{"id":115,"date":"2018-05-10T19:45:58","date_gmt":"2018-05-10T19:45:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.terryms.org\/?page_id=115"},"modified":"2019-05-08T18:04:57","modified_gmt":"2019-05-08T18:04:57","slug":"about-terry","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.terryms.org\/index.php\/about-terry\/","title":{"rendered":"About Terry"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Terry<\/a>
Terry Depot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The area that would eventually become known as \u201cTerry\u201d was first settled in 1811 by settlers from Virginia.\u00a0 In 1867, the Town of Terry was established when the railroad was built through the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

The town of Terry is located on Interstate 55 in Hinds County, Mississippi, about 15 miles southwest of the capitol city of Jackson. \u00a0It is in Hinds County Supervisor\u2019s District Five.<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps one of the most notable efforts of modern times in the reclamation of the Terry Depot.\u00a0 The Depot was built by the Illinois Central Railroad in the early 1880\u2019s and was moved from Terry to Parham Bridges Park in Jackson in the 1950\u2019s.\u00a0 A group called the Friends of Terry was formed whose mission, among others, was the reclamation of the Terry Depot.\u00a0 In the early 1990\u2019s, the Friends of Terry, with the assistance of the Hinds County Board of Supervisors, were successful in bringing the depot building back to Terry.\u00a0 The Friends of Terry have conducted a number of fundraising efforts toward the continued restoration of the depot to its original splendor.<\/p>\n

For a number of years, Terry was the home of Albert Gallatin Brown, the 14th Governor of Mississippi.\u00a0 Governor Brown was considered progressive for his time in that he was instrumental in the establishment of public education and mental health treatment.\u00a0 Brown Street in Terry is named in his honor.<\/p>\n

Pharmacist J.W. Combs, a Terry resident, was President of the local School Board of Trustees for many years.<\/p>\n

Terry is the birthplace of influential blues musician Tommy Johnson, who had claimed to have sold his soul to the devil at a secluded Mississippi crossroads in exchange for fame and fortune.\u00a0 This legend was later popularized by its attribution to bluesman Robert Johnson.<\/p>\n

Terry was the adopted home of Luster Willis, a folk-art painter whose works were in such demand for collectors of \u201coutsider art\u201d that he drew copies by tracing the images from plexiglass.<\/p>\n

The Terry Public Library is named for Ella Bess Austin, a Terry teacher and community volunteer.<\/p>\n

Other persons of celebrity status who have lived in Terry include writer Rick Bass, rapper\/entertainer John Got\u2019ti, and former Chairman of the Mississippi Democratic Party Rickey Cole.<\/p>\n

Terry is located at longitude 320 6\u20195\u201d N and latitude 900 17\u201940\u201d W.\u00a0 The town has a land area of 2.3 square miles, all of which is land.\u00a0 The average land elevation of the town is 295\u2019 AMSL according to United States Geological Survey records.\u00a0 The racial make-up of the town is almost evenly divided between 48.5% White, 50.5% Black, and 0.8% two or more races.\u00a0 In 2005, the median age was 36.7 years, and the average median income was $31,400.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Village<\/a>
Village Square Park – Cunningham Ave.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"County<\/a>
County Park – Morgan Dr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"County<\/a>
County Park – Morgan Dr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

The Terry Headlight Newspaper was named for the Head family, who operated a pharmacy downtown for generations, and was the town\u2019s newspaper for many years.\u00a0 It has ceased publication.\u00a0 However, the Hinds County Gazette, a weekly newspaper, has a column each week written by Alderwoman Elzena Johnson about the happenings in Terry. In response to the growth in the community, it was decided that the Town was in need of a publication that informed residents specifically about business services available and other happenings in Terry.\u00a0 So, in June 2010, the first issue of the Terry News community newspaper was published by Ms. Renay Wright, owner of AnRtist Graphics and Printing, LLC and her mother Mrs. Addie Wright.\u00a0 The Terry News is published monthly and distributed by mail to every business and household in the 39170 zip code.<\/p>\n

There are two parks in Terry.\u00a0 The Village Square is located on Cunningham Avenue, and it has such amenities as playground equipment for children, park benches for visiting, tennis counts, and a walking track for exercise.\u00a0 The Community Center is also located at the Village Square.\u00a0 The Village Square was given its name as part of a high-school \u201cName the Park\u201d contest won by Jim Eley.\u00a0 Jim Eley is a local architect who grew up in Terry.<\/p>\n

The County Park is located on Morgan Drive, but is within the corporate limits of the town.\u00a0 The County Park was spear-headed by Terry\u2019s own Hinds County Supervisor George Smith.\u00a0 It has such amenities as a lighted baseball diamond, tennis courts, and a concession stand with restroom facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n