Time for another MissPres Architectural Word of the Week. As we move right along through the alphabet, you can check out our past words here. Have you been keeping an eye out for these elements like I have? This week we feature images of the Masonic Temple in downtown Biloxi and the Carnegie Auditorium of the Mississippi Industrial College in Holly Springs, the latter of which images come from the MDAH HRI database.
So from two opposite ends of our great state, this week’s word is brought to you by the letter F for “Flemish Bond” as defined by Cyril M. Harris’s Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture.
Flemish Bond: (¦flem·ish ′bänd) In brickwork, a bond in which each course consists of headers and stretchers laid alternately; each header is centered with respect to the stretcher above and the stretcher below it.
Do you know of a structure with a unique Flemish Bond? If so please share! Keep your eyes out for some Flemish Bond brick work this week and stay tuned for the next MissPres Architectural Word of the Week!
Categories: Abandoned Mississippi, Biloxi, Books, Historic Preservation, Holly Springs, Universities/Colleges
Preservation in Mississippi 
This is so interesting. Beautiful masonry on Carnegie Auditorium! Thank you for your work in adding this segment to Preservation in Mississippi.
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Thank you! I am glad you like it. I know it is not everyone’s cup of tea, but not every one that reads the blog has the preservation or architectural background that some readers do. Building up our vocabulary gives us the ability to go forth in the world and articulate why a building or place is worthy of preservation.
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I am sure you are building up my vocabulary about why this place or that building deserves preservation, but ironically I was struck dumb by the beauty of that Auditorium in its desolation. Of course I googled about it, and found that it was this web-site that had been raising publically the need to save the building. EL and you, Mr. Rosell, and so many others, deserve thanks for so many efforts ot this kind. I imagine that in some ways you feel as physicians must, knowing that during their practice of their profession some patients will die. In fact, inevitably all patients will die. However it is due to the perseverence and patience of all of you that some buildings remain with us in very mellow old age and hearten us on our own journeys. Thanks.
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Thank you for that awfully high praise Mr. John. The greatest reward is when you can help a building survive a tragedy (fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, abandonment) and watch it thrive and contribute once again.
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Great series, and great bond. Flemish is so pretty! I’ve learned that Flemish bond is usually used on the most public facades of building, indicating greater resources (skills, time, money) and wealth.
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I’m glad you like the series, Thanks! I really like the bricks that were being made on the Mississippi Gulf Coast at the turn of the 20th century. The delicate reds and pinks that have faint manganese fleck are really beautiful and unique. The headers in the Masonic temple really try to accentuate the manganese fleck look by adding lamp black.
I never though about it but your absolutely right about Flemish Bond being used as something showy. Both buildings were built for organizations working for betterment, and building a detailed building could reflect that. Thanks!
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Can you tell us more about this bldg? Where is it in Holly Springs and why “Carnegie?”
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Great questions! Ill have to direct you to an earlier post on the Mississippi Industrial College. https://misspreservation.com/2010/09/16/carnegie-building-at-ms-industrial-college/
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Pass by Masonic Temple in Biloxi quite frequently. Now I’ll see it in a new light.
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Wonderful! I know of some other buildings in downtown Biloxi that use Flemish Bond, but I’ll let you have the fun of discovering them :-)
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