2023
Benson Cabin
Plantersville
The Benson Cabin is part of one of the earliest intact nineteenth-century homesteads in Itawamba County, dating back to the first years of settlement in the old Chickasaw Territory. Purchased from a Chickasaw woman in 1837, the property remained home to six generations of the Benson family, who operated a cotton gin, grist mill, and store on the site into the 1950s. The house evolved from a two-room square-log cabin built with mortise and tenon joinery into a dogtrot-style farmhouse by the early twentieth century.
Through a Mississippi Heritage Trust internship program in partnership with Mississippi State University and the University of North Alabama, students conducted research and documentation that led to the Benson Farmhouse’s listing on the National Register of Historic Places. This recognition highlights the site’s significance in telling the story of settlement and agricultural development in northeast Mississippi. Although the remote location and limited oversight leave the property vulnerable to neglect and vandalism, its historical and archaeological potential continues to make it a vital piece of Mississippi’s heritage.
Flatiron Building
Eupora
The Flatiron Building in Eupora is a two-story brick building constructed in approximately 1915 on a triangular piece of land across the tracks from the original Eupora train Depot. The first floor was originally used as a restaurant and the upper floors were most likely used as a boarding house, and later apartments. The building is a contributing member of the Eupora Historic District and is considered a community landmark. The original balcony and most of the original windows and doors are missing and the building has suffered from disuse and neglect for many years. Despite several offers to purchase the building, the current owner has taken no action to sell or restore the building.
Lura’s
new albany
Lura’s is a modest metal building located near the now demolished passenger train depot in what was once a thriving Black community in New Albany. During segregation, it served as a restaurant and movie theater and still retains its original tin-clad projection box. Almost all other buildings in this area are lost except one that serves as a studio for soul artist Sam Mosely. The current owner purchased the space with hopes to turn it into an event venue, but the process proved cost-prohibitive, and the building has been vacant for many years. The only offers to buy the building are from those who wish to demolish it, but Lura’s is ready to be repurposed and returned to its original use as a community gathering space.
Knoxo Freedom Schools
Knoxo
Joe Magee and his wife Lucy bought two stores in Knoxo, a small town near Tylertown in Walthall County in the 1930s on the site of a railroad crossing and former large sawmill camp. They operated Joe Magee’s Grocery Store and Lucy Magee’s Dry Goods Store that operated through the Great Depression, WWII and the Korean War. In 1961 Bob Moses requested to use the stores as Freedom Schools during the Civil Rights Movement. He taught voter education classes for African Americans who wanted to register to vote in local, state, and national elections. Joe and Lucy’s daughter Ruby attended the Freedom Schools and became the first Black registered voter in Walthall County. Ruby still owns the buildings but lacks the resources to maintain them. These landmarks of the Civil Rights movement have been empty for many years and are suffering from neglect due to lack of use and funding.
Historic Homes of Ocean Springs
The City of Ocean Springs is steeped in Mississippi tradition and heritage, home to six historic districts with more than 400 contributing sites, including several Mississippi Landmarks. In recent years, rapid development and natural disasters have placed continued pressure on the city’s historic resources. Encouragingly, the City of Ocean Springs recently completed a comprehensive historic building survey through a contracted firm, now under review by MDAH as part of an effort to update the city’s historic inventory. While the final report has not yet been made public, new design guidelines are expected to follow. The new city administration has also expressed a stronger commitment to preservation, signaling a positive future for Ocean Springs’ architectural heritage.
Among notable properties: the Rosambeau House on Jackson Avenue remains in very poor condition following years of abandonment after Hurricane Katrina, though the current owners are exploring restoration options. The O’Keefe House on Government Street continues to deteriorate with no movement toward stabilization. Lyndwood, once threatened with demolition, was saved after strong community advocacy led the church to relocate its planned construction elsewhere. Meanwhile, the Austin House on Jackson Avenue stands in excellent condition and remains a touchstone for local preservation efforts.
