Marching to the beat of a different drum
Jones county was settled in the early 19th century, but remained relatively quiet and small before railroads opened the area to the rest of the country.
The introduction of railroads opened the region to unprecented timber production. Fortunes were made practically overnight from the rich supply of virgin timber. The city of Laurel sprang up in this deluge of industrial activity and was the central nervous system of the county's lumber mill operations. By the height of the "Roaring 20's" there were more millionaires per capita in Laurel, MS than any city in the nation.
Unfortunately, it couldn't last. The lumber suplly eventually depleted and, coupled with the oncoming Great Depression, the city and county's economy collapsed. Eventually, the city's population declined by about a third from its height.
Despite the hardships the city and county have endured over the years, its residents remain resilient and proud of their heritage. Today there are still sparks of activity. The county's population is growing again along with it's economy. Local shops and restaurants continue to pop up, manufacturing soldiers on, and some residents even gain national fame as the likes of Erin and Ben Napier have with their shop being featured on TV.