Preservation in Mississippi
photo courtesy MDAH, Historic Preservation Division
Ocean Springs Community Center (1945-48) [National Register] Finished in1948 of concrete block and in the Colonial Revival style, the Ocean Springs Community Center is significant more for its interior than for its unassuming exterior. Soon after its completion, from 1951-1952, local artist Walter Anderson covered almost every space of the walls, including baseboards, trim, and electrical outlets, with a fantastical mural depicting the “seven seasons” of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, in his own famously distinctive style. Anderson’s style was not generally appreciated at the time, and he actually left the mural unfinished because of criticism. He was paid $1.00 for the work, which is now valued in the millions.
In 1991, the Walter Anderson Museum building was constructed next door and connected with the Community Center, which now stands as his most monumental and significant work.
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