13-90-CWS | August 12, 2013
BILOXI, Miss. – The first three miles of the Heritage Trail that begins at INFINITY Science Center will open Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony that includes officials from the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, Partners for Stennis, USM, NASA and Hancock County.
The 3.2-mile trail, called Possum Walk, starts at INFINITY and ends near the Pearl River. Markers along the way give the history of Possum Walk, an African-American community, as well as Logtown, another community that was located in this area.
The Possum Walk, also known as the Discovery Trail, includes markers that teach the history of the area, as well as the plants native to this part of Hancock County. The trail also has benches, a bridge, a floating dock and a kayak launch.
The $785,000 project was funded by MDMR through a grant from the Coastal Impact Assistance Program. The 3.2-mile trail is the beginning of what is a planned 100-mile Heritage Trail from INFINITY to Moss Point.
A reception begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday at INFINITY hosted by Compton Engineering, which was the construction firm for the Possum Walk segment of Heritage Trail.
Speakers include Jamie Miller, executive director of MDMR; Al Watkins, Partners for Stennis; Fred Haise, Apollo 13 astronaut and vice chairman of INFINITY Science Center; Joe Graben, USM; Lisa Cowand, president, Hancock County Board of Supervisors and Ron Magee, NASA.
INFINITY Science Center would like to thank Matt Touart with GT Development and Contracting, John Studstill with Compton Engineering, Allison Anderson, architect and researcher, and graphic designer Isabel Coelho for their work on the project.
The reception will be followed by a ribbon cutting at 4:30 p.m. at the beginning of the trail.
Note: Officials will be available for interviews after the ribbon cutting. In case of inclement weather, the event will be held indoors.
The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is dedicated to enhancing, protecting and conserving marine interests of the state by managing all marine life, public trust wetlands, adjacent uplands and waterfront areas to provide for the optimal commercial, recreational, educational and economic uses of these resources consistent with environmental concerns and social changes. Visit the DMR online at www.dmr.ms.gov.
Contact: Melissa Scallan
Phone: 228-523-4124
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