| 1818 |
Providence Baptist Church first Baptist Church established |
| 1864 |
Shady Grove first black church established |
| 1882 |
City of Hattiesburg founded by Captain William H. Hardy |
| 1884 |
City of Hattiesburg incorporated |
| 1889 |
John L. Sullivan and Jake
Kilrain fight the last professional bare knuckles boxing
match in the United States. |
| 1894 |
J.J. Newman Lumber Company founded |
| 1899 |
John A McLeod Department Store founded |
| 1908 |
Forrest County created, named for Nathan Bedford Forrest, government organized and first elected officials assume duties on
January 6
First National Bank of Commerce formed
Hattiesburg Hospital established
Mississippi Central Railroad made first passenger round-trip from Hattiesburg to Natchez
First meeting of Forrest County School Board on July 7
|
| 1911 |
Mississippi Baptist Convention established Mississippi Woman's College (William Carey College) |
| 1912 |
Mississippi Normal College opened doors (University of Southern
Mississippi)
Contract awarded for Forrest County Agricultural High School
Magic City Bank closed (first black owned bank)
|
| 1917 |
Camp Shelby activated to train World War I troops
|
| 1918 |
Camp Shelby deactivated
Gordon Van Tyne joins timber industry
|
| 1920 |
Hercules builds first plant |
| 1921 |
Eureka High School first high school for black students in county |
| 1922 |
Forrest County Court House expanded
Kamper Park built
|
| 1924 |
Mrs. E.J. Watkins assumed duties as county treasurer - first woman elected to a county
office |
| 1925 |
Street cars replaced by buses |
| 1926 |
Hercules "stump oil" mill built by DuPont |
| 1929 |
Saenger Theater opened as first air conditioned public building |
| 1930 |
Forrest County Health Department established |
| 1933 |
U.S. located three Civilian Conservation Corps in the county
Reliance Manufacturing Company (Big Yank) opened
|
| 1934 |
Mississippi acquired Camp Shelby from U.S. Government |
| 1940 |
Camp Shelby reopened as Federal Reinstallation
Paul B. Johnson, Sr. assumed duties as Governor
|
| 1943 |
J.J. Newman Lumber Company closes |
| 1946 |
Camp Shelby deactivated |
| 1951 |
Camp Shelby became emergency railroad facility |
| 1952 |
Forrest General Hospital opened |
| 1956 |
Camp Shelby became permanent training post |
| 1958 |
County schools for black students consolidated at Earl Travillion Attendance Center |
| 1964 |
Paul B. Johnson, Jr. assumed duties as Governor
Shelby State Park renamed to Paul B. Johnson State Park
|
| 1965 |
Camp Shelby trained troops leaving for Vietnam |
| 1974 |
Petal incorporated
Pine Belt Regional Airport began operation
|
| 1975 |
First Regional Law Enforcement Complex established |
| 1976 |
Evelyn Gandy assumed duties of Lieutenant Governor - first woman to serve in this office |
| 1980 |
Deborah Jones Gambrell assumed duties as Justice of the Peace to become one of Forrest County's
first black elected officials
Percy W. Watson assumed duties as member of State Legislature to become one of Forrest County's
first black elected officials
|
| 1986 |
Forrest County Chancery Building completed and named for Governor Paul B. Johnson, Jr. |
| 1987 |
Renovation of Forrest County Farmer's Market named for former supervisor board president J.A.P.
Carter, Jr., who served longest term as supervisor (1949-1983) |
| 1989 |
Original Post Office building restored to become Forrest County Court Building |
| 1995 |
Forrest County Juvenile Center established |
| 1997 |
Construction began on Forrest County Multi-Purpose Center |
| 1998 |
Hattiesburg Lake Terrace Convention Center opened |
The beauty of Forrest County lies in its diverse culture and history. Separated from
Washington County (Alabama Territory), Forrest first became part of Wayne County and later a part
of Greene County. In 1820, when Mississippi became the 20th state in the union, Greene County was
divided with a portion becoming Perry County. Later Perry County was again split, creating Forrest
County.