Dr. Jason Pugh, vice president of the Jackson County Campus, presents a certificate to Mrs. Ola Johnston for her generosity in donating a seven-acre island in Mary Walker Bayou to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
Annie Ola Johnston has lived in Gautier since 1949. Her house, situated on Mary Walker Bayou, looks across the water at an island, her island, one that she has decided to give to Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
The 97-year-old Mrs. Johnston said the idea to deed the island to Gulf Coast came to her one night while she was in bed. "I started thinking about how much my husband and I have enjoyed the beauty of nature here, and I didn’t want to see it spoiled by development," she said. "I had been ill and knew that I needed to make plans for the future of my property. Then, it came to me that I should give it to the college. That way, it would not be developed commercially, could retain its natural appeal and be of some greater good for the students."
The seven-acre island, in close proximity to the Estuarine Education Center at the Jackson County Campus, will become a part of the center and will be used for education and recreation. Dr. Jason Pugh, vice president of the Jackson County Campus, said the plans are to keep the island in its pristine state, with very few additions. "We will, of course, make it more accessible, but we want to honor Mrs. Johnston’s wishes and limit our footprint there. In fact, that has been our goal with the development of the Estuarine Center."
Pugh said the donation is an incredible gift for the college. "This island will make a huge difference for the center, the campus and the college as a whole. There are so many possibilities for the property. Some of our students and faculty have already visited there and have talked about its beauty. We are truly overwhelmed by Mrs. Johnston’s generosity."
Johnston, who is originally from Enterprise, Miss., moved to the Coast with her husband, James and purchased the property in 1949. "We were living in Mobile before we came to Gautier. Jamey worked for Ingall’s (now Northrop Grumman Corporation), so when it moved to Jackson County from Mobile, so did we. My one stipulation when I moved was that we live on the water. That’s how we came to live here." She said they originally built a cabin on the land they purchased and then added to it to make it their home which burned in 1966. Her current home on Mary Walker Bayou was built in 1967.
Mrs. Johnston was familiar with the Coast from her childhood because her father loved to visit Gulfport and Biloxi. "I just didn’t know much about Jackson County. While moving to Mobile was a big change for me because I was a country girl, moving to Jackson County was even tougher. Over time, though, I came to love the people here, this place and its astounding natural beauty. And I think the people here grew to love us, too."
Protecting that beauty has remained important to her over the years. "My husband and I would pack a lunch, take the boat up the bayou and just enjoy nature. I loved watching him fish; he liked to fly fish. And I loved watching the wildlife in the area. One night, I went out with our neighbor on a boat, and they beamed lights around the bayou so we could see all the alligators. That was a neat experience. Now, I get to watch the fishing boats pass, going out each morning and coming in again at night. I also see the canoes and kayaks paddling back and forth from the college. I really love this area of the county, and seeing the canoes going back and forth, that’s how I got the idea to make the land donation. I want the island to be enjoyed by nature lovers for years to come. Knowing that I have done what I can do to make that a reality makes me happy."
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College gratefully accepted the donation and is committed to utilizing the island to make a positive difference in the education and recreation activities of students for many years to come. All gifts, real estate, property or other contributions are made to the Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Foundation.
