Michele Coats of the Jackson County Planning Department recommended that I talk to Liz Ford. She is a descendant of one of the early families in Pascagoula and a member of the Historical Society. We arranged to meet at her mother Reena Ford's house. It's currently a MEMA cottage just north of Beach Blvd. The original house was on the boulevard, but it was destroyed in Katrina. We snacked on pizza and some wine while we talked.

They discuss the changes of the shipbuilding industry in their town of Pascagoula. Reena’s mother was from a family of seamen, and her father was from a family of lawyers. While she was growing up her father was a sea captain who worked with sailing vessels that transported mostly lumber to Havana. Reena grew up near shipyards and harbors, so she was very knowledgeable about the changes within the industry over the years and the trade of goods with countries in South America. Other industry in the area was lumber, seafood, and a few factories. Both women told stories about residents of Pascagoula and their experiences in the Civil War and Spanish-American War. Reena discussed the boom of shipbuilding in the area during WWII, the role of women in the workforce during this time, and the influx of foreigners. During the Depression smaller shipyards closed because there was less demand for shipbuilding with the decline of the lumber industry.