Mississippi

Mississippi River refuge near Onalaska marks 100-year history this weekend

Published

2 years ago

June 19, 2024

Mississippi River refuge near Onalaska marks 100-year history this weekend

An area nature refuge is getting ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary with a public event near Onalaska this weekend.

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge was founded in 1924, to protect the river habitat. There will be an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the visitor center (map), along with activities at the Fred Funk boat landing (map). It will feature barge tours, as well as nature and history exhibits.

“It’s pretty neat to see all these people out fishing today, and really enjoying it,” Hallie Schulz, the refuge visitor services manager, said. “I always like to say that this is your national wildlife refuge, this is your public land, so come out and enjoy it.”

Hundreds of eagle nests, like this one seen on June 18, 2024, can be found in the Upper Mississippi Wildlife and Fish Refuge (PHOTO: Brad Williams).

Schulz and other staffers at the refuge led area reporters on a boat tour in the Lake Onalaska area Tuesday, to promote the centennial events.

In 1923, outdoorsman Will Dilg learned of plans to drain some of the river backwaters for land use, possibly for farming. He headed an effort to create a federal refuge. Congress passed a refuge act on June 7, 1924, largely due to Dilg’s activism.

Schulz said Lake Onalaska is a very popular eating and nesting area for eagles, pelicans and other birds.

“The refuge is like their restaurant,” she said. “It’s really a special place.”

The refuge is 261 miles long, from Wabasha, Minn., south to Rock Island, Ill.

Fritz Funk pilots a boat with touring media members on the Mississippi River on June 18, 2024 (PHOTO: Brad Williams).

Tour guides said that at one point in the 1970s, before the use of DDT was discontinued, just one eagles nest could be found in the refuge area. Now, they count over 300 eagle nests there.

The boat tour was launched from the Fred Funk landing near Onalaska, which honors a local conservationist. Funk’s son Fritz Funk piloted the boat for the special trip.

“Dad was involved in a lot of conservation advocacy issues on the river,” Fritz Funk said. “He didn’t actually like the attention, didn’t really want something named after him, but after he passed away, people came up with the idea, and then the family thought, you know, boat landing? He’d be okay with that.”

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Mississippi

An 1850s Parsonage in Natchez, Mississippi, Is Selling for the First Time in Over a Century

Published

5 hours ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

An 1850s Parsonage in Natchez, Mississippi, Is Selling for the First Time in Over a Century

A 174-year-old brick parsonage house on a bluff above the Mississippi River is now for sale in Natchez, Mississippi, asking $1.985 million.

The home, completed in 1852, was built by architect James Hardie as a residence for Methodist ministers, according to historical records. The land was donated by Peter Little, a wealthy cotton broker and slave owner who built the city’s historic Rosalie mansion.

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The house was initially built as a one-story residence with an “English” basement and a carriage house; a two-story annex was added later, according to the listing with Douglas Adams of Crescent Sotheby’s International Realty, informed by the Historic Natchez Foundation.

“The location is what is superb because it is one of the highest points in Natchez overlooking the Mississippi River,” said Adams, who posted the listing Thursday.

In 1893, the Parsonage changed hands for the last time when it was purchased by James and Agnes Metcalfe, and has been in the Metcalfe family ever since.

Known as the Parsonage, the residence is considered a classic example of Greek Revival architecture from the pre-Civil War South, with a wide portico, raised porch and sash windows. It is located on South Broadway Street, in a commanding position that overlooks Bluff Park, the Mississippi and downtown Natchez. It spans 6,500 square feet with five bedrooms, two formal parlors flanking a central hall and richly detailed interiors that include original exposed-brick walls, fireplaces and stained-glass windows.

In addition to a front porch, the property includes several outdoor terraces and balconies, including a second-floor wraparound deck and a balustraded rooftop—which has the best vantage point from which to see the wide views.

The home was occupied for many years by the late Albert and Gay Metcalfe, who married at the Parsonage in 1959, and would host events for friends. “It became something of a social hub,” Adams said. “They’d host families to celebrate someone’s life; there may have been some weddings that occurred there.”

