Belinda grabbed the early lead in the first day of the fifth annual Name This Place contest yesterday by being the first to identify the masonic lodge in Fayette. W. White and Tom Barnes also took a point each by providing juicy details about how the masons kicked out the Presbyterians, and Theodore came in today with the little tidbit about its recent acquisition by the City, which gives us the following early standings:
Belinda: 2 points
W. White: 1 point
Tom Barnes: 1 point
Theodore: 1 point
Nothing to fear if you don’t have a point yet–still plenty of time to come back. Remember the last Name This Place when tsj1957 came in and took away W’s two-day lead. The excitement never ends here on MissPres–you could be the next winner if you can Name This Place!
Just coming into the contest? Check out the rules and plan your strategy.
First Presbyterian Church in Holly Springs.
Posted by JRGordon | May 11, 2010, 3:10 pmCorrect!
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 11, 2010, 5:16 pmFirst Presbyterian Church, Holly Springs
Posted by W. White | May 11, 2010, 3:11 pmConstructed in 1860, was used as a stable during the Civil War by Union troops. The church was completed after the Civil War, the windows date from the post-bellum period.
Posted by W. White | May 11, 2010, 3:14 pmI hate my slow internet connection.
Posted by W. White | May 11, 2010, 3:15 pmMissed it by that much! But still a point for your other info.
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 11, 2010, 5:17 pmIt’s a MS Landmark. 1860-69 construction date(s) Romanesque
Posted by JRGordon | May 11, 2010, 3:13 pmit’s also just down the road from what we think it the Greek Revival “Old First Presbyterian Church” (1837), also a MS Landmark and now used as an office building.
Posted by JRGordon | May 11, 2010, 3:27 pmand it’s been included in 4 publications – most recent of which is Historic Churches of Mississippi (2000).
Posted by JRGordon | May 11, 2010, 3:28 pmWorking your way into a three-way tie with Belinda and W., huh?
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 11, 2010, 5:18 pmSlave made bricks
Posted by Theodore | May 11, 2010, 3:53 pmOh brother, is that all you’ve got?
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 11, 2010, 5:17 pmOkay, obviously this is not going for the gold, since I discovered it at 3:30 and am just now responding, but the second floor was used as a hospital, while the first floor was the stable. There are two resources that indicated the Maury Institute was first created/developed? there, though it is not at all clear how that is meant. And finally, there is an interesting “vintage post card” site that shows the church but the brick is yellow–maybe due to a faded photograph? You all are the preservation experts, I just like historical locations and old buildings. Reminds me of a book I read in high school where the opening fly leaf said something to the effect that we find sublime inspiration in the ruins of an old building, and none in the ruins of man.
Posted by Susan Allen | May 11, 2010, 7:08 pmCongratulations on your first point, Susan! I hadn’t heard that about the hospital, but at least in Holly Springs, the story might be true (not sure I would put a stable below a hospital however). I don’t think the brick has ever been yellow–must be fading.
Love love love that quote though! Wonder where it came from?
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 11, 2010, 8:50 pmI have tried to find the source of the quote, but been unsuccessful so far. It was a book about leprosy and a leper colony–which I seem to recall was in Louisiana, but that may well be my memory playing tricks on me. It is not Mississippi, but Robben Island–where Mandela was imprisoned part of the time, was also originally a leper colony. Most of the graves on the island are from people with leprosy who died while isolated there.
Posted by Susan Allen | May 11, 2010, 10:06 pmCould it be “Squint”? I’ve heard good things about that book but haven’t gotten around to reading it. Looking around on the internet, I see that the Louisiana leper’s colony also housed white-collar Federal prisoners for a while in the 1990s, which seems like a punishment of the lepers more than the always-scheming white-collar guys.
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 11, 2010, 11:23 pmtour info says that “visitors can see a lead bullet from the civil war embedded in the heart pine floors…”
Another tidbit — the building next to it (visible in the photo) is the Holly Springs City Hall.
Posted by Belinda | May 11, 2010, 11:09 pmHmmm, given the recent discussion over on North Mississippi Commentor of the alleged cannonball in the Rodney Presbyterian Church, I’m officially expressing suspicion of that first tidbit, which I note you did not state as fact :-) Second note is correct of course.
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 11, 2010, 11:35 pmWell, that side trip over to the NMC and the Rodney church certainly was interesting.
Posted by Susan Allen | May 12, 2010, 10:21 amlol, thought that might be a interesting diversion :-)
Posted by ELMalvaney | May 12, 2010, 4:03 pm