The Mississippi Heritage Trust is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of the prehistoric and historic cultural resources of Mississippi.

The Mississippi Heritage Trust (MHT)

fulfills its mission through education, advocacy, and active preservation using

a range of programs and activities that reach communities throughout the state.

MHT was established as the only statewide non-profit organization in Mississippi to serve as a unified voice for preservation in the state. MHT is also a statewide partner of the National Trust

for Historic Preservation, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Mississippi Main Street Association.

HISTORY OF MHT
The Mississippi Heritage Trust (MHT) was established in 1992 as the only statewide non-profit preservation organization in Mississippi to serve as a unified voice for preservation in the state.

MHT is a statewide organization dedicated to the preservation of the prehistoric and historic cultural resources of Mississippi. MHT fulfills its mission through education, advocacy, and active preservation using a range of programs and activities that reach communities throughout the state.

As a non-profit, membership-based organization, MHT is supported mainly by private resources including memberships, gifts, grants, and special events.

A SKETCH OF MISSISSIPPI HERITAGE TRUST
MHT has nearly 600 memberships in 104 Mississippi towns and 17 states.

The Mississippi Heritage Trust is one of the leaders in the statewide preservation movement along with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the Mississippi Main Street Association. Because preservation takes time and ultimately preservation happens locally, MHT helps provide the continuity for, credibility to, and awareness of local preservation efforts. The battle for preservation is fought daily. MHT fights that battle in Mississippi.

Over the last sixteen years, MHT:

• Has worked to save dozens of historic places in Mississippi. One of the most popular successes has been the Cutrer Mansion in Clarksdale, the result of a three-year awareness effort.
• Inaugurated Mississippi's 10 Most Endangered Historic Places, which has catapulted awareness of historic preservation in Mississippi into the limelight.
• Showcased 17 Mississippi towns to historic preservation conference participants: Natchez, Church Hill, Columbus, West Point, Biloxi, Ocean Springs, Pass Christian, Bay St. Louis, Pascagoula, Carrollton, Greenwood, Mound Bayou, Clarksdale, Meridian, Cleveland, Hattiesburg, and Jackson.
• Recognized with the Mississippi Heritage Awards over 135 preservation successes by Mississippians who have done their part to "protect the irreplaceable" in our state.
• Has been heavily involved in the Katrina Recovery efforts with other preservation partners in the state.   For more information on Katrina related efforts click here.
• Successfully nominated the Center for the Study of Southern Culture's Barnard Observatory and the Natchez Bluff Stabilization Project for a National Trust Honor Award.
• Guided the National Trust to select the Vicksburg Campaign Trail as one of the nation's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.
• Successfully nominated the City of Natchez to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's list of Dozen Distinctive Destinations 2003.

CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information please contact the Mississippi Heritage Trust at:

STAFF:
Executive Director - David Preziosi

Click here to contact the Executive Director by e-mail

Director of Programs - Dawn Denton

Click here to contact the Director of Programs by e-mail

ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Mississippi Heritage Trust is governed by board of trustees which employs an Executive Director and Director of Programs to carry out the mission of the organization.

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