Prairie, Mississippi

Prairie is an unincorporated community in Monroe County, Mississippi.

Prairie is located at 33°47′48″N 88°40′03″W / 33.79667°N 88.66750°W / 33.79667; -88.66750 ^[1] west of Aberdeen on Mississippi Highway 382. According to the United States Geological Survey, a variant name is Prairie Station.

Gulf Ordnance Plant

From 1942 to 1945, Prairie was the site of the Gulf Ordnance Plant, one of the largest ammunition manufacturing plants of World War II. Up to 10,000 workers--mostly women--were employed at the plant, which manufactured 20, 40, 57, and 67 millimeter shells, rocket launchers, 100 pound bombs and naval tracer ammunition.

It has been estimated that the Gulf Ordnance Plant supplied nearly a quarter of the munitions used by the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II.

The plant was abandoned following the war. Mississippi State University runs an experimental cattle ranch on part of the old plant, while the rest lays in ruins.^[2]

References

1. ↑ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ↑ Woodrick, Jim (June 6, 2012). "The Gulf Ordnance Plant". Andspeakinofwhich. 

• "Prairie". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey. Retrieved 2006-04-12. 

v t e Municipalities and communities of Monroe County, Mississippi, United States County seat: Aberdeen Cities Aberdeen Amory Towns Caledonia‡ Hatley Nettleton‡ Smithville Village Gattman CDPs Hamilton New Hamilton Other unincorporated communities Athens Becker Bigbee Binford Bristow Central Grove Darracott Flinn Gibson Greenwood Springs Lackey Mormon Springs Muldon Parham Prairie Quincy Riggins Sipsey Fork Splunge Strong Tranquil Wise Gap Westville Wren Ghost towns Camargo Cotton Gin Port Footnotes ‡This town also has portions in adjacent county or counties