At 88, She Still Remembers the Sign: 843 Residents. She Helped Build the Rest.

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Southaven, Mississippi was not always what it is today. In 1964, the pavement stopped at the state line, the utility company was run by volunteers, and a roadside sign counted just 843 residents. Lorine Cady moved here that year, raised five children, started girls softball out of a literal swamp, fought a 19-day court battle to keep Southaven from being annexed by Horn Lake, helped block casinos from DeSoto County, and became the first woman to serve more than one term on Southaven’s Board of Aldermen. This episode of Southaven Business Beat is a firsthand account of how one of the fastest-growing cities in the Mid-South was built from nothing. Lorine sat down with Debbie King, President and CEO of the Southaven Chamber of Commerce, to share what Southaven was, what it took to get here, and what the original west side of the city needs now to stay strong. Topics covered in this episode: • What Southaven looked like when it had fewer than 1,000 residents • The 19-day court fight to block Horn Lake’s annexation attempt • How girls softball started on a practice field with no fence and a boat float for bases • Why some early board members resisted commercial growth and how that mindset changed • The casino fight that went to a vote three times and what it cost to win • The state of the original Southaven corridor today and what revitalization requires • What it was like to be the only woman in the room for 20 years of city government CHAPTERS: 0:00 Coming Up 0:00:08 Welcome and Introducing Lorine Cady 0:01:04 What Was Southaven Like in 1964 0:03:30 Fighting for a High School and Building the Community 0:04:24 How Girls Softball Started in Southaven 0:06:57 Life Under County Government Before Incorporation 0:10:43 The Fight to Incorporate Southaven 0:11:04 The 19-Day Court Battle Against Horn Lake 0:13:43 How Baptist Memorial Changed Healthcare in Southaven 0:17:17 Why Lorine Waited to Run for Office 0:18:34 20 Years As the Only Woman on the Board 0:21:25 Breaking Barriers for Women in Local Government 0:22:39 Starting the First Junior-Senior Prom at Southaven High 0:25:57 The State of Original Southaven Today 0:28:03 What the West Side Needs to Stay Strong 0:33:38 The People Who Resisted Commercial Growth 0:34:01 The Casino Fight That Went Three Rounds 0:35:16 Lorine’s Legacy in Southaven If you do business in Southaven, DeSoto County, or the greater Memphis metro area, this conversation is essential context for understanding where the city came from and who built it. This is Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Lorine Cady. Next week, Lorine shares the story behind founding the House of Grace and is joined by current Executive Director Sarita Drake. Subscribe so you do not miss it. Southaven Business Beat is produced by Pure Focus Media in partnership with the Southaven Chamber of Commerce, serving the business community of Southaven, DeSoto County, and the Mid-South region.