History ~ Artesia, MS USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the contributor, OR the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. For name searches of this file, use the "Find" or "Search" feature of your browser. submitted by Clare Leinert-Sallee Artesia, population 527, is situated five miles south of Highway 82 on Highway 45A in Lowndes County. Named for its deep wells, it has an interesting history. Peter Pichylinn held an early land grant which included the future site of Artesia. There was once an Indian village near the site where David Fulsom established a stand in 1830. This first settlement was along the old Robinson Road which connected with the Natchez Trace between Doaks Stand and Brashears Stand. A Revolutionary War soldier is buried nearby. The original townsite became known as Beulah Grove. It was moved to its present site, becoming Artesia after the railroad came through about 1850. The first post office opened in 1856. The dining room of the old Chidsey (Chidzey?)Hotel at Artesia became famous from St. Louis to Mobile for serving fresh seafood shipped in daily by train from the coast. The old hotel in Artesia, owned and operated by the Railroad, and managed by Mr. Chidsey, was famed up and down the road for the splendid meals served there, which were "the best the country afforded." Produce from St. Louis (western meats, etc.), and fish of all kinds from Mobile were brought to this point by the M & O, furnishing good "fit for a king." Traveling men from everywhere would make it convenient to stop over at the "Chidsey House" to enjoy splendid meals. It is said that a business man from the East, vacationing at one time in Columbus, would go to Artesia every afternoon just to have a perfect supper at this famous hotel. Over a period of twenty-five years, the railroad operated this hotel, but after a time, the old building burned and the hotel ceased to exist. A small Civil War skirmish was fought on the grounds of the Methodist Church and this building served for a time as a hospital. The church building later burned down on three different occasions but was rebuilt each time on the same site. The Sentinel, a Columbus newspaper, advertised the grand opening of Billups and Perkins, a dry goods store at Artesia on May 1, 1867. Eight years later, Artesia was chartered as a town in 1875. The Artesia Bank opened in 1901 in a building designed by a West Point architect. The National Bank of Commerce serves Artesia today in that building. Artesia was called the "hay capital of the world" in the 1920s and 30s. Wagons would like up for miles at the railroad to unload hay for shipment all over the country. An annual Hay Festival is held the third Saturday in May to commemorate this event. It features arts, crafts, a cookout, entertainment and homecoming events. The Roberts and McIlwain families were in business over 100 years in Artesia, just to name a few of the long lasting family names in Artesia. Artesia operates its own water, gas and sewer systems and a volunteer fire department. 4-County Electric Power Association serves electrical needs, while Franklin Telephone Company provides telephone service. The Mississippi and Gulf Railroad has its headquarters, switching yard and shop at Artesia. The first bale of cotton to be shipped over the Mobile & Ohio Railroad was grown in Lowndes County by John Martin. Up to the time the Railroad was completed from Mobile to West Point, the farmers shipped their cotton by boat on the Tombigbee River, but sometimes transported it b means of wagons. One day, Mr. Martin was enroute to Mobile with a load of cotton, when he got to Citronelle, Alabama, much to his surprise he found the railroad completed from that town to Mobile with flatcars bringing material for the construction of the road. The cars were returning to Mobile empty, so the engineer jokingly asked Martin if he wanted to ride down to that point. He eagerly accepted the invitation and hurriedly drove the wagon loaded with cotton and the mules on to the flat-car and rode into Mobile.(1) Artesia, fourteen miles, southwest of Columbus, is located on the main line of the M&O railroad, at the junction of the Montgomery Division, and the Starkville branch.. The town was originally one mile east of Jackson Military Road, on the old Stage Coach line, and was called Farmville. When Columbus objected to the M. & O coming through the town on account of the "smoke and noises" of the trains, the planters around Artesia gave the "Right of Any" and the main line was built around 1858-59, making Artesia a town of many trains. (1) Rowland's Heart of the South, P. 560 Other Historical Information furnished by the Artesia Historical Committee, Mr. Harvey Cook.