No fooling – it’s all good news today!

First there was a story about downtown revitalization in Pontotoc.  Three property owners have recently invested in downtown buildings – including one couple who even turned an historic gas station into their own home!  The article also notes some of the events that draw people into downtown and what area developments should continue to bring folks to the heart of Pontotoc.  These are my favorite stories – preservation and new developments can go hand-in-hand.  And I also love the fact that it’s a story from a smaller town to add to the success stories in the larger cities.

Congrats are in order for our friends from Cleveland because The Smithsonian ranked them #2 on their nation-wide “20 Best Small Towns to Visit in 2013” list.  They are the only Mississippi community on the list.  The Washington D.C. based institution looked at communities of less than 15,000 that had “exceptional concentrations of museums, art galleries, orchestras, theaters, historic sites or other cultural blessings.”  Road trip to the Delta anyone?

Down on the coast, USM’s Long Beach held ribbon cutting ceremonies this week for new and old buildings.  The historic Lloyd Hall and Hardy Hall were damaged and in need of rehabilitation thanks to Katrina.  All the work is now complete, and the buildings are back in use.  New science and nursing buildings were also dedicated this week. According to recent reports, the other original campus building, the Administration building, is still standing but it’s future is unclear.

The Civil War Trust will be holding their annual “Park Day” on April 6 – which includes some clean up and maintenance – anything from raking leaves and hauling trash to painting signs and planting trees.  Five Mississippi battlefields are on the list – Brice’s Crossroads in Baldwyn; Corinth Civil War Interpretive Center; Fort Massachusetts in Ocean Springs; Raymond Battlefield; and Vicksburg National Military Park.  I don’t know if they’re looking for volunteers to help with any of the work, but I’ll bet that all the locals will love folks to come visit after they get their “Spring Cleaning” done.

Some events in Jackson will be put on the Calendar for May as our friends at MDAH will have some events to commemorate the life of Medgar Evers.  On May 1, a new exhibit called “This Is Home: Medgar Evers, Mississippi and the Movement” will open at the William Winter building in Jackson, run through October and then be taken around the state.

A couple weeks after the Winter Building exhibit opens, the Eudora Welty House will highlight how Evers’ death prompted Eudora Welty to write the short story “Where is the Voice Coming From?” and the repercussions Welty faced after her story was published in The New Yorker.  It runs through December 15.

Of course, if you’re coming in to visit these special exhibits, a visit to Medgar Evers home should also be on your agenda.  We haven’t seen anything on special events at the home itself, but if/when we hear anything, it’ll be added to our calendar.

Medgar Evers House, Jackson, Hinds County. Photo by J. Baughn, MDAH 09-07-2008 Retrieved from MDAH HRI database 2-20-13

Categories: 101 MissPres Places, Baldwin, Civil Rights, Cleveland, Cool Old Places, Corinth, Gulf Coast, Historic Preservation, Hurricane Katrina, Jackson, Long Beach, MS Dept. of Archives and History, News Roundups, Ocean Springs, Pontotoc, Preservation People/Events, Raymond, Renovation Projects, Vicksburg