Brrrr . . . it’s cold outside.  Grab a cup of your favorite warm beverage and read the latest preservation news from around the state – OH, and don’t forget to weigh in on what buildings should be on the buildings that should be on our 101 “Must See” list.

Last week, we linked a couple of stories about a marker unveiling at the Westbrook Cotton Gin, which is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The McComb Enterprise-Journal did a follow-up on the event.  A diverse group of over 100 people turned out for the event.  That’s fantastic for any unveiling event – especially so for Thanksgiving weekend when most people would be out scoping for holiday deals.

Liberty-White Depot (photo courtesy MDAH)

Also in the Enterprise-Journal this week was a blurb on the Summit Liberty-White Railroad Depot.  Members of the Summit Historical Society are decorating the building for the holidays in preparation  for its completed restoration.  The restoration of the building – which is a Mississippi Landmark – has been aided by a Community Heritage Preservation Grant from MDAH.

Speaking of MDAH, their website this week posted a short article on their on-going discussions to get a Preservation Trade School established in the state.  Several groups are involved in these discussions – including Natchez National Park and the National Park Service, the Mississippi Heritage Trust, and the Historic Natchez Foundation.  These talks also include Copiah-Lincoln Community College – the planned location for the Preservation Trade School.  The groups met in October with Robert Ogle from Colorado who has had success establishing similar programs.  From the MDAH release, it sounds like the planning is moving forward with more discussions this month.

I’ll echo Malvaney on this one – when this gets going, sign me up!

News from Clinton this week was a feature on the city’s Olde Towne Historic District.  Most of what I know from Clinton is usually related to tearing down buildings, so it’s nice to have a story that shows that there is a preservation ethic developing there as well.  I also like this article because it talks about the pay off of a slow process in getting commercial interests to reinvest in the historic downtown of a community.  Those of you who work to get politicians, developers, and investors on board with preservation might want to clip this article.  It should come in handy to reassure them when they complain that the process is going to slow.

From Pass Christian this week, a story that’s NOT about St. Paul’s Church.

The Sun Herald tells us that the Pass Christian Historic Society held a ribbon cutting on their new building on Scenic Drive.  Their original building and some of their collection were lost to Katrina.  This new building “has a stucco facade, Doric columns, a standing metal roof and a huge front porch.  It houses a library, meeting room, kitchen, reading room and several offices.”  The Society is asking for people to help them build some of their collection back up by donating items to the society that have historical ties to the community.

Moving east from Pass Christian to Pascagoula, the Sun Herald also updated us on the Round Island Lighthouse being moved.  After finding a temporary home a couple of months ago, the 250-ton base is now at it’s new home near the Hwy 90 bridge- where the lighthouse will be rebuilt.

Categories: Civil Rights, Clinton, Cool Old Places, Depots, Historic Preservation, Holly Springs, Industrial, Liberty, Mississippi Landmarks, MS Dept. of Archives and History, Natchez, National Park Service, News Roundups, Pascagoula, Pass Christian, Preservation Education, Preservation People/Events, Summit