By By Steve Swogetinsky/The Meridian Star
Dec. 15, 2001
You can take a trip into the past every time you open the pages of "A Pictorial History of Lauderdale and Surrounding Counties," now on sale at The Meridian Star.
The 128-page hardback book is packed with pictures provided by the readers of The Star. They show people, businesses, schools, activities and other scenes dating back to the 1800s.
See what Front Street looked like in the 1900s when the most common forms of transportation were horse and buggy and railroad. Union Station is pictured as it was in its heyday in 1907. You can see what Highland Park looked like before the oak trees grew large.
There are pictures of sports teams. Did you know there was a Meridian Mets team playing in 1927? See page 30. There are other team pictures as well, such as the Meridian High School Big 8 championship team from 1943. Center High School's girls basketball team, the runner-up in the State Tournament, is on page 53.
Did you think that the Clydesdales and the Budweiser wagon just started coming to Meridian in the last 10 or 20 years? There's a picture of them taken in 1948, standing next to Mr. W.A. Lewis.
Most of the books were presold before printing, but there are still a few left in The Meridian Star's business office. The cost is $37.40, which includes tax. For more information, call 693-1551.
Steve Swogetinsky is regional editor of The Meridian Star. Call him at 693-1551, ext. 3217, or e-mail him at sswogetinsky@themeridianstar.com.