By Mary Curtis

Jim Parkman was kind enough to share this story with me, so I thought you would enjoy it as well.

I just love that people are starting to bring good stories to me. Please keep it up.

It’s red, white and blue, has 48 stars, and is 9 by 20 feet according to the Parkman family.

It’s the flag that flew for many years over the Old Carson High School.

It was donated to the Carson High School in 1923 by M.S. Parkman.

The flag was originally given to Mr. Parkman by a Reserve Unit of the National Guard because it was outdated and was too large.

M.S. Parkman had a flag pole made by a man named Bill Johnson, who hand carved it from the Long-leaf Yellow Pine that is indigenous to Jefferson Davis County.

The flag pole was donated to the Mississippi Agriculture Museum in Jackson.

The Parkman’s also have a smaller flag that once flew over The White House. It was flown as a special memorial for Mrs. Parkman’s brother, Garland Broom.

Mr. Broom was shot down over France, 12 miles off the coast of England in World War II.

The Jim Parkman family is the fifth generation of Parkmans that have lived in Jefferson Davis County over the last 150 years.

They are the parents of two boys, Jim and Mike, and one daughter Patsy Henderson.

The Fortenberry-Parkman Farmstead has also been donated to The Mississippi Agricultural Museum. It is designated as a Mississippi Landmark.

This living history exhibit, dating back to 1860, includes most of the original buildings of the farmstead that had been in operation for over 100 years.

Behind the farmstead visitors can walk through a Victory Garden on the museum grounds.

Mike and I intend to go back to the Ag Museum soon.

We used to go there frequently for various events when we lived in Jackson.

We can return again to view part of our friend’s family history, meanwhile, enjoying additional Jefferson Davis County History as well.

If you get a chance to go, let Jim know you got a good dose of Parkman history there.

Jim’s dad was somewhat of a patriot, placing flags on the graves of Veterans on Veterans Day.

Thanks to the Parkman family who has contributed so much to Jefferson Davis County and continues to do so today.