I am new to the Lowndes County list and thought I'd send out a query. My research is not specifically about genealogy, but I'm hoping that those of you who have had researched in Lowndes County may be able to help me. I am writing an historical fiction novel about the first state-supported women's college in the US, which is in Columbus, MS in Lowndes County. It has been known under three names: the Industrial Institute & College (I.I. & C.) from 1884 to 1920, the Mississippi State College for Women (MSCW) from 1920 to 1975, and currently the Mississippi University for Women (MUW). And of course, it has been fondly referred to as the W. I'm also interested in anything you have to share about the Columbus Female Institute which occupied the original buildings on the W campus. I am an alumna of the W, however I am not a native Mississippian nor do I live in the state. I'm hoping the wonders of modern technology can help me connect with people who know Lowndes County well. I have been researching the history of the school for the past two years and am still interested in hunting down anything that can add a personal flair to my narrative. I am looking to letters, diaries, memories, oral history, anything that refers to personal experiences of students, faculty or staff at the W. The novel covers the years from 1884 to 2000, and even a little as early as 1860. So you can imagine the broad scope of my research. Thank you for your help. I'm looking forward to hearing from you. Sally Winstead Williams ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.