Just a handful of stories from around the state this week:

News out of Corinth is the report that an unauthorized demolition in the Historic District was halted because the owner did not have the proper permits to tear down the building.  The owner was told to shore up the partially demolished building until all the proper permitting procedures could be followed.  Now, asbestos has reportedly been found at the property, which will have to be abated before anything else can be done at the site.  Sounds like this’ll be a story that lingers for a little while, so we’ll keep an eye on it.

Downtown apartments are planned for the former BellSouth Building in Meridian.  There are plans for 27 units in the building – and the developers will be upgrading the wiring and pipes as part of the process.  Work is slated to begin in June and the project could cost up to $4.5 million.  Nothing in the story indicates if the developers are going to take advantage of the Historic Tax Credits as part of the project.

Down on the Coast, a lot of “dirt” is being dug up at Beauvoir in Biloxi.  Archeologists are doing some digging on the grounds where the servants’ quarters were suspected to be.  Nothing in the article says what (if anything) the archeologists found or what new insight their work brings to what we know about the property.  Hopefully as they analyze their findings, they’ll do a follow-up story.  The other “dirt” flying on the grounds relates to the landscaping being done following the 1889 garden plans of Jefferson Davis’ wife Varina.  All the landscaping work should be done in time for the events planned for June 1 – 3 celebrating Jefferson’s birthday.  One of the events will be the dedication of the new library.  That ceremony is planned for June 3.

Finally, our friends at MDAH have plans for the Winterville Mounds site near Greenville.  According to stories here and here, the site will get a “facelift” as they hope to expand the site and museum into a contemporary and interactive history of Native American heritage in the Mississippi Delta.  While MDAH manages the site, there are several groups involved in the discussion about how the museum should be expanded – including representatives of tribes that have called Mississippi home.  The idea is to not only tell the history and pre-history of the area, but bring the story of Native Americans into the present.  Sounds like another long-term project worth watching.

Categories: Biloxi, Cool Old Places, Corinth, Demolition/Abandonment, Greenville, Gulf Coast, Historic Landscapes, Historic Preservation, Meridian, Mississippi Landmarks, MS Dept. of Archives and History, News Roundups, Preservation People/Events, Renovation Projects