Lily Bird Lodge, circa 1850
Pinkie’s company built many of the first roads in the area from Indian
trails using mules and slips. During our early days in Osyka steam driven locomotives
pulled trainloads of welcomed visitors, mail and supplies from New Orleans to
the Osyka train depot, only steps away from our home. These visitors came to
enjoy the peaceful, tranquility of the area, beautiful pines, and healthy ever-flowing
Artesian springs of the area. Mail would arrived from far away places addressed
to me, Lilybird, with envelopes simply depicting a hand drawn sketch of a flowering
lily and a bird, Osyka, Mississippi. During the great depression, Lilybird Lodge
opened her doors to boarders to make ends meet. Later during World War II, Osyka
was proud to be recognized as the home to over 50 U.S. pilots, the largest number
per capita of any town or city in our country. My son, Jimmy, flew over 25 missions
as a young pilot during the war, while my son A.G. fought in the Battle of the
Bulge, as a U. S. Army Infantryman. Both of my boys returned from the war to
marry and raise their families.
