MissPres News Roundup 6-19-2009

Starting today, Friday’s post will be a roundup of news items from around the state (and maybe a few tidbits from *gasp* outside the state) for your end-of-week edification, assuming we have enough news coverage each week.  If you come across an article you think I might have missed (contrary to popular belief, I’m neither omniscient, nor–thankfully–omnipresent. Omnipotent? Don’t test me . . .) shoot it to me so I can include it. We’ll see how it goes and hopefully this will help us all keep tabs on what’s going on ’round these parts.

We have a few stragglers today because I’m just getting started and wanted to include them even though they’re a couple weeks old. As we all know, newer is not necessarily better.

May 13, 2009: Another great article from Kat Bergeron of the Biloxi Sun-Herald in May 13 edition ”The Katrina Tour” gives us quick updates on many of the coastal landmarks preservationists have been fighting to save for the last four years.

May 23, 2009: An article from Laurel, “History and memories of Jones Middle School” that I missed in my initial post about the fire, talking more about the history of the school. I’m still waiting for an update on the condition of the school in the newspaper. Word on the street is that a structural engineer from Atlanta says the exterior walls can be saved–let’s hope that’s true.

May 28, 2009: MDAH Preservation Specialist Mingo Tingle (isn’t that a great name?) discusses Madison County Courthouse renovations, leading to an editorial in the Madison County Herald titled “Historic preservation’s worth is incalculable.”

June 3, 2009: Clarksdale Historic District takes a crucial step toward being listed on the National Register of Historic Places when it is approved by the Mississippi Historic Preservation Professional Review Board at its May 21 meeting. Read about it in the June 3 issue of the Clarksdale Press Register at http://www.pressregister.com/articles/2009/06/03/news/doc4a2695800b70b689440451.txt

June 11, 2009: A fairly disjointed article about two resignations from the Natchez Historic Preservation Commission in the Natchez Democrat “Preservation Commission has two seats open.” Sounds like Mr. Fred Middleton thought he had signed up for the Economic Development Commission or the Chamber of Commerce instead of the Preservation Commission–”one-stop shop for developers”???

June 14?, 2009: A demolition battle brewing in Tupelo which has struggled with a number of demolitions in its historic neighborhoods recently. This one involves a “century-old” house next to . . . wait for it . . . the Baptist Church. They haven’t decided to apply for demolition yet, but they’re talking about it because they’ve owned it for 3 whole years now and can’t find a use no matter how hard they try. Read all about it in this week’s Daily Journal. Also, for a similiar situation that ended badly, see my post on the Philadelphia Baptist Church in February. Just as an aside, it would be nice to have a picture of the building in question included in the article. Also, I hope it’s not a trend for newspapers’ online sites to not include dates with the articles. This one says “6 days ago” which makes me sit counting on my fingers trying to figure out the date. *sigh* What’s the world coming to nowadays?

June 16, 2009: “Arlington owner now facing charges” in the Natchez Democrat, discussing the “other” demolition-by-neglect case (the second, as you recall, being the old First Baptist Church) being pursued by the Natchez Historic Preservation Commission against the owner of the National Historic Landmark house Arlington, built c.1819.

June 17, 2009: Changes afoot in Vicksburg Military Park as reported in the June 17 Vicksburg Post, “Military Park Changes.” What are they doing? Oh, just cutting down 90 acres of trees (planted by the CCC to stop erosion) so that visitors can see the topography of the Battle of Vicksburg. Of course, I love trees. On the other hand, I think it’s laudable to try to educate the public more about the military strategy of the siege and battle. But, as I’ve noticed with buildings, changes of the past were made for a reason, and if you reverse those changes, often you end up with the same problem (i.e. erosion) that the ancients were trying to solve in the first place. Oh well, the Park Service will do whatever it wants, and then when everything starts eroding again, they’ll quietly begin planting a few trees again.