2011
Amzie Moore Home
Cleveland
Constructed in 1941, the Amzie Moore House was the first brick home built by an African American in Cleveland. Amzie Moore, who worked tirelessly as one of the leaders of the Civil Rights movement, was one of the first African Americans to receive a government sponsored home loan. Described as a “civil rights giant”, Amzie Moore cofounded the Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL). The Amzie Moore House has been restored and currently serves as a museum operated by Delta State University that pays tribute to the life and work of Amzie Moore.
Austin House
Ocean Springs
The Austin House was built in Ocean Springs during the 1850s by a prominent New Orleans physician Dr. William Glover Austin. One of the oldest houses in Ocean Springs, the original floor plan follows the arrangement typical of its era and style with a wide central corridor flanked by two rooms on either side facilitating the maximum flow of cooling breezes through the building. Located near the Gulf of Mexico, the Austin House was almost demolished due to damage from Hurricane Katrina but neighbors stepped in at the last minute to purchase and restore the house.
Ceres Plantation
Flowers
Ceres Plantation was constructed in the 1820s by the Flowers Family, who owned the plantation until 1986. Ceres Plantation served as a safe house for refugees during the Civil War and was home to a variety of businesses over the years, including Ceres Research and Industrial Interplex, a restaurant, and a plant nursery. The Ceres Plantation was a rare example of a Mississippi plantation complex that was demolished by the Warren County Port Commission in July 2012.
Chickasaw Old Town
Tupelo
The Chickasaws’ land extended over what is now north Mississippi, northwest Alabama, western Tennessee, and into Kentucky. All of this was defended from the great town or capital of the Chickasaw people, Chickasaw Old Town, located at present day Tupelo. Sections of Old Town have been destroyed by commercial and residential developments, and the threat of further development persists. This land continues to be a sacred place for the Chickasaw Nation, containing connections to their ancestors and cultural heritage, and needs to be protected.
Fielder and Brooks Drug Store
Meridian
Constructed in 1879, the Fielder and Brooks Drug Store was operated by African American businessmen and played a significant role in the Civil Rights movement. In 1964, the Meridian Chapter of the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO) moved their office to the second floor above the drug store. It was from here that James Chaney, Andrew Goodman and Michael Schwerner set out on their fateful trip to Longdale, when they were abducted and murdered outside of Philadelphia. After years of neglect, the building was deemed structurally unsound and demolished in 2013.
Holtzclaw Mansion
Utica
Holtzclaw Mansion was the last remaining building of the Utica Normal and Industrial Institute for Colored Women and Men founded in 1903 by William Holtzclaw. Around 1915, Holtzclaw developed his plans for the Holtzclaw Mansion and it is believed that student and community labor helped construct the house. The house has sixteen rooms and was used as the residence for Holtzclaw’s family, classrooms and special events for the school. In 1946, the Holtzclaw Mansion was repurposed as the Ginn Line Elementary School. In 1982, Holtzclaw’s college became a campus for Hinds County Community College. Holtzclaw Mansion was designated a Mississippi Landmark in 1991 but unfortunately years of neglect led to the demolition of the building in 2014.
Lewis House (Oldfields)
Gautier
Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the Lewis House was constructed in 1845 as the residence of Gulf Coast planter, merchant, politician and Civil War officer Alfred E. Lewis. Known as Oldfields for the agricultural lands that used to surround it, the Lewis House was later owned by the Grinstead family. Agnes “Sissy” Grinstead married artist Walter Inglis Anderson and the couple lived at Oldfields with their children for several years. Oldfields was damaged in Hurricane Katrina and left open to the elements for many years. When demolition was imminent in 2020, the Mississippi Heritage Trust purchased Oldfields and is working with community members to restore it.
Markham Hotel
Gulfport
Constructed in 1926, the Markham Hotel was named in honor of Charles H. Markham, the former president of the Illinois Central Railroad. For many years, the hotel was a major destination in downtown Gulfport, with amenities such as a large lobby with a grand staircase lined with marble and wood paneling, swimming pool, rooftop terrace and several dining establishments. The hotel was converted into an office building in the 1970s. After suffering damage from Hurricane Katrina, the hotel sat vacant for many years. Restoration is currently underway to transform the building into a hotel once again.
Mount Holly
Foote
An Italianate villa with thirty rooms, Mount Holly was built in 1858 for Margaret Johnson Erwin Dudley, daughter of Henry Johnson, who was one of the largest early landholders in the Delta. In the 1880s, ownership transferred to William Hezekiah Foote and Huger Lee Foote, prominent Mississippi planters and politicians. During the Mississippi River flood of 1927, Mount Holly was used as a headquarters for relief committees. Mount Holly sat vacant for several years until a fire in 2015 destroyed the once-grand mansion.
Prospect Hill
Lorman
Isaac Ross, a Revolutionary War veteran, built Prospect Hill in 1808. Ross died in 1836. His will stated that following his death the enslaved shall be freed and relocated to Liberia. His grandson Issac Ross Wade contested the will, during that time of litigation the plantation was burned in 1845 in a slave uprising, and re-built in 1854. Prospect Hill is currently owned by the Archaeological Conservancy, which is working to save this historic place.