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I Jack White's are for open air. Glad to have you with me this afternoon. We're going to be talking about the Race Street district Jeff. My guest is Beatrice Catullus. She's director of the Scott for historic site for Irish street historic district in Jackson Mississippi. Welcome to the program bitters. Thank you. If you would tell us just a little bit about yourself. Well I was born in Birmingham Alabama and I've been living in Florida for the last 15 years and I'm a museum pro. I have been hired by the Fair Street historic district to try to start to run the Scott Ford historic site
which is a new museum that's going to be here in Jackson. Are we looking at something that's going to be quite a bit down the road or is this coming fairly soon. Well we hope to open in 2000 and won. But we don't have that day exactly set in stone yet. But that is our plan at this time. OK you know this is such a fascinating topic. The Ferry Street historic district it's been talked about for years and of course was lived in by many many people over well over 100 years. Kind of give us a little background if you will of the area the fifth Street historic district started. After the Civil War there were African-Americans that lived in that area and made it their home. But really it became a really vital district in the 1920s up through the 1960s. It includes commercial and residential properties of the African-American
community and also included some other ethnic groups as well. The revitalization effort is being headed up by the Fair Street historic district neighborhood foundation with a great many partners including the city of Jackson and many other the National Trust for Historic Preservation and many other partners in that in that task. Well B Tell me why is it this area why is it that it is really so important. It's important because it's a historical jewel really. Most cities and towns throughout the nation came through after integration and these areas have become deteriorated and they destroyed what is the historical record of that period of time during the Jim Crow era era in America. And so in this area in Jackson that area has been preserved and it is been placed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its role as an economically independent black community.
So that's why it's so important. So many of these similar communities around the country are really no longer in existence in their areas. That's correct. That's correct. So we do have this treasure. OK. The area itself if you will kind of give a sort of a what to what and where to where. OK. The area that is on the National Register of Historic Places is roughly from a mitt straight to fortification and mill to Lamar. It has a few jobs in there but that's the general area. And all of the structures in that area are considered part of the National Historic District. Do they they I mean the people are in charge of ascertaining what is historic and what is not. Do they literally go block to block house to house determining that. Absolutely there was a survey done of the whole district that's correct. Yeah. Do you know just just roughly about how many structures there are that they would like to save. Just
roughly roughly today there are around 700 that we would like to say yes a project. OK. If I could talk a little bit if you talk a little bit about the artists in residence. What is that. The program as it relates to this. OK the parish street historic district. Neighborhood Foundation has written a grant to the Mississippi Arts Commission for an artist in residence program. And that was funded by the Mississippi Arts Commission and it will be starting in January of 2000 for six months will have a pilot of the program and will have four artists who will be in the district doing art education to try to revitalize the culture as well as the buildings of the district you say we want to have both be revitalized. OK. And so the year 2000 is that's pretty much the target date to have this in effect.
This artist in residence we're going to the art that's when that's that's when the pilot is going to take place and then of course after that we hope to have artists prominently in the district. After that Will they be like there just during the day or were they the be living there or what. Well for the pilot we will have one artist that will live and work in the district and three that will be part time coming in to help with education present a lot of different organizations that would like to have art education and I think I should name that is OK. The Bethlehem center the central family life center in the Fair Street district. The way that the Sanders YMCA these are all our partners as well as the smith Robertson senior center all are going to have art education in their facilities and they're participating in the program. B Why do you consider art to be so important for this community. Well this community the culture of this community really needs revitalization and Art will really do that dance
and painting and drama will bring a lot of life and and and vitality to the community. And so that's why I think it's important. And often if we could talk about the family. Scott Ford Scott Ford family now tell tell a little bit about them. Well Mary Scott was a slave and she came to Jackson after emancipation she was a widow at that time and brought her children and worked as a domestic. Raised enough money to buy shares in the building and loan and buy land and then also build a home. In 1892 not long after emancipation her daughter Virginia forward. Well you have seen the picture of was a midwife. She was a midwife in this area. That's the lady on the right. That's right. And the the in pictured in also in this picture is Beulah ruff and her eldest daughter. So Virginia Ford was a midwife
here in the community and her family lived in that home for three three generations. So she the story of their family is really a hundred years of African-American history so that's why this site is so valuable to tell the story of play and if we can look at the picture of the homes. The House on the left is Mary Scott's home and the one on the right. At 1:30 a Cohiba is the midwife house. These two homes one will be made a interpretive visitor center and one will be made historic homes so you can walk through and see how the family lived. They're going to be programs lively programs like living history or dramatic vignettes and the garden in the back of the house was very important to the life of the family and will be very important to the programming that we offer there. Now the hall on the left 136 Kohei is that going to be the actual museum itself. Well our initial thoughts are that the one on the left will be the interpretive
visitor center and the one on the right will be the historic House Museum. We will be having a conference of scholars in the coming year and that will help us decide those issues what are the most important messages that we want to communicate. We're going to get public input on that as well. OK let's take a look at our final picture now and what have we here. That is the 136 Cohiba story the house that we think will probably be the interpretive History Center and that house will be stabilized the preservation of that house will begin this year. OK well this this all sounds real encouraging about the whole area being a revitalized the put some some vitality in there getting I guess getting people in and living and having the living breathing people working and having a good time in the area. Yes that's that's true. Yeah. OK let's talk about if we could elaborate a bit on some of the restoration of 136 and 138 Gokey.
