Purvis, Mississippi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Purvis, Mississippi
City
Current Lamar County Courthouse in Purvis, Mississippi, circa 1956.
Location of Purvis, Mississippi
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Lamar
Area
• Total	4.20 sq mi (10.88 km2)
• Land	4.19 sq mi (10.85 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.03 km2)
Elevation	387 ft (118 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	1,909
• Density	455.83/sq mi (175.98/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-6 (CDT)
ZIP code	39475
Area code(s)	601
FIPS code	28-60480
GNIS feature ID	0676425

Purvis is a city in Lamar County, Mississippi, in the United States. It is the main city of Lamar County. Purvis is also part of the larger Hattiesburg metropolitan area. In 2020, about 1,909 people lived there.

The town of Purvis was officially started on February 25, 1888. It was named after its founder, Thomas Melville Purves. He was born in 1820 in Marion County, Alabama. His family came from Scotland.

History of Purvis

Bust of Purvis' Founder, Thomas Melvill Purves, sculpted by W.N. Beckwith in 1989. See Historic Purvis Depot to left.

Thomas Purves received land in 1870 in what was then Marion County, Mississippi. In 1871, he moved there from Greene County. He settled on 160 acres with his wife, Dorothy Abney, and their five children. Dorothy, also called Dollie, was a doctor who helped people in the area. Thomas Purves built a simple two-room log cabin for his family. His son, John, later became the town's first Mayor.

In 1884, the New Orleans and Northeastern Railroad built tracks through Purves' land. They put up a depot with a sign that said "Purvis." Thomas Purves later changed the spelling of his last name to match the town's name. He also built the first boarding house for the railroad workers. This house was called a "section house."

Lamar County was created on February 19, 1904. It was named after Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar II, a politician from Mississippi. Purvis was chosen as the county seat, which means it's the main city where the county government is located.

Purvis started as a town known for its sawmills. It is located on the highest point of the Southern Railroad between Meridian and New Orleans. Early settlers were farmers. They would travel to the Pass Christian trading post, about 90 miles south, for supplies. This trip took 11 days by ox-cart.

A new courthouse was built in Purvis in 1905. It cost about $50,000. This building was damaged by a tornado in 1908 and then destroyed by fire in 1934. It was rebuilt and made bigger in 1956. There are plans to renovate it again.

• 

  New Lamar County Courthouse.

• 

  Historic Purvis Depot. Moved from original location beside railroad tracks to current location beside Purvis Public Library.

• 

  Purvis War Memorial, located on the grounds of the Lamar County Courthouse.

• 

  Close up of War Memorial engraving.

• 

  Time capsule located on the grounds of the Old Lamar County Courthouse.

Geography and Climate

Purvis is located at 31°8′33″N 89°24′28″W / 31.14250°N 89.40778°W / 31.14250; -89.40778. The city covers about 3.9 square miles (10.1 square kilometers) of land.

Highways and Natural Areas

• Interstate 59
• US 11 (MS)
• Mississippi Highway 589

Purvis is in an area called the Pine Belt. This name comes from the many longleaf pine trees that grow in the forests there.

Weather in Purvis

Purvis has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot summers and mild winters. The area gets about 62 inches (157 cm) of rain each year. January is usually the wettest month. It is also the coldest, with average daytime temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius).

Summers are long, starting in May and lasting until October. Temperatures often reach 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) or higher. July is the hottest month, averaging 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius). Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common in summer.

Snowfall is rare in Purvis, usually less than 3 inches (7.6 cm) when it does happen. Freezing temperatures occur only a few times each winter. The highest temperature ever recorded was 106 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) in 1951. The lowest was 4 degrees Fahrenheit (-16 degrees Celsius) in 1985. A tornado hit Purvis on February 23, 2016, causing one death.

Population of Purvis

In 2020, there were 1,909 people living in Purvis. There were 821 households and 496 families.

Education in Purvis

The Lamar County School District serves the city of Purvis. The school system's mascot is a tornado. This honors the courage of those who lived through the 1908 tornadoes.

