Since 1992, an ambitious group of preservationists, joined together by their desire to revitalize and maintain Mississippi’s historic architectural gems, have embarked on a journey to make that dream a reality. Mississippi Heritage Trust continues to fight and win for many architectural landmarks in the state, one of the most popular being the Cutrer Mansion in Clarksdale, which took three years of diligent effort to restore. In 1999, Mississippi Heritage Trust launched its 10 Most Endangered Historic Places list, which has raised awareness of the state’s dire need to take seriously the rich history of Mississippi’s various lost treasures, big and small, and to keep that history alive. The organization has had many preservation victories and continues to steam ahead, one historic legacy rebirth at a time.
On Oct. 24 at 6 p.m., Mississippi Heritage Trust, which the Mississippi Arts Commission and Mississippi Humanities Council support, will hold its 20th-annual auction. The event will include art pieces from 10 Mississippi artists, each of which illustrates one of the 10 most endangered historic places in Mississippi for 2019. The artists are: William Dunlap, Maude Schuyler Clay, Anthony DiFatta, William Goodman, Ellen Langford, Ron Lindsay, Justin Ransburg, Laurin Stennis, Wyatt Waters and Ginger Williams-Cook. The event includes special music, Mississippi Blues from Jesse Cotton Stone, a Retrospective 20 Year Photo exhibit and auction by Due South Co-op and refreshments.
The event starts at 6:00 p.m. on Oct. 24 at Morris Ice Company (652 Commerce Street). For tickets, click here. For more information about Mississippi HeritageTrust, click here.
The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.