How long does that take about. Well now it's going to take a good while to get the preservation plans made and all of the preservation work done and then restoration. You want to be very careful to preserve the historical details of the houses so you do need to be careful. But we do hope it will just take about a year because you shouldn't be shouldn't be that big of a job. So we're sort of separating the words preservation and restoration that's true. You do the preservation first. That's that's the way we're doing it. Yes. You know what. What are some of the things they do in preservation. What what. Well they want to make sure that the house is secure from damage and from anything that will keep it from. From being preserved such as water into the house you want to make sure you have a good roof you want to make sure that you have good paint and good windows in a secure house. The bed that those are the types of things that are very necessary to preserve a house.
And then the restoration you want to make the materials appear as they did when the House and the family when the house was in use by the family. So those are two different things about what year. I guess roughly should we say that you're going to restore it too. Well that's some of the decisions will be making in our interpretive conference call happen so they'll have to decide that later. Yes right. You have a lot of national support for what you're doing over here and well in the historic district that's right we have a lot of local support from the Fair Street historic district neighborhood Foundation and from the state of Mississippi in the city of Jackson. But we have national support as well from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. So this project is the Scott Ford project is is it been researched by the Center for Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi and by Jackson State University so it is a. It's a project that has a lot of interest both locally and nationally. OK I'm
going to pause for a moment to give the telephone number this is not a call in program of course but this is a number that you in the audience if you wish to have further information other than what we're able to get to today during our half hour. You may call the Federation street historic district neighborhood foundation at 1 area code 6 0 1 The number is nine for nine four thousand. I hope you got that if you didn't I'll try to give it one more time. Farther on into the program. Let's talk a bit about if you will be about the oral history project. OK we have been collecting oral histories from the Fair Street historic district. There have been quite a few done funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities over 10 years ago but we are currently involved in doing more or histories that have been funded by the Mississippi Humanities Council oral histories very important way to research history.
It really gives life and a face to this to the things you can find out from the documents that are left behind the deeds and such is that you really want to flesh in the story of the of the people and that's that's what we're doing with oral histories. What are some of the issues we nuts and bolts process involved in in oral history. How do you go about that. There's a lot of different techniques and methods that people use but but we like to ask a question and let the person just talk what it is that they feel is important and from that we will ask about something that they mentioned that is something that we need more information about and that's how we develop the oral history interview. Are there people in the in the community. In either the Ferry Street historic district neighborhood itself or at least in the Jackson Mississippi
area who are what you might say for lack of maybe another word sort of leaders in the community people that know about this area are their mother or their grandfather or even great grandfather or grandmother knew about the area and can give you information. Yes we're collecting from many different people and there are a great many people that know about the district and we're we've been collecting information from a lot of them yes. Like what was life like I've often thought about that. What what was it really like to living in say maybe 19 10 of faery street. But what I want to be honest and I haven't had anyone who remembers 1910 but there is a gentleman who I'm trying to get an interview with that remembers life in 1920 in fairy straight people remember the life along the street as being very lively with a lot of the Talisay and there were people selling things in the street and walking up and down it was a very vital
area of town in the 1920s. Have you been interested. For very long and see an historian such as yourself yes. For over 10 years I've been working as a historian and I find this particular area to be a fascinating treasure that I'm glad has been preserved here in Jackson. The preservation process to me is fascinating in that it's almost as if you don't do it. It's going to slide through your fingers like mercury. That's right if you don't get a hold of it. And it's it seems like that that that maybe almost happened. It almost happened here but thank God that there is so many people. The city of Jackson and so many other people who are interested in preserving this area. The state of Mississippi many other people I know have left out some people but there are so many people who are involved in this effort that it's it's really doing well. How do they go
