MSM 646 Willie Mac Blaine - McCool Memories

Episode 646 of the Mississippi Moments Podcast podcast, hosted by Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at USM, titled "MSM 646 Willie Mac Blaine - McCool Memories" was published on March 9, 2020 and runs 10 minutes.

March 9, 2020 ·10m · Mississippi Moments Podcast

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Episode Description

Willie Mac Blaine was born in Ethel, Mississippi, in 1936. In this episode, he shares his family's long history in Attala County and how he came to live in the town of McCool. Established in 1883, McCool, Mississippi was a thriving railroad town. Blaine recalls the town in its heyday and how his grandfather helped build the train depot.

Like many small-town banks, the Bank of McCool was unable to survive the Great Depression of the 1930s. Blaine explains how skittish depositors and a sympathetic banker led to the bank's demise. According to Blaine, the town of McCool began to decline when it was bypassed by HWY 12. He discusses life there today and why so many other communities get their mail from McCool.

PHOTO: McCool Post Office by J. Gallagher