Travelling by Trolley in Mississippi: Summit-McComb

Today’s post is Chapter 10 in our series re-printing Frank Brooks’ “Travelling by Trolley in Mississippi: Stories about Streetcars,” originally published in 1983. View other posts in the series at the “Streetcars” tab.

Mississippi’s streetcar lines included a small operation in the McComb area. A letter from Mr. C.H. Douglas, mayor of McComb, November 25, 1960, states that streetcars operated between McComb and Godbold’s Wells, located east of Summit. He said the cars traveled from downtown McComb on North Broadway, crossed the Illinois Central tracks, pass through Summitt, and turned east to Godbold’s Wells. I gather an extension was also begun southward to Fernwood and Magnolia, but this was World War I, which stopped all further progress, and probably stopped the motor line, too. Summit Sentinel, July 7, 1910: “The Motor Line works to perfection. July 4th the crowd was handsomely transported from Summit over the lines of the motor line.”

According to the Centennial issue of the Summit Sun, April 10, 1958, (presented to the Texas Division by Mary Dawson Cain, editor): Godbold’s Wells, Summit’s famous watering place, was chartered in 1873 under the name “Summit Mineral Wells Co.,” and many tales are told of it, including the picture showing Frank James, brother of Jesse James, who lectured there before an audience of 8,000 people on July 4, 1910.” Another “tale told” concerns, who dumped 500 pounds of Epson salt and 3,000 pounds of rusty scrap iron into a third well? Instant mineral water! (This was told to us as the truth.)

My efforts to acquire additional information about the McComb area operation have met with practically no success.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:  Frank A. Brooks, Jr. has loved trains and streetcars for as long as he can remember.  He and his wife Jo Anne are parents of 2 children and grandparents of 4.  During his active ministry of  43 years in the Presbyterian Church he served in Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia and Arkansas.  In retirement, Dr. and Mrs. Brooks live in her hometown Corinth, MS.