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The Mississippi Heritage Awards are given out every other year to honor individuals and organizations from around the state whose projects show commitment to excellence in preservation. The next set of awards will be presented in spring of 2004 at the Experience Mississippi Historic Preservation Conference in Hattiesburg. Please visit the award section for 2004, 2002, and 2000 and to learn about other award winners.
EXCELLENCE Bellvue aka Longfellow House - Pascagoula, Mississippi Award Level:
Excellence Built in 1850 for New Orleans businessman Daniel Smith Graharns, the Longfellow House is one of the oldest residences along the beach in Pascagoula. Although it has been owned by a series of owners, the Pollock/Moore family, who gave it the name "Bellevue", held it the longest . During the 1940's it was operated as a small resort hotel named the Longfellow House based on a myth that the poet vacationed there. During its years as a hotel, restaurant, and bar the house experienced considerable alteration including the covering of the exterior with aluminum siding. In 1993 the house was purchased by Richard and Diane Scruggs to save it demolition. Plans were to restore the house to its original style and make it available for public use. Under the direction of Robert Cangelosi of Koch and Wilson Architects the house was stabilized and non-historic alterations removed. With this recent rehabilitation the Longfellow House has been returned to its long history of entertainment.
Award Level:
Excellence St. Peter the Apostle is a historic church of Gothic Revival design, and possesses one of the finest steeples in the City of Jackson. The church was dedicated at the turn of the century and found itself one hundred years later in desperate need of expansion for classrooms, child care, offices, and other needs. At the same time the congregation desired to preserve the building's original character. The architectural firm of Robert Parker Adams, Architect, P.A., was retained to provide the needed facilities with harmony and without impinging on the original design. This was accomplished by wrapping a small scale structure around the most obscure corner of the church. The addition connects to the building through the rusticated base, but separated at the level of the brick body. The use of matching brick which incorporates details evocative of the earlier Gothic design leads to compatibility without copying. The building was successfully completed without disrupting the operation of the church and causing only minimal loss of income-producing parking spaces. In the end, the goals of increased space and preservation of the historic character were fully accomplished through compatible design.
Award Level:
Excellence Laurel's historic train depot restoration project began as a result of a partnership formed by the city of Laurel and Leadership Jones County, a community-based group. This group petitioned the city to obtain the property from the Norfolk Southern Railroad. When the city gained ownership in 1994, the structure of the building was sound but the interior was significantly dilapidated. The building was open to vandalism and was considered an eyesore to the community. The restoration included redesigning the original rooms for functional use and adding a waiting area for Amtrak passengers. Efforts were made to replicate or repair as many of the historic characteristics as possible. The original terrazzo tile floor in the main room was restored, turn-of-the-century style light fixtures were installed, and the original wooden benches for passengers were repaired. The building serves the city as not only a working depot, but also a community meeting place. The partnership between the city of Laurel and Leadership Jones County has allowed the community to reclaim one of its finest treasures.
Award Level:
Excellence Built in 1889 and executed in the Romanesque Revival style, Ventress Hall is one of the most picturesque historic university buildings in the state. Unfortunately this venerable building had been altered over time and allowed to deteriorate in recent years. A comprehensive rehabilitation of Ventress Hall was undertaken under the supervision of the architectural firm of Howorth and Associates. Exterior work included restoration of the brick masonry, reconstruction of missing decorative finials, incorporation of a sympathetically designed ramp for the disabled at the main building entrance, and replication of the painted metal roof. On the interior the original floor plan was reestablished and missing millwork and wood flooring were replaced. New HVAC and lighting systems were unobtrusively added and an elevator installed to make the entire building accessible. The rehabilitation of Ventress Hall has breathed new life into one of the historic core of buildings on the Ole Miss campus.
