Lately, in spite of the heat, I’ve been wandering to and fro through the Magnolia State, as I am wont to do, and I’ve seen two billboards on an architectural theme that have brought a smile to my face. Both show a little swagger and a little dash of humor, and some amount of creativity to boot.

The first advertises Winterville Mounds, an MDAH-managed property north of Greenville that showcases a mound center begun around 1000 AD. “Our mountains are made by hand”? Genius. Take that Appalachians!

The second is on the west side of Hwy 49 at the first Mendenhall exit as you come from the south. Touting the Mendenhall courthouse as “the most beautiful in Mississippi,” the billboard is dominated by a picture of the grand domed building. I like that they don’t say “voted the best” or something that indicates they care what anyone else thinks. They simply declare it to be the most beautiful and let the chips fall where they may. You go, Mendenhall! (And while you’re at it, take a second look at your 1930s elementary school, which is also pretty doggone beautiful and worth saving.)

Categories: Historic Preservation