News Releases

The Mississippi Department of Archives and History’s annual Historic Preservation Boot Camp drew more than 40 participants from across the state. The event, held April 22-23 at the Charlotte Capers Building, is one of the ways the Historic Preservation Division serves the state’s communities.

Led by professionals in history, archaeology, architectural history, and technical preservation, the event covered a range of topics, including architectural styles, the Secretary of the Interior Standards for Rehabilitation and Local Historic Preservation Commission Procedures. This kind of information better equips local officials with their community-level efforts. Bootcamp participants included Main Street coordinators, local government officials, interior designers, architects, and local historians.

This year’s highlights included Lolly Rash of the Mississippi Heritage Trust as the guest speaker, a presentation by Kate Kenwright, preservation planner for the City of Oxford, who spoke to the audience on Certificate of Appropriateness Case Studies, and an architectural walking tour of downtown Jackson led by MDAH staffers Jack Gillespie, Al Willis, and James Bridgforth.

“These kinds of trainings emphasize the importance of historic preservation in our communities by teaching citizens to read and protect their built environment,” said Bridgforth, who coordinates the Certified Local Government program.  

To learn more about MDAH’s historic preservation work, visit https://www.mdah.ms.gov/historic-preservation.