Meridian, MS Discoveries

[Tom Hughes]

Spent Memorial Day traveling through east Mississippi and discovered this home on a side trip I took.
As it turns out, this home - Merrehope - is actually the first stop on the Meridian Civil War Trail.
The home you are looking at here was built in 1904.
But there was a smaller home located on this site that was occupied by Confederate generals Joseph E. Johnston in 1863 and Leonidas Polk in 1863-64. It was also used by Union officers afterwards.
The house was one of six homes that survived the battle of Meridian.

It's not located in the best of neighborhoods, but lots of civil war history within walking distance of this house.

My grandfather, who was born in 1901, went to elementary school in Meridian and I managed to find his old school site today.
The building itself has long since been torn down but the lot remains - although overgrown.
When I was a young man, I remember him telling me that it was not an uncommon thing to uncover a minie ball while digging around in this school yard while the children were at recess. I may have to get permission and return with a metal detector one day soon.

Happy Memorial Day everyone!