Award Level:
Excellence Located in the Greenwood's Cotton Row Historic District, these former cotton factors' offices were rehabilitated by the Viking Range Corporation to serve as a corporate training facility, design center, and fitness center. The facade of the c. 1895 masonry building had undergone unsympathetic alterations in the mid-20th century. In 1997-98, the Viking Range Corp. sensitively rehabilitated the building by selective repainting, removing masonry infill from upper level openings, replicating original shutters, accurately restoring the storefront, repairing or replacing the skylights, removing acoustic ceiling tiles to expose the original wood ceiling, refinishing the floors, and repairing the plaster walls. The rehabilitation of the c. 1900 cotton factors office involved replacement of the facade windows, replacement of the non-historic bulkheads with paneled wood bulkheads, and restoration of the Coca-Cola sign on the side elevation. These exemplary renovations have dramatically improved the appearance of this prominent block along the Yazoo River and have served as a catalyst for the rehabilitation of other historic buildings in Greenwood.
405 Waldron Street - Corinth, Mississippi Award Level:
Merit Waldron Street was and is one of the most significant commercial streets in the city of Corinth. Located at 405 Waldron Street, this two-story brick Italianate style commercial building is documented as being built in 1909 and home of the Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Corinth from 1909 to 1949. The structure has a plain parapet with a corbeled cornice and segmentally arched second floor windows. The first floor was modernized in the early 1960's with aluminum framed bays, boxed-in pilasters, and plaster-covered transom, however the second story's original segmentally arched windows remained untouched. The owners and architect of this building took advantage of the federal tax credit program administered by the State Historic Preservation Office of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. The impact of this building's exterior restoration and interior renovation has spurred five other restorations in the district along Waldron Street. Additionally, an inspired group of young businessmen has formed with the intent to develop and restore various historic properties in the district.
Award Level:
Merit Originally built as the Yazoo and Mississippi River Valley Railroad depot around 1918, this building later served as the Illinois Central Gulf freight depot. No longer used by the railroad, the building was recognized as potentially well suited for use as the Delta Blues Museum. This adaptive reuse of the depot was carried out through sensitive rehabilitation of the structure. The reconstruction of missing elements was based on the original architectural plans obtained from Illinois Central Railroad. The character defining warehouse doors were restored though fixed in place to preserve the depot's historic appearance. Along with a new stage constructed just east of the building, the freight depot's new function as the Delta Blues Museum will make Clarksdale a destination for visitors to our state as evidenced by a recent benefit concert at the museum which saw people from all over the United States and as far away as Norway and England.
Award Level:
Merit In an area of Mississippi which has received almost no attention of an archaeological research nature, the U.S. Forest Service assembled a coalition of dedicated individuals to explore an important archaeological site. The DeSoto National Forest entered into a cost-share agreement with the anthropology department at the University of Southern Mississippi to obtain the archaeological services of graduate student interns. Graduate student Scot Keith contributed untold hours, much of it on his own time in area known as the Gopher Farm. This lead to USM's summer archaeological field school being held in this area. The excavations of the field school and Scot's research revealed a prehistoric residential site containing remains from over 10,000 years of human activity. Artifacts from the Paleoindian through the Late Woodland periods were found in intact, well-stratified subsurface deposits and features, something never expected to be found in the Piney Woods uplands of South Mississippi because of past destructive land uses. These discoveries, a direct result of the cooperative efforts and dedication of several individuals, has lead the Forest Service to reserve the Gopher Farm as a Special Interest Area to protect its significant archaeological resources for future research.
Award Level:
Merit This building, built in 1924, served as the Longbeach branch of Hancock Bank until its closure in 1933. In 1940 the Southern Star Lodge No. 500 F. & A. M. purchased the structure and added a second floor This new second floor became the meeting hall for the lodge while the main floor of the building became commercial rental. Sometime in the late 60's or early 70's a drop ceiling, fluorescent lighting, carpeting and paneling further altered the original lobby of the bank. John and Lynne Pavur purchased the building in 1998 and began rehabilitation. Exterior problems created by past neglect were rectified and the walls painted to approximate the colors of the original exterior concrete. The interior of the building saw the removal of the drop ceiling, fluorescent lighting, and a wall that had been added in front of the vault. The re-exposed crown molding and reproduction lighting were among the finishing touches of the rehabilitation. The building has been well received by the people in the community, recently opening its doors to the public as a coffee and gift shop called "The Old Bank."
