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Russell Guerin
A Creole in Mississippi
2013-09-10 10:12:06
Iron Ore in South Mississippi
The Question Marks
It is not surprising to find ballast stones in an area which has a history of shipping industry. We have had in Hancock County, in fact, a rich history, whether the industries were timber, cotton or slaves. Central and northern Mississippi are known to have deposits of iron ore, but iron ore in south Mississippi?
That is what we now seem to have in several large chunks, meaning we now have a new mystery in Hancock County. Although these amorphous pieces have not been tested scientifically, the substance indeed is believed to be iron ore. To confirm my initial assessment, 1 called in Charles Gray, who on viewing said immediately, “That is iron ore, mixed with limestone. I have seen it before.” Next, I took Marco Giardino, retired NASA archaeologist, who also pronounced the substance to be authentic iron ore.
To be clear, the specimens are not pure ore. They are stratified, with red, rusting layers separated by strata of limestone. As best as I can determine at this early point, they would be referred to properly as metamorphic rocks. One article gives the weight of iron ore to be 194 pounds per cubic foot. As some of the larger parts seem to be at least ten square feet, by a height of a foot, simple math indicates a weight approaching one ton. We are talking heavy here.
Questions abound. Why would someone or some organization have brought huge pieces of iron ore to Cedar Point in Bay St. Louis? Where did they come from and for what purpose? When might it have been done? How was it possible to transport such heavy objects in years during which we have little or no recorded history?
Some Informed Guesswork
Attempting to answer some of the above invites speculation, as we have no answers at this time. We have investigated with the developer of the land laid waste by Katrina. All he could tell us is that the parcels were found scattered around the property which at one time was the Cowand Plantation.
There was an enormous scarcity of records kept in the county and the cities during the Civil War. An article called “New Study:
How the Civil War Affected Hancock County” can be found elsewhere on this web site. We do know that there was a military establishment in the area, called Fort Lovell, and believed to have been near the site of the plantation on which the ore has been found.
One item that made it through to the present is a ledger recording circuit court proceedings. It begins some years before the war, and essentially lists plaintiffs, defendants, and amount of awards. Not much detail is included, but even so, a cursory review proved some