County of park: Monroe County
Location of park: bordered by Main St., 1st Ave. S., 2nd Ave. S., and S. Front St., Amorty
Fast forward to October 29, 1953 and the sound of brass bands and railroad whistles. Over 5,000 people showed up to celebrate the gift of Frisco 1529 from the Frisco Railroad to the City of Amory. They would also witness the dedication of the new $200,000 Amory division office building of the Frisco railroad. During a speech by Governor Huge White at the dedication ceremony, he predicted that the retired locomotive will become a popular attraction for sightseers. “Within 10 years, there won’t be any steam engines left,” he said, “and this will probably be the only one in North Mississippi.”- Colleen Conger
"In 1887, officials of the Kansas City, Memphis, and Birmingham Railroad called for the survey of a railroad right-of-way connecting Birmingham, Alabama, and Memphis, Tennessee. Locating a point halfway between the two cities, the officials determined to start a town at that point named AMORY in honor of Mr. Harcourt Amory of Boston, Massachusetts. A town was platted with streets running parallel and perpendicular to the railroad track. To this day, this area is known as the Railroad Subdivision. In November of 1887, lots for businesses and residences were sold at auction, an event which attracted from near and far.
"Three miles west of the new town was a once-flourishing river town, Cotton Gin Port, the oldest town in Northeast Mississippi. At the close of the American Revolution, frontiersmen from the East and Southeast had fought their way into the area and established that town on the banks of the river where river trade and agriculture attracted additional settlers.
"The citizens of Amory today enjoy wide paved, tree-lined streets, a refurbished downtown with canopied walks, several additional business areas, new subdivisions, several school buildings, over twenty churches, a progressive hospital with dozens of doctors, several manufacturing facilities, parks, community organizations, a museum located in the original hospital building, two golf courses, a library, two community centers, and numerous ball fields.
"The early history of the town is commemorated each spring with a Railroad Festival and an old train engine, the Frisco Park Steam Engine, is on display in the downtown park.
"While passenger service is no longer available, the Frisco Railroad operates in Amory along with the smaller Mississippian Railway. The Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway has brought water traffic and barges through Amory Lock and Dam.
"With a population of approximately 8,500, the town acts as a host for the many guests of a benefit concert designed to raise money for scholarships, a project called Entertainment for Education. Along with the many nationally known stars, in 1998, the town welcomed His Royal Highness, Prince Edward, for whom these historical notes were compiled, based on papers from the Amory Regional Museum and local folklore." ~ City of Amory History