City of Gulfport preparing for 125th anniversary celebration
It’s the final countdown to the City of Gulfport’s 125th anniversary and this weekend’s big celebration.
The City of Gulfport was founded by William Harris Hardy and Joseph Thomas Jones. Over the course of the past 125 years, the city has grown to become a vital business and port hub for the Magnolia State.
Friday is the anniversary of Gulfport’s incorporation on July 28th, 1898 and the community will come together this weekend to celebrate the city’s rich history.
In Jones Park on Saturday, there is going to be a celebration in honor of the 125th anniversary, but Betty Shaw, the president of the Historical Society of Gulfport, says she wants this event to be even more than just a party. “We’re hoping that this event on Saturday will be an event that brings the community, the neighborhoods, the varying people that make up the city together and be a start not just a party, not just a celebration, but a celebration the different kinds of people and different things that make Gulfport a great town.”
After Hurricane Katrina, Betty was concerned that Gulfport’s history would be lost. She says she established the Historical Society of Gulfport to ensure its history would be preserved. In 2011, Betty and others worked to expand to the History Museum of Gulfport, now located in the Gulfport Train Depot.
The 125th anniversary party will kick off at 5:30 on Saturday and will be a family affair. The event will have bounce houses, food trucks, and live entertainment.
The Gulfport Museum of History will sell ‘City of Gulfport’ t-shirts and posters.
The museum is always looking for volunteers. Their one requirement? You have to love history.