about how do they go about for example. Who ascertains how old buildings are. Who does this. Well you can. There are records there are records here in this city I have deeds and things all the way back so from. From even before the turn of the century so what we can find out the age of a building. So that's that's not a problem. So you can as you're walking down the street if you see certain buildings like well that's a very interesting looking building or that one. There are places where you can go where records and can and state records and to find out well yes that building was built in such and such year. Yeah. They also have records I can tell you what that building what it originally operated has. Yes there's some very interesting maps called Sanborn maps and they were done by people for purposes of fire insurance and they really drew a picture not only of the streets but of every building in the bill in the
whole city. And we have copies of those maps for the whole Fair Street district so we get an awful lot of information about not only what buildings were there then but what they look like they actually drove draw out roughly the dimensions of the building so a lot of information available that way as well. Have you talked with people who have told you any particulars about the area that have been fascinating anything that you could give us along that line. Well any little interesting stories are the stories of the people up and down the street I find that to be fascinating. I'm not sure what else I can recall. Well they have they had I think at hotels in the area and they had a theater owner maybe there might have been a couple of theaters and quite quite probably people came in and performed there. That's right we they had this stop was on the way between New Orleans and Memphis and other cities of the South some people
big bands often stopped here and of course as African-Americans they did have to stay in the Fair Street district because there were segregation laws at that time so all of the big names that we think of today were here in town. I hope we have enough time to get this in. We're getting down to near the end of the program but I would love to know. Here we are toward the the end of this century. This project could take a number of years I you know I guess we don't really know that right now how long it could take to have it all come together like that. But what's what I would really love to know is some kind of a a projection in time. Do you see maybe within the next five years. Oh how long. I'm not going to say how long will this take I'm not asking that sure within five years people will see great difference. The restoration in the Ferry Street district has already started.
And and. And so in the next couple of years you'll see a lot of things change is changing. Well I personally have driven down the street recently and yes there are there are quite a number of things happening. So it's not like nothing is happening there is a lot going on right. You do see you do see work on homes and and and landscaping going on so things are happening there. Do you do you have to bring in architects or planners or what kinds of people are brought in on and something like this. Well when you're in a National Historic District and a city district you do want to use the preservation architect when you do any work in the district. So that's going to be very important. Do we use local people. Well sure you know. And there are there down on the site itself that they make sketches How does it work. Do you see any of it going on or. Absolutely yes they have to make drawings for my site for the Scott Ford historic site yes that they had to make drawings of the whole property. They've actually done historic
American building servings survey drawings in order to better understand the history of the building. But that will be done on all the buildings usually it's just plants that are made by the architect. OK. One other thing. Is there any kind of wind when you have a district like that is there any kind of artist or architect that sort of draws out. Well this is how I see something like this happening or this is what it might look like renderings. Yeah. Yes you usually would use an architect rendering when you when you find someone that you employed to do a plan for a certain part of town. Yes. And if I'm if I'm understanding correctly also in that process and don't you draw on people in the neighborhood and their map pricing. Absolutely. That's the reason it's important to get as much information as you can about what it was like in in the different decades. Yes. That's why the oral histories are so
important. B Tell me something a bit about the oral history that you've been doing recently. The most recent set of oral histories that I've done have been primarily with Scott and Ford families. We need to to find out more about how they lived in the house the way they use the garden. Little Ford was the last member. The the last member of the family that lived in the house she and her daughter Dorothy Dobbins and Lulu was a fisherman and they had a found out from the oral histories that she had earthworm farm and a container behind her house because she was so thrilled with the fish and she would go and get the worms from her yard and take them to to go fishing. So that was an interesting thing I found out about Lou Ford and the how does Fannie Mae
figure in with what you're doing here the kind of work that you're involved. OK. Well Fannie Mae is is working closely with the Fair Street historic district neighborhood foundation. And they are going to be doing a lot of work in the community as well as the Mississippi state of Mississippi school of architecture as well those are two people that I forgot to mention earlier but but they have been very important in our planning process. You know the school of architecture that's the fifth year program I think it's the that these are the graduate students the Design Center yes design center and they're downtown right on Capitol Street up at you. Yeah. Capital right off capital. I think it's president straight. Yeah and so as far as them being involved are they intricately involved. Yes they're helping us with a lot of different projects and plans they did a survey of the whole district and that's very important because you have to know where you're at when you
