Mr. F. B. Hull, contractor of our new jail, is putting the finishing touch on this beautiful and substantial structure. The building contains seven rooms, six for residence and one large room in the rear, which contains the cages. The cages are made by the Pauly Co. from their celebrated saw and fire proof steel. Mr. Youngblood has superintended the work and has acted well his part. There is no jobbery about this piece of work; it is a substantial, honest job, and the county can be congratulated on getting such a handsome structure.
From The Greenwood Enterprise, February 13, 1890
At yesterday's session of the Board of Supervisors of Leflore County, transfer of the old county jail property on Cotton Street beside the city schools, was officially made to the City of Greenwood. The county of Leflore has agreed to salvage the building within six months, but it was announced that this would be accomplished within a short time. After the old jail is razed and the site leveled, it is planned to put in a municipal swimming pool. If this is done, the pool will be one of the largest in the State, as plans now suggested call for a huge layout. This advancement is just another step in the fast growing progress of Greenwood. The beauty of the school property with its three large and handsome buildings will be greatly enhanced by the removal of the jail, which has been an eyesore for some time. The jail is around 36 years old, and recently all of the prisoners were transferred to the large and handsome new three-story structure in the county courthouse annex. Leaders in schoolwork in Greenwood were jubilant today when informed of the action of the Board and its intention of salvaging the building right away.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, September 6, 1927
The most popular place in Greenwood these hot days is the swimming beach on Tallahatchie River, which is visited by hundreds of citizens daily, seeking relief from the heat during the present torrid spell.
Yesterday afternoon, when the stores closed for their regular Wednesday half-holiday, the beach was the mecca for apparently half of Greenwood's working population, and an afternoon of swimming was enjoyed.
The Tallahatchie has been used as a bathing beach for several years, and was never in better condition for that purpose than now. The long dry spell has left the water low, and clearer than ever before in the memory of the oldest inhabitants. The swimming place is a real bathing beach, being where a sand bar extends completely across the river, supplying a depth shallow enough for wading far out into the river, and extending upon the bank, eliminating the usually annoying river mud along the banks of the stream.
The bathing beach is about a quarter of a mile up stream from the Tallahatchie River Bridge.
From The Greenwood Daily Commonwealth, June 18, 1925
Mr. Joe B. Scott announces that he will open his swimming pool at Riverside Park tomorrow, July 4th. The pool is 50 feet wide and 110 feet long and has concrete bottom and walls and is located on the Cortner Road, north of the Success Brick & Tile Co. plant.
From The Greenwood Daily Commonwealth, July 3, 1925
The Riverside Park Swimming Pool is doing a wonderful business these long, hot summer days and nights. Men, women, and children flock to this Mecca seven days a week from the time it opens in the afternoon at 2 o'clock until the closing hour at night, which is 10 o'clock.
The pool, as most swimming enthusiasts of Greenwood know, is located about three-quarters of a mile north of the Planters Oil Mill on the road to Whaley, and is far enough away from town to be secluded and quiet and is yet close enough to be convenient.
The reason so many women and men, varying in ages from the kiddies to grandfathers, patronize this pool is because they know it is absolutely sanitary at all times. A continuous stream of artesian water from the Riverside well flows through the pool day and night. At intervals, it is thoroughly cleaned, drained and purified. People of all ages have a good time in safety. The bottom is absolutely even, without cracks, step offs and holes, sloping from a depth of 2 feet in the shallow end to a depth of 12 feet at the other end.
In the center of the pool is a huge concrete table for swimmers to rest on and dive from. For those more venturesome, there is a tower and diving boards at various heights. Many of Greenwood's best divers take delight in showing the many spectators and other swimmers how to make fancy and other dives.
Speaking of sightseers and spectators, they are welcome and seats at points of advantage are scattered around the pool for their benefit. There are also plenty of parking spaces so that they may sit in their cars and get a good view of the pool. Adequate facilities for bathers who prefer to dress at the pool are provided, bathhouses for women and men being of ample capacity to take care of large crowds. Both the bathhouses and the pool are well lighted at night, power being furnished by the pool's own dynamo. Clifford Carroll, the proprietor and manager, is on hand most of the time to see that all patrons get service and enjoy themselves.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, July 11, 1927
The 27 prisoners in the Leflore County jail celebrated yesterday. They were jubilant because as one of them said, "this is the best jail in the state." Similar statements were made by all the rest.
The reason for the rejoicing is due to the transfer on Wednesday of 26 prisoners from the old county jail on Cotton Street to the new large, airy, light and modern prison in the county courthouse, which is just completed. Previous to Wednesday, only 1 prisoner was in the new jail, but now the entire squad is comfortably situated in what Sheriff E. H. Crippen and visitors say is a model county jail.
The new jail, built in with the big annex to the courthouse, is a three-story structure with cells and fixtures of the most modern and efficient design. The capacity is far greater than occasion will ever demand.
Yesterday and today "The Prisoner's Song" was forgotten while the prisoners basked in the early morning sunlight.
The old jail, which has stood on its present site for 36 years, is showing a few signs of its age. It is located in the same block as the Greenwood City Schools and it is understood that the Board of Supervisors will, at the September meeting, make plans for leveling the building. The building is regarded as an eyesore and nuisance by school authorities, as it mars the beauty of the handsome buildings of the school system.
From The Greenwood Daily Commonwealth, August 26, 1927
Mayor W.K. Clements and Commissioners Dr. Frank H. Smith and W.S. Vardaman, use their shovels this morning and the first dirt was turned on the construction of a municipal swimming pool for Greenwood.
The city officials used their shovels after a brief cermony, marking the successful conclusion of a long effort to secure the construction of the pool.
Following music by the Boys Band, speakers from civic clubs and official bodies who have been interested in the pool were presented by Littleton Upshur, President of the Greenwood Chamber of Commerce. Interest and support of the movement for the pool were expressed by Dr. R.B. Yates, representing the American Legion; Prof. W.C. Williams, representing the Rotary Club; Congressman W.M. Whittington, representing the Kiwanis Club; Judge W.H. Montjoy, representing the Junior Chamber of Commerce; Mrs. C.G. Hull, representing the Woman's Club; Miss Nell Tyson, representing the Welfare League; Mrs. Sam Clark, representing the American Legion Auxiliary; H.L. DeLoach, representing the School Board; R.C. King, representing the Light and Water Commision; Mayor Clements, Commisioner Vardamen and Commissioner Smith.
The breaking of ground was done by each of the city officials simultaneously "digging" in with shovels, and a construction crew immediately took up the work of going forward with excavation.
The pool will be 75 feet wide by 200 feet long, located on the school grounds on Cotton Street, and will use part of the ground now occupied by the tennis courts.
From the Greenwood Commonwealth, July 23, 1934.
Closing of the municipal swimming pool for one week starting at the end of the day's schedule Sunday, August 4, was announced today by Coach John Woolly.
The pool will be reopened Saturday, August 10 at 1:30 o'clock and resume a regular schedule as heretofore.
During the period the pool is closed, Coach Woolly said that it will be thoroughly cleaned and allowed to absorb plenty of sunshine. Also would be the installation of a 20-foot, all-metal slide to be erected in the middle of the pool.
The above-added attraction of equipment to the pool will be welcomed by the large list of patrons.
From The Greenwood Commonwealth, August 2, 1946