Award Level:
Merit Mamie's Cottage is architecturally significant as a rare surviving example of a small frame house of the 1830s to 1840s period in central Mississippi. It was slated for demolition by the United Methodist Church to make space for a parking lot. Few people in Raymond realized the age of the structure because of alterations made to it over the years. Fortunately, Brenda and Charles Davis recognized the importance of the house and convinced the church board to allow them to move it. Prior to the move two non-historic additions were removed. The asbestos siding was removed to expose the original weatherboard, and the chimneys were reconstructed based on photographic evidence and ghost lines on the siding. On the interior, the house was returned to its original hall-and-parlor plan with rear cabinet rooms, modern wall paneling was removed, and the wood floors were repaired. The house underwent a yearlong, exemplary rehabilitation following the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation and utilizing the federal tax incentives for historic preservation. Mamie's Cottage now serves as a bed-and-breakfast inn.
Award Level:
Merit The use of both the historic preservation tax incentives and the low-income housing tax credits enabled the rehabilitation of seventeen historic houses throughout Meridian in 1997-98. In addition to providing much needed quality housing for low-income families, the renovations help preserve the historic character of the five districts where they are located. A variety of houses were rehabilitated, providing two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes in the East End, West End, Merrehope, Midtown, and Highlands National Register historic districts. Work involved re-roofing; repairing foundations and windows; replacing damaged asbestos shingles with matching shingles or else removing the asbestos to reveal the original siding; and repairing porches, which in some cases involved replicating ornate porch detailing. The interiors were sensitively rehabbed with all houses receiving new plumbing, wiring, and HVAC systems. The National Park Service approved all of the projects as certified rehabilitations. Taking advantage of the special architectural character of historic buildings, affordable housing has been created that fosters community pride and a quality of life often not found in new construction.
Award Level:
Merit Mississippi Archaeology Week was held October 10-17, 1998. During this week events were held throughout the state aimed at educating young and old about archaeology. The Mississippi Archaeological Association, Mississippi Association of Professional Archaeologists, Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Mississippi Humanities Council, U.S.D.A Forest Service, Mississippi State University’s Cobb Institute of Archaeology and TRC ARROW ASSOCIATES, INC sponsored these events. Archaeology Week is a wonderful example of how effective collaborative efforts between different preservation organization can be. Arhaeology week included regional seminars on various topics were conducted throughout the state. One of the most popular events was the demonstration dig for school children held on the Old Capitol Green. A Mississippi Archaeology Week poster and brochure outlining events successfully publicized the events statewide. Archaeology Week exposed people to the archaeology profession and the work going on in Mississippi. The program resulted in a 10% increase in the membership of the Mississippi Archaeological Association making Archaeology Week was a successful far beyond the week it was held. Oakland Chapel - Alcorn State University Award Level:
Merit Oakland Chapel, once part of Oakland College founded in 1833, is a Greek Revival style building built over a period of years between 1838 and 1855. The college failed just prior to the Civil War. During Reconstruction the campus was sold to the State of Mississippi and reinstituted as Alcorn State University. Alcorn was the first land grant college for blacks in the United States. The building was restored in 1998 utilizing funds from the State of Mississippi and with the assistance of Dr. Clinton Bristow, President of Alcorn State University. Restoration was precipitated by a catastrophic failure of the rear wall of the Chapel in 1994. As a result the State of Mississippi commissioned the office of Robert Parker Adams, Architect, to prepare evaluations and recommendations in the form of a full Historic Structures Report. The State subsequently funded a restoration program based on this report. The aim was to return the Chapel to its condition in 1871, the date when Alcorn State University became the first Land Grant College for blacks in the U.S. This restoration was completed in late 1998. The building is being used for special functions, university events, and meetings. The Lincoln Home - Columbus, Mississippi Award Level:
Merit Project Manager: R. Sidney Caradine, III
The Lincoln House is a two-story raised cottage built in 1833.
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