House Concurrent Resolution 84

(As Adopted by House)

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE RICH AND HISTORICAL LEGACY OF THE CITY OF MCCOMB, MISSISSIPPI, AND CONGRATULATING THE CITY UPON THE OCCASION OF ITS SESQUICENTENNIAL ANNIVERSARY, ACKNOWLEDGING 150 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE.

WHEREAS, chartered on April 5, 1872, through special enactment by the Mississippi Legislature, after being chosen in 1871 by Colonel Henry Simpson McComb, president of the New Orleans, Jackson and Greater Northern Railroad, as the northern location for its railroad shops and division headquarters in furtherance of the development of the rail line by way of Pass Manchac, the City of McComb will celebrate its Sesquicentennial Anniversary, acknowledging 150 years of rich and historical excellence; and

WHEREAS, prior to his death in 1881, Colonel McComb had sold his interest in the railroad, and in June of 1882, the Illinois Central Railroad had begun leasing and operating the railroad, which initiated the completed expansion of the line to Chicago by 1891, and the completion of its second main track by 1903, bringing with it an influx of new inhabitants; and

WHEREAS, boasting a storied legacy, the "Railroad City," as it has come to be known, was twice occupied by federal troops or state militiamen in furtherance of preserving the peace, suffered through the 1878 Yellow Fever epidemic, recovered from the June 21, 1904 fire, which began in a Chinese laundry and destroyed 22 downtown buildings, and the November 29, 1942 fire which decimated the McComb High School along with the records of all elementary students ever to attend the McComb schools from 1920 through 1943, and was an iconic location of efforts to further the tenets of the Civil Rights Movement; and

WHEREAS, the first among cities of its size in industry, mercantile importance, religious and educational facilities, public improvements, and general progressiveness, the City of McComb, only 50 years after its founding, comprised a total area of two square miles, that included 125 miles of streets, seven large schools, 13 churches of the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Christian, Nazarene, Christian Science and Roman Catholic denominations, 19 blocks of paved streets in the city's business center, three hospitals, and an assessed valuation of $5,635,193.00; and

WHEREAS, with the railroad at the center of its economic viability, McComb thrived as an industrial giant, as industry proved to be its paramount achievement in its narrative of success, the mechanical departments and the rail car shops ensured the robust advancement of Illinois Central Railroad, and spawned the creation of several businesses to accommodate the needs of the city's residents, including: X.A. Kramer Industries, which consisted of the acquisition and renovation of the McColgan Hotel, the McComb Ice Company, the McComb Creamery, the McComb Ice Cream Company and the McComb Commissary; the Allen Lumber Company; the Home Light Company; the McComb Cotton Mill; the Berthadale Mills; the J.J. White Industries, which consisted of the McComb Steam Laundry, the Dry Cleaning Department and the McComb Cotton Gin; and the B.V. Slate Industry; and

WHEREAS, from its optimistic formation as a tiny railroad community in 1872, to its now premier status as an estimable metropolitan area boasting a diverse demography, and proudly touting the roots of several dozen native sons and daughters who have reached national acclaim in the television, entertainment, music, athletic and literary arenas, McComb's pride is embedded in the hearts of its citizens; and

WHEREAS, encompassing an area of 11.6 square miles today, the city's population of 12,413 residents, according to the 2020 Federal Decennial Census, McComb's history is embodied in an immersive cultural experience rooted in transparency, by drawing upon the lessons and growing pains of its former experiences, to emerge like a phoenix from the ashes with a clean, energetic and invigorated spirit of hope and inclusiveness to enhance the quality of life and inspire dreams of great success for every citizen and visitor for generations to come; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to pay tribute to a municipality such as the City of McComb, which is a place where the quality of life is still important and where its small town values stand as a role model throughout the great State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the rich and historical legacy of the City of McComb, Mississippi, congratulate the city upon the occasion of its Sesquicentennial Anniversary, acknowledging 150 years of excellence, and wish it continued success in all its future endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the City of McComb Mayor and Selectmen and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.