A month or so ago, that weekend in August that was . . . well “cool” isn’t the right word, but “not as hot” as previous weekends, I decided to take a photographic pilgrimage through Jefferson and Claiborne counties. The… Read More ›
Churches
Mississippi by Air: Biloxi Waterfront Before Casinos
I’m not sure of the date of this postcard, but it’s after 1964, when St. Michael’s landmark shell roof took its place on the landscape and probably before Hurricane Camille in 1969. Maybe a Biloxian will be able to tell… Read More ›
Architect Pics: Leon C. Weiss
Leon Charles Weiss was a busy man. In addition to an independent practice, he was a partner in four other firms throughout his life. So busy he had to pose for this photograph while catching up with his correspondence. I… Read More ›
MissPres Architectural Word of the Week: Quoins
Time for another MissPres AWOTW! I gathered up a couple of definitions to help fully define our word this week. Some of our examples photos come from the MDAH HRI database. The Elements of Style by Stephen Calloway and Elizabeth… Read More ›
Updating two MissPres Architectural Words of the Week
If you are like me you are always searching for examples of past MissPres Architectural Words of the Week. I recently found two that will hopefully get all y’all’s creative juices flowing for the weekend. The Standard Oil Building in… Read More ›
MissPres News Roundup 4-22-2013
Just because I took a week off from doing a roundup doesn’t mean that the news took a break. Events are still on the calendar – and I hope that in the next round up we get to share a… Read More ›
An unfinished church on my list of places to see
Maybe you saw this feature on 60 Minutes a few weeks ago, but even so you might want to watch it again. Gaudi’s amazing, weird, symbolic, genius Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona is the longest architectural project currently under construction,… Read More ›
Friday Fun: Concrete Block Bingo Sheet
The attached sheet is page 415 from Nelson Burbank and Herbert Pfister’s 1968 House Construction Details. When I came across this page I wondered to myself if any of these decorative patterns or blocks had ever actually been used. Almost… Read More ›
MissPres Word of the Week: Window
In January 2012 Malvaney ask us in the post entitled “When You Absolutely Positively Have to Know What’s a Volute?” to share our favorite definition of a volute. In that spirit I’ll ask y’all to share a definition of the word… Read More ›
Former First Christian Church: The Windows of Amory
Erected in 1926, the former First Christian Church of Amory was designed in an Eclectic/Composite style (Mississippi Department of Archives & History, Historic Resources Inventory database). The building still retains its 14 foot tin-covered ceiling, and original stained glass. According… Read More ›
MissPres Architectural Word of the Week: ZigZag Molding
This is our last MissPres Architectural Word of the Week for 2012! Whether you are crying tears of sadness or joy you can check out any previous words here. As always our example photographs come from the MDAH Historic Resources… Read More ›
MissPres Architectural Word of the Week: Y-Tracery
Time for another MissPres Architectural Word of the Week! If you want to check out any previous word you can do that here. As always our example photographs come from the MDAH Historic Resources Database. This week’s word is typical… Read More ›
Burns “Belfry” Church Update
Work is continuing to move forward on the former Burns Methodist Church in Oxford. The …brick vernacular Gothic Revival church with two asymmetrical front corner towers…(Mississippi Department of Archives & History/Historic Resources Inventory) was constructed in 1910 on the edge… Read More ›
Suzassippi’s Mississippi: What does the First Baptist Church in Pontotoc have in common with the First Methodist Church in Batesville?
I might have missed the First Baptist Church of Pontotoc but for a fortuitous decision to walk to the back of the courthouse and photograph the courtroom. On turning around, I spotted the dome behind the post office, and noted… Read More ›
MissPres Architectural Word of the Week: Return
I hope every one has made it through Isaac well. I don’t ever remember a storm lasting nearly so long, and it looks like we might have the spawn of Isaac becoming a Tropical Storm…. but its time for another… Read More ›
MissPres Architectural Word of the Week: Quatrefoil
Time for another MissPres Architectural Word of the Week. As we move right along through the alphabet, you can check out our past words here. This week’s word is a Gothic and Renaissance (both original and revival) architecture staple, but… Read More ›
Suzassippi’s Mississippi: St John the Baptist Catholic Church
Another building that failed to make the final 101 Places in Mississippi to see before you die list is St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Sardis. It took only 1% of the vote in the Holly Springs/Oxford area of the… Read More ›
Going Inside: MSU’s Chapel of Memories
We had a little fun at MSU’s expense in yesterday’s “MSU’s Love Affair With Building Plaques,” but the truth is, MSU has many many great buildings on its campus. In fact, I’m going out on the limb here to assert… Read More ›
W. A. Rayfield: Mt. Gilead Baptist Church
Back in February 2011, Malvaney ran a post about Wallace Augustus Rayfield, one of the first African American architects: Rayfield, a native of Georgia, was educated at Howard, Columbia and the Pratt Institute, and taught architecture and drafting at Tuskegee… Read More ›
Suzassippi’s Mississippi: Leland M. E. Church, South
The Leland Methodist Church was constructed 1923-24 in a Mission, Spanish Revival style. The MDAH HRI database references similarity of the design of the Fayette, Alabama Methodist Church in crediting the architect (T. L. Brodie, conjectured) and builder (L. Vance, conjectured)…. Read More ›
MissPres Architectural Word of the Week: Kneeler
Time for another MissPres Architectural Word of the Week. As we move right along through the alphabet, you can check out our past words here. Have you been keeping an eye out for these elements like I have? This weeks… Read More ›
Suzassippi’s Mississippi: First Presbyterian Church of Water Valley
The First Presbyterian Church of Water Valley was established in 1843. The Romanesque building was erected in 1896. Romanesque Revival was a popular style in the late 1800s in Mississippi, particularly for Presbyterian and Methodist churches (Pace/Cawthon, Lost Churches of… Read More ›
History of Art in Mississippi: Churches (II)
Finally at long last we are at the end of the Architecture chapter in History of Art in Mississippi, published in 1929. In addition to this chapter, several other chapters concentrate on the state’s historic buildings, including two chapters on… Read More ›
History of Art in MS: Churches (I)
Well, this is embarrassing. In October 2010 I started a Book Quotes series from the valuable little book History of Art in Mississippi, published in 1929. After a week, I hadn’t made it through the chapter titled Architecture, and I… Read More ›
Update on the Burns “Belfry” Project in Oxford
The plywood covering the windows and walls of the Burns Belfry Church has finally come down! In October, the City of Oxford applied for a state grant (MDAH) to complete the restoration of the project–which has been in the works… Read More ›
Preservation in Mississippi 