May 6, 2011

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Mississippi County experienced a lumber boom. One of the first to recognize the potential was Robert E. Lee Wilson. He purchased a controlling interest in the local railroad, gaining almost exclusive control of the shipment of timber. By the time of his death in 1933, he had amassed 65,000 acres of land, which he developed into a massive agricultural enterprise, making him one of the richest land owners in the state.