Simply
stated, DeSoto County is booming. Residential growth has
come at a stunning rate, driven in large part by a steady
migration of people southward from the Memphis area. The
population of the county has increased dramatically in
just the last few years, and is expected to double within
fifteen years. The influx of people, an ever-growing system
of Interstate highways and other major traffic corridors,
a school system widely known for its excellence, and land
waiting to be developed will only continue to make DeSoto
County more attractive to home buyers, regional and national
retailers, and industries looking to expand or relocate.
At the center of all this growth and activity lies Hernando,
the county seat. This historic town, with a quaint courthouse
square now revitalized with new restaurants and shops,
faces challenges—but the kind of challenges many
towns would love to have.
With its own population having doubled in ten years, and
with the rest of DeSoto County and neighboring Tunica
County exploding with development, the people of Hernando
are working to ensure that the benefits of growth and
potential come without the loss of the charming character
and quality of life that have made Hernando so appealing
in the first place.
“DeSoto County is the fastest growing county in
the state, and one of the fastest growing in the Southeast,”
says Brian Goff, executive director of the Hernando Area
Chamber of Commerce. “We’re seeing a tremendous
amount of economic growth, and an increased frequency
of business inquiries.”
The population of Hernando has doubled over the past decade,
Goff reports, to a current total of approximately 10,000.
He confirms that much of the residential growth comes
from people moving southward from Memphis. “In many
ways Hernando is a more convenient place to live,”
says Goff, “even for those who work in Memphis.
And Hernando is known for its excellent school system
and our overall quality of life.
“Hernando is situated directly between Memphis and
Tunica—two major tourist destinations,” he
continues. “The new Highway 304 is designed to be
a portion of the planned Interstate 69, and when I-69
is completed, Hernando will be the only city in Mississippi,
other than Jackson, where two major interstates cross.”
Goff reports that city leaders and industry representatives
recently visited Franklin, Tennessee to study how that
community’s planning and design guidelines influenced
development. “Franklin is a good example for us,”
he comments. “It’s similar to Hernando in
that it borders a major city (Nashville) and is also a
historic town.”
“We’ve got unbelievable growth,” agrees
Mayor Ed Gale, “with many new subdivisions and businesses,
including a planned Wal-Mart. Hernando is addressing the
challenge of building roads and infrastructure—these
will definitely attract more new businesses. We’re
working on a sewer extension in the Nesbit area, and we’ve
already got people waiting to come in there with industrial
development.
“In Hernando, we’re all working together to
grow our town while retaining all the things we love about
it. Our property owners downtown, for example, have been
very cooperative with the restoration efforts around the
Square.”
According to County Administrator David Armstrong, DeSoto
County population has grown from just over 100,000 in
2000 to over 125,000, and is projected to reach 250,000
by 2020. He says that activity is focused on managing
growth rather than reacting to it, and also spotlights
several county projects.
“We’ve got a $5 million dollar jail extension,”
Armstrong reports. “We’ve recently completed
two libraries, and a third one is planned. Also underway
is a $2 million animal shelter. There are a number of
road projects, such as Church Road, which will ultimately
have five lanes east and west through the county.”
“We hope to end the year with record levels of capital
investment and job creation,” comments Jim Flanagan,
president and CEO of the DeSoto County Economic Development
Council. “Several companies are seriously considering
the area, and I’ve seen a significant increase in
prospect activity in the last two quarters.
“One great strength here is the public/private partnerships
we’ve achieved. Elected officials throughout the
county have worked hard to provide attractive incentives.
Also, Main Street programs are very active in Desoto County
communities. Hernando in particular is taking good steps
to preserve its history.”
One strong area of DeSoto County business growth in recent
years is banking. Several new banks have opened in Hernando
and other communities, and existing banks have expanded
their locations and services to meet the demands of a
growing population.