The schools in the district include:

• Purvis Lower Elementary School (Kindergarten - Grade 2)
• Purvis Upper Elementary School (Grades 3-5)
• Purvis Middle School (Grades 6-8)
• Purvis High School (Grades 9-12)

There are also private schools:

• Lamar Christian School
• Bass Memorial Academy

Important Events in Purvis

Military Contributions

Marker dedicating the Purvis City Park to those who served in World War II.

Many people from Purvis have served in the United States Military. The War Memorial at the Old Lamar County Courthouse shows the sacrifices made by local families. The Purvis City Park is dedicated to those who served in World War II. One of the main roads in the city is named after a decorated serviceman from Purvis.

The Great Tornado of 1908

Marker placed by the State to remember the Tornado of 1908, located in front of the Purvis Public Library.

On April 24, 1908, three powerful tornadoes (F4 strength) caused a lot of damage. They stretched from Livingston Parish, Louisiana to Wayne County. These storms killed 143 people, with 83 deaths in Purvis alone. Reports show that 340 people were hurt, and 1,935 people in Purvis lost everything. The town clock on the courthouse stopped at 2:13 in the afternoon due to flying debris.

Front of the Centennial Tornado Marker, placed by the Lamar County Historical Society on the grounds of the Old Lamar County Courthouse.

After the tornado, Sheriff George W. Holleman and W.B. Alsworth rode horses to Richburg to get help. They needed to tell Hattiesburg about the disaster because all the wires were down. Mayor J.D. Donald in Hattiesburg quickly sent doctors and a special train to Purvis.

The railroad depot, which was very important to the town, was destroyed. It was thrown across the tracks. Over 115 businesses, buildings, and homes were ruined. The entire African-American part of town was wiped out. The Purvis High School graduation was supposed to happen that night. If the storm had hit just one hour later, many more students would have been hurt. The second floor of the school was completely removed by the tornado.

Back of the Centennial Tornado Marker, placed by the Lamar County Historical Society on the grounds of the Old Lamar County Courthouse.

Hurricanes and Tropical Storms

Purvis has experienced many tropical storms and hurricanes, even though it's far from the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

• In 1960, Hurricane Ethel brought strong winds.
• Hurricane Hilda (1964) and Hurricane Betsy (1965) brought rain.
• The eye of Hurricane Camille (1969) passed directly over Lamar County. This was a very strong and costly hurricane for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
• Hurricane Edith (1971) and Hurricane Carmen (1974) also brought rain.
• Hurricane Bob (1979) and Hurricane Elena (1985) affected the area.
• Hurricane Juan (1985) brought more rain than wind.
• Hurricane Florence (1988) and Hurricane Andrew (1992) also brought rain.
• Hurricane Georges (1998) brought rain and wind.
• Tropical Storm Allison (2001) dumped a lot of rain on Lamar County.
• Hurricane Katrina (2005) hit the area as a weakening Category 2 hurricane. It caused widespread damage and deaths across Mississippi. The effects of this storm can still be seen in the forests around Purvis.
• Hurricane Gustav (2008) passed south of the area but still brought wind and rain.

Nuclear Tests in the 1960s

From 1961 to 1968, the U.S. government conducted nuclear tests near Purvis. This was part of a program called "Project Dribble." The goal was to study how to detect underground nuclear tests. Two nuclear blasts, named Salmon and Sterling, happened inside the Tatum Salt Dome southwest of Purvis. These tests helped scientists learn more about detecting underground nuclear explosions.

Notable People from Purvis

• William Andrews III, a former member of the Mississippi House of Representatives.
• Lacey Chabert, a famous film and television actress.
• Lillian McMurry, a record producer and owner of Trumpet Records.
• Johnny Rawls, a soul blues singer and guitarist.
• Willie Shelby, a college and NFL football player.
• Ronald J. Slay, the first head football coach for the University of Southern Mississippi.
• Walter Young, a major league baseball player.

See also

In Spanish: Purvis para niños