Community Organizations

Hattiesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Area Development Partnership

Noetic Technologies

Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association

Hattiesburg History

In 1882 Hattiesburg was founded by lumberman and civil engineer,Captain William H. Hardy. Hattiesburg was named after Hardy's second wife Hattie. Settlers of Scottish, Irish, and English descent came to Hattiesburg form the east due to vast number of pine trees in the areas. In 1884, Hattiesburg was incorporated with a population of approximately 400.

In 1884, the railroad (present day Norfolk Southern Railway) linking Meridian to Hattiesburg then to New Orleans was built. The completion of the Gulf and Ship Island Railroad through Hattiesburg from Gulfport to Jackson, (present day Illinois Central System) created the real timber boom in 1897. Hattiesburg growth in industrial resources include plants producing turpentine, paint oils, chemicals, metal products, apparel, food products, brick, concrete products, building materials, oil refining, household appliances, small engines, paper making equipment and many others.

Camp Shelby and the University of Southern Mississippi are big contributers to present day Hattiesburg. Established in 1917, Camp Shelby today trains more than 100,000 troops each year. Southern Miss was established in 1910 as the Mississippi Normal College. The college has more than 10,000 undergraduates and more than 2,000 graduate students.

Metro population: 120,000
Median family household income: $26,830
Median age: 31.5
Largest employers: Forrest General Hospital, University of Southern Mississippi, Wesley Medical Center, Sunbeam Household Products, Hattiesburg Public School District, Magnolia Federal Bank, Camp Shelby
Colleges: University of Southern Mississippi, William Carey College, Pearl River Community College, Jones County Community College.