Let’s finish out the year by finishing up the list of Mississippi places that were awarded a place on the National Register. The list, summaries, and photos are all provided by the Historic Preservation Division of MDAH, specifically Bill Gatlin, National Register coordinator.

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Meador Homestead
Hattiesburg, Forrest County

Constructed in 1885, the Meador Homestead is double-pen dog-trot log cabin with two massive end fireplaces. The house was constructed of massive hand-hewn pine logs joined with dove-tail notches. The open center dog-trot is 8 feet wide and 16 feet long and the house has wide covered porches on both the front and back. These features allowed optimal use of outdoor living space. A line of cedar trees marks the old road to from Ramsey Springs to Gordonsville, now known as Hattiesburg. The lush camellias and azaleas were planted as a living memorial to a past owner’s wife. Meador Homestead is historically significant for association with settlement of the Piney Woods and architecturally significant as a well-preserved example of a log dog-trot house. It was listed on the National Register of Historic places on November 5, 2010. Dean Meador Smith, the homeowner, wrote the nomination.

R. C. Clark House
Tupelo, Lee County

The R. C. House in Tupelo is a one-and-one-half story frame house with Colonial Revival details which also shows some Craftsman influences. The home, built in 1910 for businessman R. C. Clark, survived the devastating 1936 tornado, which caused widespread damage in Tupelo. Clark was involved in a number of businesses, including a Studebaker dealership and a chain of filling stations. The house is notable for the blend of Colonial Revival details such as the paired and tripled Tuscan columns on the porch and interior mantels. It also reflects some Craftsman influences such as the leaded glass windows. The house was recently restored for use as an office. The R. C. Clark House was listed on November 5, 2010. Brad Prewitt, the owner, wrote the nomination.

Westbrook Cotton Gin
Liberty, Amite County

The Westbrook Cotton Gin is a rare local example of a once common resource in many Mississippi communities. The corrugated steel sided building housed ginning operations until the 1960s. A machine shop later occupied the large open space. The Westbrook Cotton Gin is also historically significant as the site of a Civil Rights-era slaying. Herbert Lee, a local dairy farmer and voting rights advocate, was shot and killed by a white man on September 25, 1961. A coroner’s jury, convened only hours after the shooting, issued a finding of self-defense. An eyewitness who later recanted his testimony was murdered. No charges were ever filed. The Westbrook Cotton Gin was listed on November 10, 2010. Nancy Bell, Executive Director of the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation, wrote the nomination.

Cuevas Rural Historic District
Pass Christian, Harrison County

The Cuevas Rural Historic District encompasses approximately 125 acres of land along Menge Avenue with the unincorporated community of Pineville. The Cuevas district is characterized by the spreading limbs of the many oak trees lining the road and shading yards of the vernacular and high-style resources located along the room. Composed mostly of widely spaced houses on large lots, the community still centers on its original institutions, the old Cuevas Store and Post Office, the Pineville School and two churches, Pineville Presbyterian Church and Our Lady of Lourdes Roman Catholic Church. The district is historically significant in the area of Transportation. Menge Avenue crosses Bayou Portage near the north boundary of the district. Both are historic transportation routes. The district is architecturally significant for the collection of vernacular forms, including Folk Victorian, L-front and bayed cottages. High-style architecture is best represented by the Neoclassical Oak Crest, built in the 1920s. The Cuevas Rural Historic District was listed November 10, 2010. Gwen Jones and Bill Gatlin, MDAH staff architectural historians, and Jennifer Baughn, MDAH Chief Architectural historian, wrote the nomination.

Brandon Cemetery
Brandon, Rankin County

The 8.8 acre Brandon Cemetery is historically significant as the oldest surviving resource illustrating the historic development of the community. The cemetery was platted in 1831 at the same time as the town of Brandon. It became the final resting place of the men and women who established Brandon and contributed to its growth. They were pioneers, veterans, traders, merchants, politicians, educators, clergy, and slaves and free people of color. The Brandon Cemetery, with over 1000 marked graves, is also significant for its display of funerary art illustrating changing styles over time. The majority of markers are headstones with flat or rounded tops. There are also ground tablets, pedestal obelisks, and bedsteads. Some markers include symbols from fraternal organizations, such as Woodmen of the World and the Masons. Some markers are enhanced with sculpture, crosses, and relief and incised decorations. The Brandon Cemetery was listed November 18, 2010. Nancy Bell, Director of the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation, wrote the nomination.

Downtown Brandon Historic District
Brandon, Rankin County

The Downtown Brandon Historic District includes the town square which where the Confederate Monument was erected in 1907. The 1924 Rankin County Courthouse is adjacent to the square. Traditional commercial buildings line the square and Government Street which runs east-west through the square. The district includes the 100 block of N. College Street where St. Luke’s Episcopal Church is located. The district is historically significant as the commercial and governmental center of the community. The ten acre district has 16 contributing resources. The Downtown Brandon Historic District was listed on November 18, 2010. Nancy Bell, Director of the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation, wrote the nomination.

Categories: Historic Preservation