco Grandview Theater is a good example of how the city is beginning to prosper as more restaurants and shops build in this town.
And speaking of building; in our next story we travel down to the gulf coast and meet a Hancock County artist who is doing her best to re-build after Hurricane Katrina’s massive blow.
Lori Gordon is a talented artist. Talented enough that some of her work about the late Celestine Labat even hangs in the Smithsonian. While she usually works in mediums like acrylic and oil paints; she recently discovered a new medium, debris. The results of her efforts are known as “The Katrina Collection” and her current exhibit, “Reliquary: Images of the Sacred.” Both series are not only enjoyable works of art, but, they have proven to be a way of healing. By carefully combining various bits of debris into unique works of art; Lori has been able to create something beautiful and find healing in her personal life. It is through her art that Lori hopes to teach others to treat each day as a treasure and never take anything for granted.
http://thekatrinacollectionbylorikgordon.blogspot.com
A reminder of Madison’s glory days as a major railroad-shipping center is Strawberry Patch Park. Before becoming Madison’s first park, the land was indeed a strawberry field, actually one of many strawberry fields in the area. In the 1870’s local entrepreneurs encouraged the production of cotton and strawberries and developed Madison into a major shipping center, which existed well into the 1930’s. At one time, Madison was touted as the "Strawberry Capital of the World"
Today this seven acre park holds walking trails, picnic tables, playground equipment and a two acre lake. |