start you have to know where you're at to get to know how to get to where you want to go. So that's been a very big project for them. Do you feel as far as as far as the program has gone along now that you're about maybe like one fifth along the way or where abouts are you in that regard. Just roughly where where. Well on our way. It's what. What I'll say we're well on our way where I'd say a fourth on the way to my room and so things are going along real well. So you've you've come in contact with an awful lot of people over the last say roughly seven or eight months. That's correct. And since I moved here is this on a on a daily basis or you're really working with a lot of different types of people every day. Yes yes absolutely. Different people every day. It's been a great joy. Speaking of interesting things out on very street the Alamo
theater tell me a little about that. The Alamo. It's going through a revitalization now as well. There are a number of programs being planned at the Alamo for this year that I hope the public will attend jazz concerts and films and also theater so will be send you information for your calendar so that people will find out about those and come it's really a great thing because the Alamo was important to the culture of the community and so it's nice that it is have had its rebirth. So you there is a stage in there that you can have oh it's nicely done it's beautiful you have to come down and visit us but I'll be looking very carefully. It's to see just exactly what's coming up in a way. OK Will it be going all year only in the fall or when I go all year all year. So it's something that people really should take a particular interest in as far as if you want to see something that's going on down there. The Alamo theater that's right away they get are going Vanek-Smith Robertson museum now it's been open for many years oh yeah. And it is a lovely
museum that is one of the most outstanding museums. I would I would think in the entire country with ROBERTS It is just a contest now they are also having an artist in residence this year during the same time period that we are here so that there will be a total of five artists in the community in January of 2000 so that's going to make a big difference in the life of the community there. Program was funded through a different source and they're collaborating with us so that's lovely. OK one final look at the fold number if you want to call the Ferry Street historic district neighborhood foundation you may do so at 1 area code 6 0 1 9 4 9. Four thousand. And that was for somebody who may have forgot to get a little bit before. What do you think of the Jackson Mississippi area now that you've been living here. I thinks months 7 months I've been here I just love it here it's beautiful and the people are nice and it's a great great town. It's an interesting place a city that has a
great deal of cultural events happening now which it would seem that the I'm sorry go I that the that the smith Robertson and the whole Ferry Street historic district neighborhood just ties in so beautifully with all of that. Yes it is it's going to it's going to be nice when it's finished. And again I thank you so much for coming down and sharing I know your job is exciting it's interesting to be a lot I guess what you would call the cutting edge of this project that's right you're really you're really saying it happened and it's such a worthy project it is. And thanks Pete. Thank you for having. It's been going to happen. If you have any questions or comments right to open here
Mississippi educational television. Thirty eight twenty five Ridgewood road in Jackson Mississippi 3 9 2 1 1 0. Visit us at our website. W w w dot each dot state DOT M.S. dot US Open there is a program Mississippi educational television.
Series
Open Air
Program
The Farish St. Historic District Scott Ford Site
Program
646
Contributing Organization
Mississippi Public Broadcasting (Jackson, Mississippi)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/60-601zczj0
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Description
Description
Open Air #646 The Farish St. Historic District Scott Ford Site Farish Street is in Jackson, MS. It has a rich African-American past. It is currently being renovated, with hopes that it will become an entertainment district. The street is the location for the aptly named annual Farish Street Festival.
Broadcast Date
1999-09-26
Topics
Race and Ethnicity
Media type
Moving Image
Duration
00:28:08
Embed Code
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Credits
AAPB Contributor Holdings
Mississippi Public Broadcasting
Identifier: MPB 13927 (MPB)
Format: Betacam: SP
Generation: Air version
Duration: 0:27:45
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Citations
Chicago: “Open Air; The Farish St. Historic District Scott Ford Site; 646,” 1999-09-26, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 29, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-60-601zczj0.
MLA: “Open Air; The Farish St. Historic District Scott Ford Site; 646.” 1999-09-26. Mississippi Public Broadcasting, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 29, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-60-601zczj0>.
APA: Open Air; The Farish St. Historic District Scott Ford Site; 646. Boston, MA: Mississippi Public Broadcasting, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-60-601zczj0