Who remembers the fast food chain Burger Chef? A few years ago, I passed through Laurel and saw a relatively intact Drive-In that was being used as a coin laundry it had a distinct look, one that I couldn’t place… Read More ›
Building Types
Itawamba County’s Historic Banner School, Preserved…For Now
One of the problems with Preservation in Mississippi‘s lack of News Roundups in 2019 is that important stories have not been disseminated, even when they have involved the potential demolition of a historic school building. And one only needs to go… Read More ›
New Deal in Mississippi: Laurel Sweet Potato Starch Factory
One of the more intriguing finds lately for the Living New Deal project in Mississippi was the discovery of the Sweet Potato Starch Factory in Laurel. The Wausau Southern Lumber Company’s former sawmill, located at the end of South 4th… Read More ›
Two preservation related events this week
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… Read More ›
MissPres News Roundup 7-8-2019
My last news roundup was a somewhat cursory one. This time, I am going to try and cover what fell through the cracks in June and what has happened in the past two weeks. And let me tell you that… Read More ›
Tag Tuesday: 1830-1839
The 1830s was a bumper decade for Mississippi architecture, and as we will see in this week’s Tag Tuesday, for architecture in other states too. Exemplified by the Mississippi Statehouse (now the Old Capitol) and the Governor’s Mansion, the Greek… Read More ›
MissPres News Roundup 6-25-2019
It has been some time since there has been a News Roundup on Preservation in Mississippi (links to select news stories are on the site’s Twitter feed). But, like trees falling in a forest, preservation news happens even if we… Read More ›
Mississippi Landmark Public Notices: June 2019
Here are the public notices on the MDAH website related to Mississippi Landmarks. I’ve taken the liberty of adding Google streetview so we can all see which building is under consideration for designation (or under consideration for de-designation, as the… Read More ›
Who Designed Biloxi’s Peoples Bank?
If you’ve ever been in downtown Biloxi, or even just seen photos of the historic business district, you’ve likely laid eyes on the former Peoples Bank Building. Its iconic turret is used in Biloxi Main Street’s logo. The Romanesque pile,… Read More ›
Mississippi Landmark Public Notices: May 2019
Well, I got behind in checking the public notices on the MDAH website, so this is the May public notice a few days late, but you still have a day or two (although I’m almost certain this wasn’t published online… Read More ›
Mississippi Landmark Public Notices, April 2019
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History has recently added a new page, “Public Notice,” advising the public of potential new Mississippi Landmarks. Since this will, by definition change regularly, we’ll post anytime we see something new, but you (The… Read More ›
Natchez’ MLK Triangle: ‘Bookend’ for Redevelopment
This unpretentious little piece of real estate on the east side of downtown Natchez occupies a triangular section where M L King (formerly Pine) Street intersects with St. Catherine Street and Jefferson Street. This area has long been known as… Read More ›
Vacation Postcards: Beck Motel, Waynesboro
MissPres is on vacation this week, but we’re sending postcards back from Mississippi’s past. More Vacation Postcards. . .
Vacation Postcards: USM Stadium, Hattiesburg
MissPres is on vacation this week, but we’re sending postcards back from Mississippi’s past. More Vacation Postcards. . .
Vacation Postcards: MSU President’s Home
MissPres is on vacation this week, but we’re sending postcards back from Mississippi’s past. More Vacation Postcards. . .
Tag Tuesday: 1810-1819
This week’s Tag Tuesday post is brought to you by the semi-circular (or round) arch and elliptical fanlight so characteristic of the Federal style that was coming into its own in the second decade of the nineteenth century. How many… Read More ›
Mid-Century Mississippi: University Medical School and Teaching Hospital
Today’s article takes us back to the grand opening of what is today known as University of Mississippi Medical Center, or UMMC for short, or UMC for even shorter. This institution has become so woven into the fabric of health… Read More ›
Seven Mississippi Places Added to National Register
A multi-family antebellum slave dwelling in Natchez, an African American school and church, two residences, a farm, and a bus station have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Historic Hunt High School Damaged in Columbus Tornado
Reports from Columbus indicate that the famous historic districts in and around downtown suffered only minor damage from the EF-3 tornado that touched down in Columbus on Saturday evening. But a video posted on Facebook shows that Hunt High School,… Read More ›
Tag Tuesday: 1800-1809
In the comments to last week’s inaugural Tag Tuesday, some hackles were raised (passive voice is so wonderful, isn’t it?) about some important early Mississippi buildings that didn’t make it into the post, specifically Texada in Natchez, built between 1798… Read More ›
Friday Film: Tupelo Mill Village
About Blue Magnolia Films and its bicentennial project . . . https://misspreservation.com/2018/01/19/friday-film-duncan-morgan-brick-layer-of-natchez/ https://thesipmag.com/blue-magnolia-films-community-filmmakers-tell-mississippis-story/ http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/2017/11/19/locals-participate-in-statewide-filmmaking-project-for-states-bicentennial/ https://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2017/11/02/a-storytelling-revival-in-mississippi More Tupelo?
HABS in Mississippi: Lowndes County Courthouse
With its impressive domed clock tower, round-arched windows, and modillioned portico, the Lowndes County Courthouse seems to characterize the confident neoclassicism of the early 20th century. But in fact, it is a somewhat rare antebellum courthouse, built in 1847 and… Read More ›
“Near depot, old stand, good trade”: Victoria Hotel in Magnolia
In 2013 I photographed the former Victoria Hotel in downtown Magnolia, but was able to learn very little about it. A member of the family who owned it in the early 2000s contacted me recently after finding my blog post… Read More ›
National Register Listings, 2018
Last year saw seven new Mississippi places listed on the National Register, ranging from an African American public library to a post-World War II Jewish temple, two architecturally significant houses, and a church in Neshoba County that may or may not be nationally significant.
Mississippi Landmarks 2018
Our second “2018 Highlights” lists the historic properties that were designated as Mississippi Landmarks by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History in 2018. The Mississippi Landmark designation isn’t the same as National Register listing, and to read about the… Read More ›
War Memorial Building’s Mystery Faces Revealed?
One cold misty fall-like day recently, only a month or so before the centennial of the end of World War I, I happened to be in Kansas City for the first time and decided to go to the national World… Read More ›
Preservation in Mississippi 