Faler Mansion
bassfield
The Faler Mansion was built in 1910 by German immigrants John and Dora Faler in an unusual construction style featuring poured on-site concrete blocks and steel beams. The home is three stories high and is almost identical from every elevation. The 60 windows were originally fitted with stained glass, and there are 10 fireplaces throughout the structure. Though in disrepair, the home remains he most impressive structure in the small community of Bassfield. The family no longer owns the property and it has been sitting empty and neglected for at least 60 years. The unique construction methods have kept the house standing, but it declines daily. The Faler Mansion could be a showcase for historic preservation in Bassfield and spur additional preservation efforts in the area.
Wade School
hurley
The Wade School, circa 1926, is the earliest remaining consolidated school in Jackson County. It is an excellent example of school design during the early 20th century. The school opened in the fall of 1926, consolidating several one-room rural schoolhouses in the area. It was originally designed to house grades 1-10 with 4 classrooms and an auditorium. By the mid 1930s, the school was known as the Wade Consolidated Vocational High School and served grades 1-12. After construction of the East Central School in 1959, it is believed that the Wade School was converted into a teacher’s home. It has remained vacant since 2001 and is in poor condition. It was deemed eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016, but Jackson County has submitted a Notice of Intent to MDAH for demolition of the building, which MDAH approved.
Alyene Quin Home
mccomb
Alyene “Mama” Quin owned a small cafe on Summit Street which became a center of civil rights activity in the McComb Movement. Her business was threatened by her white landlord so she began serving meals out of her own home. She supported voter registration and was a longtime member of the NAACP. Her home was bombed on Sunday, September 20, 1964, destroying the front of her house but narrowly missing her two sleeping children. Despite accusations from local authorities that Quin bombed her own home, she traveled to Washington D.C. the day after the bombing and met with Justice Department officials and President Lyndon Johnson to demand increased protection for Black people in McComb and the South. She continued to stay active in the movement for years to come. Her café is no longer standing, and her home deteriorates despite efforts from family to maintain the property. The Quin home is a testament to resistance and progress in McComb and Mississippi.
Prentiss Institute
prentiss
The Prentiss Normal and Industrial Institute Historic District is significant as one of the most widely recognized private African-American schools in early 20th century Mississippi. It was founded by Jonas and Bertha Johnson in 1907 and served as a major educational facility for Black people in the region until it closed in 1989. Johnson served as president of the university until his death in 1953 and was preceded by Bertha who died in 1971. At its height the school had more than 700 students, 24 buildings and 44 faculty members. The site is a National Register District and two buildings, including an impressive restored Rosenwald School are Mississippi Landmarks. While a few buildings are in use, much of the campus is neglected. There is an active alumni association and Board of Trustees who are working to see the campus returned to use. Campus grounds have been cleared, walking paths have been installed and a new historic marker now tells the story of this site’s significance.
Paramount Theater
clarksdale
The Paramount Theater, built in 1918 on Yazoo Avenue in Clarksdale, is owned by Griot Arts, a nonprofit organization dedicated to youth development and community enrichment. Once a venue for vaudeville, stage productions, and film, the building has suffered from years of deferred maintenance and water intrusion, resulting in the collapse of the auditorium roof and loss of interior finishes. In recent years, Griot Arts has worked with Alembic Community Development to shape a strategy that honors the theater’s complex history while reimagining it as The Griot Center, a hub for arts education, workforce training, and cultural programming. Community engagement has been central to the project, ensuring that the restoration reflects local memory and need. Fundraising is ongoing to bring this landmark back to life as both a cultural anchor for Clarksdale and a resource for the Mississippi Delta..
Dishonorable Mention:
Soso Gymnasium
Soso
The Soso Gymnasium was a rare stone gym built in the small town of Soso 1940. It was neglected for many years and had fallen into a state of disrepair. The Jones County School Board asked for approval for demolition from the Jones County Board of Education in April of this year, while mayor Ralph Cahill asked that the structure be turned over to the city so they could pursue funding for restoration. A majority of the roof caved in in August, and the school board quickly voted for demolition. The building was almost immediately demolished over a weekend, violating the State Antiquities Law because the building was under consideration to become a Mississippi Landmark, and the school board did not submit a Notice of Intent to demolish the building.