Professional Documents
Culture Documents
VICTORIAN
Lights
46 a cc e n t s o u t h m i s s i s s i p p i
The event began in 1976 as a bicentennial cel-
ebration and a way to showcase the neighbor-
hood and encourage new people to move to the
area, which was undergoing a transition. Many of
the residents then were aging, direct descen-
dants of Hattiesburg’s original settlers who were
still living in their old family homes, which were
falling into disrepair.
Barbara and Harry Ward were instrumental in
starting the Hattiesburg Historic Neighborhood
Association, which sponsors the annual Victorian
Candlelit Christmas events. They bought a house
on Walnut Street in 1975 so that Harry, who was
an art instructor at the University of Southern
Mississippi, could have a studio. The Wards went
door to door, meeting their new neighbors and
drumming up support for the association.
Only a few thousand luminaries were set out
the first year. The votive candles were pur-
chased from Sacred Heart Catholic Church,
which is located in the neighborhood.
“It was probably mainly on Bay Street and
Walnut Street,” said Linda McMurtrey, who sets
out six dozen luminaries around her home on
a cc e n t s o u t h m i s s i s s i p p i 47