Author Archives
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“When did the focus change from the Farish Street Historic District?”
Rosalind McCoy Sibley asked that question, and it needs an answer (Farish Street-A Slightly Different Perspective, Jackson Advocate, 2015). I do not have it, and apparently, neither does any one else who has followed the “miscalculated missteps” of the project,… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Edwards Gymnasium
Edwards High School Gymnasium, designed by architect James Manly Spain in the Art Moderne style, was constructed 1941 by the National Youth Administration (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory). Only a year prior, Governor Paul Johnson vetoed… Read More ›
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Bruce High School: Another Malvaney School
Imagine this being your high school in 1942, after the International style building designed by E. L. Malvaney had been completed. Look at those beautiful glass enclosures and columns on the corner entrances! And, then look what happened with the… Read More ›
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Meridian: Traveling with the Green Book in Mississippi
Our next stop in using Victor Green’s The Green Book, assurance of accommodation for the African American traveler from 1936-1967, is Meridian. The year 1939 was the first year Mississippi was listed in the Green Book, with only 6 hotels. … Read More ›
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Traveling with The Green Book in Mississippi: First stop, Queen City Hotel in Columbus
Victor H. Green, Editor and Publisher, introduced the Green Book in 1936 as a local publication for the New York City area. “Motoring” for leisure was catching on, but Green, as an African American businessman from New York City, was… Read More ›
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Suzassippi’s Mississippi: The “Cotton Pickers” B. P. O. Elks Lodge
The cornerstone for the old Elks Club, Lodge #148 on Washington Avenue in Greenville, was laid April 19, 1906. Today has been a gala day in Greenville, the streets are crowded, banners are floating, and the town in decorated in… Read More ›
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Suzassippi’s Mississippi: Lowery Memorial Baptist Church
The Eclectic/Composite Lowery Memorial Baptist Church, with some Colonial Revival features, was constructed in 1908 adjacent to Blue Mountain College. Features include: …two-story, seven-by-seven bay brick structure with pyramidal hip roof, gable-roofed projecting central section, and four-story square tower with… Read More ›
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“Stonewalling”–Moulded Stone Wall-Facing
Rostone was one of many “simulated masonry” developments. Produced in 1933 for the Chicago World’s Fair Century of Progress exhibition, it was used to create the Wieboldt-Rostone House designed by Walter Scholer (McKee, Stonewalling America: Simulated Stone Products). Last week,… Read More ›
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What exactly was StoneKote?
Last week, reader Carl mentioned the Avalon Motor Lodge in Biloxi and wondered about the history. I could not turn up much, but located an article about renovating the Avalon with “Stonekote–a veneer of stone-like material that encases the building… Read More ›
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Suzassippi’s Mississippi: Rural Gymnasiums
The Hickory Flat (Benton County) gymnasium was constructed c. 1948 according to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory. During the 1930s, …rural schools grew into small villages composed of several buildings dedicated to specialized purposes, most… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Carrollton Community House
Carrollton’s rustic style community house was constructed of native pine logs in 1935-1936 by the Works Progress Administration. Carroll Van West, who has documented a number of New Deal Administration works in Tennessee, indicates that the two primary architectural styles… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Carthage Elementary School
After the recent news of demolished historic buildings, and possible demolition and demolition-by-neglect stories, and the buildings that were lost in 2015, it is always a pleasure to provide a deserving round of applause and highlight the accomplishments of a… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Teacherage in Hickory Flat
In a follow up from last week’s visit to the Hickory Flat cafeteria constructed by the National Youth Administration in 1939, we are still on campus. A short walk from the cafeteria building, one teacherage of the two constructed by… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Hickory Flat Cafeteria
The cafeteria for the Hickory Flat school (located in Benton County, north Mississippi) was constructed by the National Youth Administration in 1939. If you wonder what the building looked like as constructed, just look below. Other than the center double… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Former Old Salem High School and Vocational Building
Old Salem High School and Vocational Building were both constructed by the National Youth Administration for African American students, in the Ashland vicinity, Benton County. Construction was complete by 1941. Photographs taken in 1956 by J. H. Phay can be… Read More ›
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Suzassippi’s Mississippi: The Folk Tradition of Gravehouses
The recent post from Thomas Rosell about Biloxi cemetery canopies, and W. White’s follow up comments about gravehouses inspired me to further investigate this new-to-me phenomenon of southern folk culture. There are three earlier cultural traditions that may have influenced… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Leake County Courthouse
The Leake County Courthouse in Carthage is unique in that the entrances are on the narrow ends of the building. The courthouse square is a long narrow lot in the center of the town. I do not recall seeing another… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Carthage US Post Office and carved wood bas relief
The 1939 Carthage post office has the distinction of being not only one of 32 Mississippi post offices constructed with New Deal funds, but one with several unique details that enable the building and its art work to stand out… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Edgar Lucian Malvaney’s Vaiden High School
E. L. Malvaney’s Vaiden High School has been profiled previously on Preservation in Mississippi for its placement on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. Mary Howard and architect Belinda Stewart (2008) wrote the nomination for the …two and… Read More ›
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Suzassippi’s Mississippi: Revisiting the former U.S. Post Office and Courthouse in Jackson
The former U S Post Office and Courthouse (Eastland Building) in Jackson has had its share of news since its beginnings in 1932, or 1933, depending on which source one utilizes, and possibly, whether one counts “planning” or just construction. … Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: War Memorial Building
E. L. Malvaney’s War Memorial building has been featured a number of times on MissPres, generally on Memorial Day (at least 2009, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015), but also Veteran’s Day, and once in a stupendous-as-only-the-other-E L Malvaney-can-do post, we got… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Tupelo Homesteads
Historic houses from the New Deal era are in the news, and hopefully, it will be good news. The National Park Service, which owns the houses located behind the Natchez Trace Parkway Visitor Center since they were transferred in 1940,… Read More ›
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New Deal in Mississippi: Mississippi Federation of Women’s Clubs
The headquarters for the Mississippi Federation of Women’s Clubs, constructed in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration, was designed by architect R. W. Naef in the Georgian-Revival style (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory). According to the… Read More ›
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From Former Canton High School to Canton High Apartments
The original portion of Canton High School was constructed in 1923, designed by architect N. W. Overstreet (Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory). The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works funded an addition to the building which… Read More ›
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Suzassippi’s Mississippi: Hawkins Field Terminal Restoration
Construction began on Jackson’s municipal airport terminal building in 1936, financed by the Works Progress Administration. Currently undergoing extensive renovation in a project supported by the United States Department of Interior, National Park Service, Mississippi Department of Archives and History,… Read More ›
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MDAH at work: Rowan Oak gets some TLC, too
Last week we took a tour of the exterior repairs on the Walton-Young House, one of the University of Mississippi’s museums. This week, we’ll check out the exterior repairs at Rowan Oak. Both projects are part of the same MDAH… Read More ›
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Oxford’s Walton-Young House undergoing exterior repair
Good news for the c.1880 Italianate Walton-Young House on University Avenue: a little TLC for the exterior! The Mississippi Department of Archives and History is supporting the repairs through its Community Heritage Preservation Grant. Architect for the work is Belinda… Read More ›
Preservation in Mississippi 