Gay Metcalfe died in 2023 and the heirs are her three children, Adams said. The family couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Hardie, the architect, was a Scottish immigrant who built several other notable buildings in Natchez, including most prominently St. Mary Basilica, a Gothic Revival structure on the National Register of Historic Places, and the Homewood plantation, a Greek Revival mansion.

MORE: Manhattan’s Richest Home Buyers Were Out in Force as $10 Million-Plus Sales Surged in the First Quarter

According to local lore, the Parsonage was commissioned by Little because his wife, Eliza’s religious devotion led her to welcome every passing minister into their home, according to “Natchez,” a 1940s history of the city. Displeased with the “long siege of such guests,” Little decided to build a separate home for his wife’s visitors.

Little’s own mansion at Rosalie still stands today near the site of the 1729 massacre of the Natchez Native Americans, from whom the city takes its name.

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Mississippi

Mississippi Children’s Museum hosts annual Easter event

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17 hours ago

April 5, 2026

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Mississippi Children’s Museum hosts annual Easter event – WJTV

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Measuring Mississippi State baseball’s concern level after sweep by Georgia at home

Published

1 day ago

April 4, 2026

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Measuring Mississippi State baseball’s concern level after sweep by Georgia at home

STARKVILLE — Mississippi State baseball swept its previous two SEC opponents but fell on the other end against Georgia.

No. 4 MSU (25-7, 7-5 SEC) was swept by No. 5 Georgia (27-6, 10-2) at Dudy Noble Field. It was the first time MSU was swept under first-year coach Brian O’Connor.

Mississippi State lost 10-9 on April 2, 3-1 on April 3 and 8-5 in 10 innings on April 4.

The three straight losses created the longest losing streak of the season. Georgia’s last sweep of MSU at Dudy Noble Field was in 2004.

“I’m not concerned,” O’Connor said. “Listen, you see it all over the place in this league. People get swept and things like that. When I talk to the team, I talk about taking each game like its own individual game.

“… There were certainty plenty of bright spots, but just not enough. I believe we got away from what got us to this point for whatever reason. We have to own that; we have to stand up as men and acknowledge what happened and make the adjustments to get back on the right track and play winning Mississippi State baseball.”

Star third baseman Ace Reese launched a shot that looked like it was going to win Game 3 in the ninth inning, but it was caught at the warning track.

“It’s not concerning at all,” Reese said. “We’re a great ball club. I know what we can do. It was just unfortunate. We didn’t play good enough. We didn’t hit in situations well enough, and we didn’t pitch at the right time well enough.”

What Brian O’Connor wants more of from Mississippi State baseball

O’Connor said he agreed with a reporter’s observation that there was negative body language from Mississippi State players throughout the series.

“Words matter, and I met with the team before the stretch this morning and talked to them specifically about that and what a winner’s mentality looks like,” O’Connor said. “We just have to be better from that standpoint. We have to grow in that area. We showed some immaturity this weekend, and Georgia exposed that.”

Mississippi State fell behind 10-2 in Game 1 in the fifth inning after a poor start from Charlie Foster and relief appearance by Jack Gleason. MSU scored seven unanswered runs after that but failed to drive in the tying run in the ninth inning.

MSU got another outstanding pitching start from Tomas Valincius in Game 2, but never scored after the first inning. Game 3 was tied at 5-5 through six innings until Michael O’Shaughnessy hit a three-run home run in the 10th inning.

Mississippi State left 32 batters on base throughout the series and batted 1-for-22 in the final two games with runners in scoring position.

Georgia also scored numerous runs throughout the series because of passed balls and wild pitches.

“Just overall a tough weekend,” O’Connor said. “That can happen in this league. It’s no excuse. We don’t accept it. We just have to learn from it and play be a little bit more tough-minded and approach the game the right way.”

Sam Sklar is the Mississippi State beat reporter for The Clarion Ledger. Email him at ssklar@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @sklarsam_.

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