Community Bank now has three area branches and 45 local
employees. Vice-president and Hernando Manager Colie Sanford
says the bank’s DeSoto operations have met and exceeded
all expectations.
“We’ve had whole-hearted community support,”
he comments. “We’re excited to be in Hernando,
with its growth and potential. Everyone is enjoying the
benefits of the tremendous residential growth, and Community
Bank is very involved in the home loans market.”
Senior citizens make up a large part of their business,
according to Sanford, and the bank has recently introduced
the “Golden Advantage Club” to offer special
benefits—including domestic and international travel
opportunities—to that age group.
Sanford is also the incoming president of the Chamber
of Commerce. He reports that Hernando’s first Fall
Festival was very successful, and planning has already
begun for next year’s event.
Alan Sims, Hernando Bank President for Peoples Bank and
Trust, comments, “In the 90’s, most of our
customers worked more than 20 miles away, so the bank
came to rely on Saturday banking, debit cards, online
banking, etc. to serve the needs of those customers. Over
the past few years, however, Hernando has become more
of a good place to locate businesses and industry, and
I hope to see more of a local job market.”
Peoples Bank and Trust is coming off two record years
in mortgage financing, Sims reports. “We’ve
also had three times more new accounts opened this year
than last year, even in a market which has a couple more
banks than it did last year.”
The Tupelo-based bank, which will celebrate its 100th
anniversary next year, has a strong commitment to DeSoto
County, Sims says, adding that a new branch is planned
for Horn Lake.
At First Security Bank, branch president Roe Ross reports
increased demands for loans and a growing number of new
customers. “We’ve had steady growth in all
our products,” he says, “and we’ve started
doing mortgage loans in Hernando.”
The Batesville-based bank moved into the Desoto County
market because of the area’s rapid growth, Ross
says, and is planning a second branch in Southaven. He
also comments that while the use of online banking continues
to grow, “Many people still want the personal relationship.”
Chuck Roberts Commercial Real Estate, based in Southaven,
is one of north Mississippi’s largest commercial/industrial
brokerage firms. Roberts says Hernando will continue to
be a high-growth market.
“The proposed Wal-Mart will really spark retail
growth,” he comments. “The development will
offer a number of outparcels for small retail, restaurants,
etc.” Looking at growth in general, Roberts says,
“There’s no bad market in DeSoto County. Olive
Branch is seeing steady industrial growth. There’s
significant office growth in Olive Branch and Southaven.
Hernando is more of a residential community, but several
of the existing industries are expanding.
“Many DeSoto County towns are grappling with land-use
issues—how to have the proper mix,” he continues.
“And Hernando’s road system is a challenge.
While there are good multi-lane roads like I-55, Highway
51, and the new Highway 304, many of the ‘collector’
roads are still two-lane.”
Commenting that DeSoto County is attracting businesses
and home buyers on a daily basis, Clay Lane, president
of Reeves Williams Builders, adds, “The challenge
is how to manage that growth. We work very closely with
our government officials to ensure continued good growth.”
Reeves Williams, the largest residential builder in the
Delta, currently has 300 homes under construction in 18
developments, Lane reports.
He says there is a trend nationally toward smaller lots,
but with adjacent open spaces. “We’re finding
that house size is less important—there is more
of a mix of sizes, but of similar quality,” says
Lane. “People today like a more traditional, neighborhood
type of development with neo-traditional architecture,
but with better durability of materials.”
“Baptist Hospital is a positive factor in the growth
of DeSoto County, and vice versa,” says Bill Caldwell,
CEO/administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-DeSoto.
“We’re part of the strong infrastructure the
county offers, and the population growth enables us to
expand our services.”
A construction project now in the planning stages will
add 140 beds to the hospital’s current 1999, Caldwell
reports. Beds, surgery, labs, and other services will
move into a new 10-story tower, and the current building
will be renovated to expand other departments and support
areas. Groundbreaking for the new construction is set
for next spring, and Caldwell says they hope to move into
the tower by the end of 2005.
