There are two preservation related events taking place this week at opposite ends of the state.
On Thursday in Gulfport will be a presentation on the Phoenix Naval Store plant, a circa 1909 industrial site that produced turpentine. The sole remaining building from the once expansive plant, a small office, was listed as an endangered place by Mississippi Heritage Trust in 2015 and a Mississippi Landmark in 2018.
The presentation will be at the West Side Community Center in Gulfport, August 8, from 6-7 p.m. during the Historical Society of Gulfport monthly meeting. The event is free and open to the public.
On Saturday in Holly Springs will be a fundraiser for Chalmers Institute, a 1830s school building and Mississippi Landmark. “Picnic on the Lawn,” will be held August 10 from 4 to 7 p.m. The building was listing by MHT as an endangered place in 2000. This week’s fundraiser is to raise money to repair the damage caused by a June 2, 2018 a storm that brought a 200-year-old pecan tree crashing through the north side of the building.
Tickets are $20 each or $35 per couple if ordered by Wednesday. After that date, tickets are $25 each. There will be live music and dancing, food prepared by Southern Eatery and a silent auction.
If you know of any other preservation related events that are coming up drop us a line or leave a comment below.
Categories: Cool Old Places, Gulfport, Historic Preservation, Holly Springs, Industrial, Mississippi Heritage Trust, Mississippi Landmarks, Preservation People/Events, Renovation Projects, Schools
Preservation in Mississippi 
If you’re anywhere close to Holly Springs this weekend, it is well worth a visit to Chalmers Institute. My friend, the late Chelsey Thorne Smith, told me it was “the first University of Mississippi.” To learn more about that accurate claim, go by and discover a bit of lost Mississippi history in a lovely setting!
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