10 Rare Photos Taken During The Stennis Space Center Construction In Mississippi That Will Simply Astound You
By Daniella DiRienzo|Published March 03, 2018
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Daniella DiRienzo
Author
Though Daniella was born in New York and has lived in a couple of other states, Mississippi has been her home for more than 30 years. After graduating from the University of Southern Mississippi, Daniella began to hone her writing skills through various internships. In the years since, she’s had the privilege of having her articles appear in several publications, such as the Mississippi-based Parents & Kids Magazine. She’s also had the honor of interviewing actress Sela Ward for The Mississippi Arts and Entertainment Experience.
Part of NASA’s John C. Stennis Space Center, the INFINITY Science Center has long been a popular destination for field trips and family outings. Though a well known attraction, not many of us put much thought into the site’s past. Prior to becoming “America’s largest rocket engine test complex,” the area included several towns. However, all that changed in October 1961, when the federal government announced it had chosen the area to be the site of a new test facility. The announcement led to years of hard work and the renowned facility we have today; here are 10 photos that show exactly what went into constructing Stennis Space Center.
The federal government selected the area in Hancock County as the site for the new facility for several reasons.
Pictured above is Lollie Bell, the Logtown postmaster, and Roy Baxter, the owner of the post office, as they lower the post office’s flag for the last time.
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At the time, it was the largest construction project in the state of Mississippi and the 2nd largest in the United States.
Clearing the land needed for the 13,800-acre facility was no easy task. Construction officially began on May 17, 1963, when work crews sawed down one of the first trees.
In the early 1960s, work began on the A-1 and A-2 test stands. The test stands were designed to test the Apollo Saturn V rocket, which would later be used to transport Americans to the moon.
A variety of engineers contributed to the project. Taken in July 1963, this picture shows several of those engineers going over construction schedules.
He’s seen here meeting with other engineers during one of the many visits he made to the facility while construction was underway.
In the fall of 1963, Dr. von Braun visited several cities throughout south Mississippi. The purpose of his publicity tour was to prepare locals for the "accelerated growth" communities would experience once the facility became operational.