Baptist-DeSoto already offers full services in many areas
of health care, including a women’s center, and
a heart program and cancer services that have grown significantly
with the dramatic growth in the county, he adds.
New businesses and new homes are not the only signs of
the DeSoto County boom. The owners of a wide range of
existing firms are reporting expansions, increased business,
added product lines, and confidence in the future.
The Pointer Insurance Agency was founded in 1924 by David
Pointer. Grandson John is the third generation of the
family active in the business. He comments, “Right
now, Hernando is a gold mine for the businesses that are
already here.”
The Pointer firm is an independent agency offering personal,
home, auto, and commercial insurance products. Many of
their clients are contractors, John Pointer says, explaining,
“My father has worked with contractors for over
40 years, and developed a good knowledge of the construction/building
market.” Business is strong at the agency, which
has offices in Hernando, Southaven, and Como, he reports.
Magnolia Lighting is a family-owned Hernando firm in business
since 1984. Working primarily with builders, they offer
residential lighting and door hardware, as well as home
décor items including lamps and mirrors. Pam Whitfield
says the building boom in DeSoto County was a big factor
in the addition of door hardware to their product mix.
“We’ve also completely renovated our showroom
to add more products and make it more consumer-friendly,”
she reports. “Rather than just having fixtures hanging
from the ceiling, we’ve put them together in settings.”
Gail Birdwell is one of the partners in Accents, a gift
shop that has been in Hernando since 1993. “Prior
to that time, we were in the Whitehaven area of Memphis,”
she relates. “With the residential growth in DeSoto
County, a lot of our clientele was moving here. One of
our partners who lives in Hernando learned that this old
building on the Square was available, and we realized
it was the perfect place to relocate.”
Accents offers a number of popular gift lines, including
Aromatique, Christopher Radko, and Department 56, and
features a year-round Christmas shop. They also provide
model home interior décor for Reeves Williams builders.
Just east of Interstate 55 sits the new location of Country
Treasures. “This is a real growth area, across from
the new east fire station, and adjacent to a 300-plus
lot residential development,” says owner Deborah
Moore.
Country Treasures features antiques, glassware, gift items,
and furniture. Of her new store, Moore says, “This
is our third location, and we’ve enlarged every
time. But we’re here to stay—we’ll be
building three additional retail bays to make a strip
shopping center that will be known as Country Treasures
Center.”
Perhaps the best symbol of Hernando’s strong commitment
to preserving its heritage is the restoration of the historic
murals in the County Courthouse. Tony Nowak, local attorney
and member of the DeSoto Arts Council, provide some history:
“The seven murals were painted in 1903 by an artist
named Alonzo Wells. They originally hung in the old Gayoso
Hotel in Memphis, and were donated to DeSoto County in
the 1950’s. There had been some previous restorations—the
last done in the Seventies, but the murals had fallen
into a state of disrepair.
“Historically, they are invaluable,” he continues,
“and quotes we’ve received to duplicate them
have ranged to $500,000.” Two years ago, the city
proposed a new restoration, and the Arts Council set about
raising the funds through grants and public and private
donations.
“The restoration was done by artist B. R. Aburthnot,
who has a gallery in Clarksdale,” says Nowak. He
tells how, as Aburthnot worked, she discovered many details
that had been covered up in previous restorations—and
people viewing them today often comment on seeing things
they never knew were in the paintings.
The large murals, which depict scenes such as the discovery
of the Mississippi River and the burial of Hernando DeSoto,
are displayed in the rotunda, Circuit Courtroom, and hallways
of the Courthouse.
Even with the challenge of managing growth while maintaining
quality of life, civic leaders and business owner in Hernando
and throughout DeSoto County share an optimism and an
excitement about the potential of the area. Community
Bank’s Colie Sanford puts it succinctly: “It’s
fun up here right now.” DBJ
