Old Hattiesburg High School

Old Hattiesburg High School, located at 846 North Main Street, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, was utilized as a public school building from around 1911 to 1959.[2] The building was designated a Mississippi Landmark in 1986 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. In 2007, the structure was heavily damaged by arson.

Old Hattiesburg High School
Mississippi Landmark
Old Hattiesburg High School in 2004
Old Hattiesburg High School location in Mississippi
Old Hattiesburg High School (the United States)
Location846 North Main Street, Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Coordinates31°19′46″N 89°17′44″W
Built1911, 1921
ArchitectRobert E. Lee
Architectural styleJacobethan
NRHP reference No.87000817 [1]
USMS No.035-HAT-1689.3-NR-ML
Significant dates
Added to NRHPMay 29, 1987[2]
Designated USMSDecember 12, 1986[3]

Description

The school building was constructed in two phases. In 1911, a 2.5-story, rear structure was built with tan brick, a flat roof, and no ornamentation.[2] The front, 4.5-story, red brick, main building was constructed in 1921 and was designed by Hattiesburg architect Robert E. Lee. The interior featured dark-stained woodwork and pressed metal ceilings. In addition to classrooms, the building contained grand stairways and corridors, an interior courtyard, and an auditorium.[4]

History

Following closure of the building as a public school in 1959, it served as offices for the Hattiesburg Public School District and later, as an antiques mall, until 2001.[5] The Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association acquired the property in 2002, with the expectation of restoring the building.[4] In 2003, the Mississippi Heritage Trust listed the Old Hattiesburg High School as one of the ten most endangered landmarks in Mississippi.[5]

In 2005, the structure was heavily damaged during Hurricane Katrina. More severe damage occurred in 2007, when arsonists set a fire on the first floor of the 1921 addition.[6] The fire spread to the fourth floor, and the roof collapsed. In 2008, two teens pleaded guilty to arson and were sentenced to prison. Both were released from prison in 2016.[7]

In spite of the 2007 fire, long-term restoration plans continued, including stabilization of the front facade and fencing of the property against further vandalism.[8][9] By early 2010, reconstruction of the front facade was completed, but restoration efforts ceased because of harsh economic times brought on by the Great Recession.[6][8]

Renovation

In February 2017, the Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association sold the old Hattiesburg High School property to a developer – Steve Nail of INTERVEST Corporation.[10] The developer announced plans to convert the High School into apartments for senior citizens, while retaining the historic Landmark and National Register characteristics of the buildings.[10][11]

In February 2019, renovation work began to convert the structure into age-restricted apartments. The project reportedly will receive historic tax credits from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, by virtue of retaining the historic appearance of the building upon completion.[12] The US$15.5 million development by Harris Construction Services will transform the building into Preservation Crossing Apartments with 56 one-bedroom units and 18 two-bedroom units.[13]

  • East elevation, September 2012
  • East elevation, June 2019
  • East elevation, June 2020
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References
  1. National Register of Historic Places, Forrest County, Mississippi Retrieved 2012-09-16.
  2. Brian N. Berggren and Richard J. Cawthon (December 31, 1986). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Old Hattiesburg High School" (PDF). Retrieved September 16, 2012.
  3. "Mississippi Landmarks" (PDF). Mississippi Department of Archives and History. May 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2010. Retrieved January 28, 2014.
  4. Historic Downtown Hattiesburg Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  5. Old Hattiesburg High School Archived 2013-11-19 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  6. Old Hattiesburg High School building Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  7. Beveridge, Lici (April 26, 2019). "Old Hattiesburg High gets new chance at life. What happened to the teens who destroyed it?". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved 2019-06-09.
  8. Old Hattiesburg High School project still in limbo Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  9. Old High School stabilization making progress Retrieved 2012-09-17.
  10. Historic Hattiesburg Downtown Association Completes Sale of Old High School Retrieved 2017-05-27.
  11. Haskel Burns (February 15, 2017). "Apartments still planned for old Hattiesburg High". Hattiesburg American. Retrieved 2017-05-27.
  12. Burns, Haskel (February 20, 2019). "Work begins on old Hattiesburg High School". www.hubcityspokes.com. Retrieved 2019-03-24.
  13. Burns, Haskel (July 15, 2020). "Former high school building is now Preservation Crossing apartments". hubcityspokes.com. Retrieved 2020-08-16.
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