Preservation in Mississippi
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Models in Vicksburg
No, I’m not talking about the kind of models that walk the runway looking thin and sullen, I’m returning to the subject of cool architectural models. Well, they’re all cool of course, but I had no idea that we had a little collection of them here in Mississippi! But the day after I put up … Continue reading
Sun-n-Sand More Endangered Than Before
<img class=”size-full wp-image-1569 ” title=”SunSandfront” src=”http://misspreservation.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/sunsandfront.jpg” alt=”Sun-n-Sand Motor Hotel by One of the Mississippi Heritage Trust’s Most Endangered historic properties became even more so this month when the Mississippi Legislature voted to move toward acquisition of the property in Jackson, just west of the Capitol and Woolfolk State Office Building, to build more state offices on the … Continue reading
Fire at Historic Stewart M. Jones School
Fire broke out at Laurel’s Stewart M. Jones Middle School last Friday evening, gutting one of the three wings of the historic building. The school building, one of the finest examples of high-style Georgian Revival in the state, was built in 1927 and designed by prominent Meridian architect P.J. Krouse (who also designed the Meridian City Hall … Continue reading
In Memoriam: Robert K. Overstreet (1924-2009)
Those of you who don’t read the obituaries every day might have missed the notice of the death of Robert K. Overstreet last week. Overstreet was the son of our famous Jackson architect N.W. Overstreet and he was also a well-known architect in his own right. Here’s a bit from the obituary that appears in full … Continue reading
A Reason for Me to Camp Out at Toys-R-Us
A Lego Guggenheim? Incredibly cool . . . . http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104465622
How Buildings Learn: Some Closing Thoughts
After a week of looking back through Stewart Brand’s How Buildings Learn, I’m left with a sense of contradiction in my own thoughts on High Road, Low Road, etc. I completely agree with him about Magazine Architecture and the devastation that Unreal Estate can cause (who can argue with that in our current situation?). And … Continue reading
How Buildings Learn: Defining Vernacular
Well, once again we’ve reached the end of a week, and I have tons more book to cover. But I’m just going to pick out a few bits from Stewart Brand’s chapter called “Vernacular: How Buildings Learn From Each Other.” As I’ve said before, you might want to head over to GoogleVideo and watch the … Continue reading
How Buildings Learn: Preservation, Part 2
Getting back to our very favorite chapter in How Buildings Learn,” Preservation: A Quiet, Populist, Conservative, Victorious Revolution.” I love typing that title! Brand spends some time discussing the history of the preservation movement. Personally, I’ll admit that until much more recently than you might expect, I didn’t pay much attention to the history of … Continue reading
How Buildings Learn: Preservationists Are Soooo Cool!
There are so many interesting things in the chapter “Preservation: A Quiet, Populist, Conservative, Victorious Revolution” (wow–count me in!) in How Buildings Learn that I believe I’m going to have to break it into two days. Today, we’ll concentrate on the beginning of the chapter, in which Brand gives his perspective on the history and … Continue reading
How Buildings Learn: From High Road to Unreal Estate
How Buildings Learn tries to accomplish alot that I won’t be able to adequately cover here. I’ll try to hit the high points, the ones that made the most impression on me, and leave the rest for you to find when you read the book and/or for those of you who dislike reading (!!) catch the videos … Continue reading
Book Quotes: How Buildings Learn
I read Stewart Brand’s How Buildings Learn way back in 1997, and it was when I really began to understand and appreciate vernacular architecture. The thesis of the book is that buildings change over time based on the needs of the users–sometimes generations of users–and that this change should be expected and accepted. Brand believes that architects, … Continue reading
Celebrating 100 Posts (and More to Come)
For those of you who haven’t been counting my posts, that last one? the really important and deeply philosophical one about Advanced Docent Testing? was my 100th. Bet you think I’ve got nothing left to say? You can only hope . . .
Advanced Testing for Docents
Dear Prospective Advanced Docents: Before you may take this test, you must have passed the Beginning Host/Hostess Test, which you can find here. Passing this Advanced Docent Test will allow you to wear the special green Advanced Docent ribbon, which will ensure your place in the Docent pantheon and possibly get you a 10% discount at your local … Continue reading
Where History Meets Architecture
And he spoke to the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones? Then you shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land. (Joshua 4:21) I have a confession: I’m not a Real Architectural Historian. I didn’t take classes … Continue reading
Yay, National Trust!
Sometimes the National Trust seems too wine-and-cheese for my tastes, but last week, the Trust got down and dirty when it brought a lawsuit against FEMA and the Veterans Administration for their trampling of preservation laws in New Orleans. All I can say is “FINALLY!” It’s about time someone stood up to these federal agencies … Continue reading
To Clarksdale and Back
I’ve been up to the Delta recently, all the way to Clarksdale. I love going to the Delta–any time of year, it’s always interesting and it seems to have a certain light that makes it all seem more lush. People outside of Mississippi don’t realize that the Delta is “up” in the northwestern part of … Continue reading
MS Architects in Tallulah, LA
I’m always interested–and therefore you should be too–in finding what buildings Mississippi architects were doing in other states. Tallulah, Louisiana has two buildings (out of not a huge number) that we Mississippians can be proud of, Bloom’s Arcade (1930-31) by Jackson’s N.W. Overstreet and the Tallulah Book Club Building (1930) by Vicksburg architect William A. … Continue reading
Life After People: Post-Apocalypse Meets Preservation
I don’t know about ya’ll, but I have found the History Channel’s new series Life After People strangely fascinating. It combines two of my great loves–the post-apocalyptic genre and abandoned places–which means I probably should avoid getting sucked into it. But I’ve done it, so I might as well go along for the ride. The premise … Continue reading
Preservation Month, Etc.
I mentioned this last month beforehand, but in case you’ve already forgotten, the Images of America book about North State Street hit the shelves April 27 and there have been confirmed sightings at Lemuria here in Jackson and the History Store at the Winter Archives Building. If you can’t seem to find it at your … Continue reading
Cool Mid-Century Modern for sale in Funky Fondren
Check out this very cool architect-designed house in my neighborhood, built in 1953 and now offered for sale. If I didn’t already have a house, I’d be buying it before letting anyone else know about it. http://731gardner.blogspot.com/ I should mention that if you are addicted to, say, porticoes and classical details, you shouldn’t buy this house. … Continue reading
NPS Stimulus Money in MS
Speaking of money–loads and loads of money from Uncle Sam–the National Park Service has announced the projects it will be funding with its cut of the stimulus package. According to their state-by-state breakout, Mississippi will have 9 projects coming in at a cool $6,509,000, give or take a thousand or ten. Here’s the listing NPS has … Continue reading
Save America’s Treasures Grants
Save America’s Treasures grant program’s deadline for grant applications for this year is coming up in a few weeks, May 22, 2009. For those of you not familiar with SAT (as those in the biz call it, not to be confused with that nasty little test you have to take to get into college), it began … Continue reading
Testing for Tour Guides
I heard this segment on NPR’s Marketplace the other day about an effort in Philadelphia (PA) to require tour guides in the historic areas to take a test and be licensed or face a $300 fine for doing tours. Tour guides are trying to pull the old “we have the right to free speech” argument, which … Continue reading
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