Everybody's Favorite – Highland Park

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The history of Highland Park begins in 1889 when the area was used as the Meridian Fair and Livestock Exposition. When the Fair and Exposition Corporation dissolved in 1906, ownership of the land was transferred to the newly formed Park Association, established as a non-profit corporation to assemble property and develop initial plans for Highland Park. At the time Highland Park was designed, there was a national trend for streetcar pleasure parks, and electric railway companies wanted to increase their operations by owning or investing in these parks.

The Meridian Light and Railway Company followed the national trend, building a rail line beginning at 8th Street and following 34th Avenue until it turned west between 19th and 20th Streets and continuing west into Highland Park. The company also cooperated with the city to build the park itself in 1908 and provide band concerts for its amphitheater.

This just in!

Weidmann's to re-open – AGAIN – under new management.

Ever see the movie, Groundhog Day?

Let's hope it sticks... this time.

Bye, Bye, Miss Meridian Pie

LONG TIME RESTAURANT CLOSES ITS DOORS

Lonnie and Pat's Cafe, a staple of the Meridian restaurant scene, has closed its doors, perhaps for good this time.

A sign on the door reads: "Due to lack of business May 8th will be our last day to be open. Thank you for your business."

Lonnie Jones’s first venture was a general store by the name of Lonnie's Curb Store.

For many of us, sitting around on wooden drink cases, drinking beer and telling lies at Lonnie's was a rite of passage.

City Hall

City Hall is located at 601 24th Avenue, and since September 13, 2007, the building has been undergoing a restoration to its original 1915 appearance. Temporary City Hall is located at 2412 7th Street.

Time out

When posting fellow needs a break, he can always scan and post Ms. Posting Fellow's engagement picture at the tender age of 20— 45 years ago. Click on.




Or I guess he could post some interesting video out takes from the below movie(s).

"Losing My Religion" – R.E.M.

A favorite song. A favorite video.


R.E.M. - Losing My Religion by WBRNewMedia
The phrase "losing my religion" is an expression we hear occasionally from the folks here in the South that means losing one's temper or civility, or "being at the end of one's rope." It's sometimes uttered in a voice of resignation during the dissolution of a love relationship.

Key Field

Who hasn't flown out of here?

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A Little History

Meridian Regional Airport ( KMEI) is a public airport located on Key Field, a joint civil-military airfield located 3 mi (4.8 km) southwest of the city of Meridian in Lauderdale County, Mississippi, USA. The airport is served by one commercial airline, but is primarily used for general aviation and military traffic. At 10,004 feet, Key Field is home to the longest public use runway in Mississippi.

Meridian Regional Airport opened in November of 1930 with the completion of the terminal, hangar, powerhouse and a graded and packed dirt runway. With the onset of the Great Depression, the City of Meridian considered abandoning the airport because of the cost of maintenance.

Brothers Algene and Frederick Key, managers of the airport, devised a scheme to keep the airport operating. They hoped that by breaking the standing flight endurance record of 23 days they would focus worldwide attention on Meridian and its airport.

From June 4 until July 1, 1935, the brothers flew over Meridian; a total flight time of over 27 days. Key Field is named in their honor. The hangar and offices used by the Key brothers preceding and following the flight are still in use today and are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Key Field is the site of the famous flight by brothers Fred and Al Key ("The Flying Keys") which set a world endurance flight record in 1935. At 12:32 p.m. on June 4, 1935, brothers Al and Fred Key lifted off in their Curtis-Robbins monoplane, the "Ole Miss," from Meridian's airport. The record they established in their 27 days aloft, totaling 653 hours and 34 minutes, remains unbroken in conventional flight. Working with other Meridianites such as A.D. Hunter and James Keeton, the Key brothers devised a workable method of air-to-air refueling in order to attempt this feat.

The site also contains an exhibit reviewing the history of aviation, and is the home of Meridian's Aviation Museum.

Weidmann's. Down For The Count?

Weidmann's. Is she gone forever? Meridian Star 05/02/10


On every table there was the ubiquitous Jar (urn?) of Peanut Butter and, of course, crackers.



Attribution: A really good photographer who calls herself: Deep Fried Kudzu took this along with some other excellent photos of Meridian's places of interest. She has a keen eye.