Hattiesburg Zoo

On Sunday, February 10, 2013, a large EF4 multiple-vortex wedge tornado devastated the cities of West Hattiesburg, Hattiesburg, and Petal, Mississippi. The tornado was one of eight that touched down in southern Mississippi and southwestern Alabama that day. It reached a maximum path width of 0.75 miles (1.21 km) in its path through the Hattiesburg area and reached estimated maximum sustained winds of 170 mph (270 km/h) in Oak Grove neighborhood of West Hattiesburg. It destroyed many structures and impacted University of Southern Mississippi and two high schools (Oak Grove High School and Hattiesburg High School). Mississippi was declared a federal disaster area by President Barack Obama, and a state of emergency was issued by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant.

Hattiesburg is the 5th most populous city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, located primarily in Forrest County (where it is the county seat and most populous city) and extending west into Lamar County. The city population was 45,989 at the 2010 census, with the population now being 48,730 in 2020. Hattiesburg is the principal city of the Hattiesburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses Covington, Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties. The city is located in the Pine Belt region. Development of the interior of Mississippi took place primarily after the American Civil War. Before that time, only properties along the major rivers were developed as plantations. Founded in 1882 by civil engineer William H. Hardy, Hattiesburg was named in honor of Hardy's wife Hattie. The town was incorporated two years later with a population of 400. Hattiesburg's population first expanded as a center of the lumber and railroad industries, from which was derived the nickname "The Hub City". It now attracts newcomers because of the diversity of its economy, strong neighborhoods, and the central location in South Mississippi. Hattiesburg is a prominent college town, home to the University of Southern Mississippi (founded as Mississippi Normal College, for the training of teachers) and William Carey University (formerly William Carey College). South of Hattiesburg is Camp Shelby, the largest US National Guard training base east of the Mississippi River, which hosts up to 100,000 National Guardsmen and Reservists annually.

WFOR (1400 AM, "The Score 92.7") is a radio station licensed to serve Hattiesburg, Mississippi, United States. The station is owned by Eagle Broadcasting, LLC.

MM Roberts Stadium, also known as "The Rock", is an American football stadium located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is the home of The University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles football team.

The Aubrey K. Lucas Administration Building is the most prominent building on the campus of the University of Southern Mississippi. It is named after one of the universities more popular and longest serving Presidents, Dr. Aubrey K. Lucas. The Administration building houses many various offices most importantly the Office of the President. The building was completed in 1930.

The Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival is an annual book festival that was founded in 1968 and is sponsored by The University of Southern Mississippi.

The McCain Library and Archives is the chief reserve library for The University of Southern Mississippi. It houses the items in Southern Mississippi's possession that are not available for checkout. Besides being the archives, the building also houses the office of the President Emeritus, and the universities audio visual department. The Archives also house the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, one of the largest collections of children's literature in the world.

The University of Southern Mississippi (Southern Miss or USM) is a public research university with its main campus located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor's, master's, specialist, and doctoral degrees. The university is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity".Founded on March 30, 1910, the university is a dual campus institution, with its main campus located in Hattiesburg and its other large campus – Gulf Park – located in Long Beach. It has five additional teaching and research sites, including the John C. Stennis Space Center and the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory (GCRL). Originally called the Mississippi Southerners, the Southern Miss athletic teams became the Golden Eagles in 1972. The school's colors, black and gold, were selected by a student body vote shortly after the school was founded. While mascots, names, customs, and the campus have changed, the black and gold colors have remained constant. USM's 17 sport programs participate in NCAA Division I athletics, mainly as members of the Sun Belt Conference.

Trinity Episcopal Church is an historic church located at 509 West Pine Street in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, located in Forrest County. The church is in the Oaks Historic District which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Forrest County, Mississippi. It is a member of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi. This building was built in 1912, reputedly by the rector of the church, Reverend William Smith Simpson-Atmore, and was included on the Mississippi Department of Archives and History's List of Historic Churches of Mississippi in 2007.

Old Hattiesburg High School, located at 846 North Main Street, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was utilized as a public school building from around 1911 to 1959. The building was designated a Mississippi Landmark in 1986 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. In 2007, the structure was heavily damaged by arson. Following extensive renovations, the building was converted into an apartment complex by 2021.

Sacred Heart Catholic School (www.shshattiesburg.com) is a Roman Catholic parochial school in the historic district of downtown Hattiesburg, Mississippi where it is mostly surrounded by Victorian-era homes and other churches. It is the only PK-12 school in Northern Deanery of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Biloxi. Sacred Heart Catholic High School was officially detached from the elementary school on June 8, 2010 when the Hattiesburg City Council voted to accept a bid of $2.5 million for the city-owned property formerly known as First Baptist Church. The acquisition has ultimately added 40 classrooms to the school. Since the acquisition of the new building, the student population has expanded from just over 500 to over 700 students (K-12).

The Forrest County School District is a public school district with its headquarters in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (USA)It serves sections of Forrest County, including portions of Hattiesburg, Glendale, and Rawls Springs.Brooklyn is the largest community in the district.