Preservation in Mississippi
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Building in Disguise
Tons of MissPres brownie points to whoever can identify this building in downtown Jackson. Hint: It’s very well disguised.
William Faulkner and Preservation, part two
In the work of William Faulkner—in its resonances of history, place, and memory—I have found much to help me understand my own relation to history and place. In the hope that it will be of interest to those involved in historic preservation, I offer the conclusion of this reflection. —————————— My Own Little Postage Stamp … Continue reading
William Faulkner and Preservation, part one
In the work of William Faulkner—in its resonances of history, place, and memory—I have found much to help me understand my own relation to history and place. In the hope that it will be of interest to those involved in historic preservation, I offer this reflection. —————————— My Own Little Postage Stamp of Native Soil … Continue reading
MissPres News Roundup 6-25-2010
It’s the last Friday of a hot and steamy Mississippi June, which means it’s time for another news roundup. Things have been hopping out there, so let’s get started. An update on the ongoing renovations of the “Lil’ Red Schoolhouse” aka the Drew Rosenwald School up in the Delta comes from the newsletter of the … Continue reading
What’s going on at the Naval Reserve Center?
Well, I’ve been in denial about the Naval Reserve Center and the tales of partial demolition for an MDAH records center. For one thing, the project made no sense from an economic perspective: why would you spend $4 million to build an elevated metal warehouse in a flood plain when there are plenty of non-elevated … Continue reading
Virtual Worlds and Preservation
The summer issue of The American Scholar arrived in my mail slot a day late. You might wonder why I receive a publication called The American Scholar. Well, I am American, so one out of three ain’t bad. I was struck by a brief essay by Edward Hoagland titled “Spaced Out in the City.” A … Continue reading
Mississippi Architect: First Federal Savings & Loan, Jackson
Still in the inaugural issue of Mississippi Architect, March 1963, which we introduced with Bob Henry’s first editorial, about the architectural profession, yesterday. Today we’ll pass along the first building profile, which I love for many reasons: it’s an R.W. Naef building (now called BancorpSouth) that I have grown to admire over the last several … Continue reading
Introducing Mississippi Architect
Today will be the first of a long-running series reprinting the editorials and articles from the short-lived but important Mississippi Architect, published by the Mississippi chapter of the AIA from March 1963 through March 1965. Those of you who keep up with comment threads will remember that Carunzel tuned us in to the existence of … Continue reading
MissPres News Roundup 6-18-2010
I’ve had a busy week, and just as I sat down to write this News Roundup, my neighbor came over and sat with me chatting on my front porch for two hours straight, which was great fun, but I apologize in advance that this one might be a little shorter than normal. If’ I’ve missed … Continue reading
Checking in on Ocean Springs
This post is a bit of catch-up from a quick trip I took to Ocean Springs right before my trip to France–I forgot that I hadn’t posted the pictures I took that day of three important repair and rehab projects funded through the Hurricane Relief Grant administered by MDAH’s Gulf Coast Office in Biloxi. These … Continue reading
Newspaper Clippings: Taborian Hospital
As you may recall from Monday’s post, I mentioned that the same African American architectural firm that designed the Carnegie building at Mississippi Industrial College, McKissack & McKissack, also designed the Taborian Hospital in Mound Bayou, opened in 1942. The Taborian Hospital was one of only two African American hospitals in the state during the … Continue reading
Petition to Landmark River Road in Lawrence County
I received a request from Mr. Bo Bourne of the Preserve River Road group down in Lawrence County to spread the word about an online petition they’d like interested MissPresers to sign. This petition will be presented to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as part of a request to designate the road as … Continue reading
Not just another post about Mississippi Industrial College
Lots of people responded to last month’s post documenting the continuing and accelerating decline of Catherine Hall and the other landmark buildings at the old Mississippi Industrial College campus in Holly Springs, now owned by Rust College. One person who found the post was Ashleigh Burke, a South Carolina photographer who passed through Holly Springs … Continue reading
MissPres News Roundup 6-11-2010
Summer’s heating up as it always does in Mississippi, and as always, we seem surprised by how hot and muggy it all is. Just think, only three or four more months and it will be in the 80s. The heat hasn’t slowed down the forces of good and evil (i.e, preservation and demolition) around the … Continue reading
Modernist Gems in . . . Booneville?
Well, I didn’t start out the week with intention of having a Modernism theme, but since we’ve had three days of it, it just seems right throw in some pictures I took a few months ago on a road trip through Booneville, way up in the northeast corner of the state. I haven’t done anything … Continue reading
Lustron House in Jackson
Just around the corner from the classically proportioned J.R. Flint house designed by A. Hays Town in south Jackson is a house that makes no bones about its modernity. It’s a Lustron House, one of only two or three that I know of still in the state. For those unfamiliar with Lustron houses, they are … Continue reading
The Beauty of Modernist Storefronts
I admit I sometimes spend a good amount of money on a book that 99.999% of the population wouldn’t pay two cents for. I found one such book on a trip to Cincinnati a while back. Published in 1946, it’s called Modern Store Design by Gene Burke (B.S. Arch) and Edgar Kober of the Institute … Continue reading
Lost Mississippi: International Style House, Waveland
I don’t know as much about today’s Lost Mississippi subject as I usually try to when posting. But an archivist friend of mine (always make friends with the archivists) sent me a copy of this International-style house in Waveland from the Progressive Architecture magazine, and I just had to let y’all see it. The article … Continue reading
Some Sunday Afternoon Reading
Best read while sitting on the porch with a cool beverage: “Ghosts of New York“, Atlantic (June 2010): About architectural ornament salvaged from the demolition sites of the 1950s and 60s, now sitting in the back yard of the Brooklyn Museum “Here Comes the Neighborhood”, Atlantic (June 2010): About changes in demographics and living patterns … Continue reading
MissPres News Roundup 6-4-2010
As you all no doubt remember, God made Fridays for News Roundups, but I’ve been off-kilter the last couple of months since being abandoned by formerly trusty W. White and have just been posting roundups on any ol’ day of the week. The chaos of that lifestyle is overwhelming me though–so today, we get back … Continue reading
J.R. Flint House by Hays Town in South Jackson
A while back, regular commenter Carunzel (although come to think of it, where is Carunzel lately?) pointed out a little publication hidden away in the state archives that turned out to be a gem. Titled Builders of Mississippi and published in 1951, it showcases the great new buildings of various Mississippi contractors, providing beautiful pictures … Continue reading
To Natchez and Back
Last weekend, my parents and my two Chicago aunts came to visit me, or I should say they came to visit Natchez and let me come along as a tour guide. My aunts were intent on seeing some of the antebellum mansions they had read about, and I had a hard time keeping up with … Continue reading
MissPres News Roundup 6-1-2010
Ok, I think I published this post accidentally in draft form not once but twice, so if some of y’all read it in its unfinished state, please excuse my recent bumbling. Things have been hopping round these parts the last two weeks! Don’t y’all know summer’s here and it’s time to just sit around sipping … Continue reading
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