As you may recall from a few News Roundups back in December and January, the University of Southern Mississippi, which now owns the beautiful old Gulf Park College campus in Long Beach, wants to use its FEMA money to demolish the old administration building, one of the three remaining historic buildings on the campus. When I posted those, I didn’t have any pictures of the administration building to show you, but Mark Davis, who lives nearby and is involved with the Pearl River County Historical Society, volunteered to share some photos with the rest of us, and here they are.
Administration Building (1921), designed by New Orleans architect Rathbone Debuys, housed classrooms, labs, and offices at Gulf Park. The administration building and Hardy Hall are the two original college buildings left on campus (courtesy Mark Clinton Davis)
Hardy Hall (1921), designed by New Orleans architect Rathbone Debuys, Hardy Hall served as the dormitory, auditorium, and dining hall for the college (courtesy Mark Clinton Davis)
Lloyd Hall (1926), designed by Jackson architect N.W. Overstreet. Lloyd Hall joined Hardy as the two dormitories on campus (courtesy Mark Clinton Davis)
As I mentioned in one of those two previous news roundups, the administration building sits behind the two front dormitories, forming the apex of a triangle and terminating the sightline from the beach road. I have seen all three buildings since Katrina, and to assert–as USM is–that the administration building is more badly damaged than Hardy and Lloyd simply defies logic and rational explanation. All were washed through by the surge, but the force of the surge was much more devastating on the two front buildings–washing out their entire first floors–than it was on the administration building.
Gulf Park College was also one of the first junior colleges in the state, organized in 1919 and opened in 1921, thus pre-dating the public junior college system, which was the first public junior college system in the nation.
My understanding is that both FEMA and MDAH have agreed that the three remaining Gulf Park buildings are eligible for the National Register. Now USM, FEMA, and MDAH are all in “consultation” as defined in Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, in which everyone tries to talk USM out of demolishing the building. My prediction is that USM will listen and “take into account the effect of their action” but will end by saying, “But we just really have to!” and then tear the building down, using my tax dollars, which is such a stupid and useless destruction of a building that represents the very beginnings of the junior college movement in the state and which survived with aplomb not one but two massive hurricanes in the last 40 years.
Luv this sandy austere design…remarkable historical distinction too.
Posted by Charlie Ali | March 10, 2010, 8:13 amGreat buildings, surely some sort of appropriate use could be identified. And I agree that 106 review can be pretty flimsy protection against demolition, even in the best of circumstances.
Posted by Tom | March 15, 2010, 6:54 pmboy it sure looks like the lloyd hall was to match the hardy hall eventually. that sure might have framed the admin building better eh?
Posted by Osgoode Boyd | March 18, 2010, 12:59 pmIt didn’t pop out at me until I saw the Sanborn map showing the footprints of the buildings–I think you’re right, they were planning for future growth that didn’t quite happen. Well, there are other ways to skin the cat–some more defined landscaping would frame the admin building better than it is now.
Posted by ELMalvaney | March 18, 2010, 7:10 pmNot that I am in any way, shape, or form advocating skinning cats (although apparently that wouldn’t be a felony in Mississippi :-)
Posted by ELMalvaney | March 18, 2010, 7:11 pmThe onion
Entertainment
March 16, 2010 | Issue 46•11
Aries Mar 21 – Apr 19
There truly is more than one way to skin a cat, but the limited market for cat skins makes learning more than three methods impractical.
http://www.theonion.com/content/horoscope/mar-16-2010
Posted by Carunzel | March 19, 2010, 2:15 pm:-) Very appropos!
Posted by ELMalvaney | March 20, 2010, 9:19 amWhat happened to Elizabeth dormitory
Posted by carole cole Jensen | January 21, 2011, 11:01 pmAs far as I know, the building is still there and is in the plans for repair. I was washed through in Katrina but was sheltered somewhat by Lloyd Hall in front of it.
Posted by ELMalvaney | January 24, 2011, 8:09 amI live in Lufkin, Texas. My mother attended Gulf Park in the early 50s and loved it. I would hate to see it gone… I then attended a women’s college in Virginia and the Alumni would never allow it to be razed….why would the historians let them? I have a child at Ole Miss now so I know its not Mississippi. Good luck…
Posted by Holly Perkins Meyers | April 3, 2011, 8:33 pmI agree -Gulf Park College should not be destroyed. It is a very beautiful campus and there are so many memories for those of us who attended Gulf Park. It was truly a very wonderful experience that none of us have forgotten.
Posted by Pat Skoglund Doyle | April 12, 2011, 4:17 pmHi Pat, When did you go to Gulf Park? I graduated from the high school in 1963. Your name sounds familiar to me.
When I tell people how we had etiquette lectures and had to have so many dresses and three lengths of gloves for various occasions, they are incredulous. Still, it was a wonderful place to go to school. I have very fond memories of my classmates and teachers there, and the lovely dining room in Hardy Hall from which you could see the Gulf. hope this group is successful in preserving these lovely buildings; they are a wonderful treasure of the Old South.
Posted by Elaine Kolman Rau | August 29, 2011, 8:21 pmHi, Elaine,
The Gulf Park buildings are at this moment being completely renovated back to original status. Thank the good Lord. USM has been so wonderful in taking good care of our history and our memories. I was at Gulf Park from 66-68. Loved every minute of it. Especially the jr–Sr. traditions.
Peace.
Jake
Posted by Sherrie "Jake" Jacobs | December 17, 2011, 7:49 amGlad to hear the buildings are being saved. I went to Gulf Park in 1943-4. Is there anybody else from my era still alive? Caroline Birdwell Patrick
Posted by Caroline B. Patrick | December 29, 2011, 9:49 pm