Thomas Hines grew up in Oxford; his mother was a long-time elementary school teacher here and his father a professor on campus. Thomas Hineshas published books about modern architecture, and is a “notable professor emeritus of history and architecture at the University of California, Los Angeles.”
He obviously spent decades coming back to Mississippi, paying close attention to what he saw and taking photographs to document it. He distilled this into a wonderful book, William Faulkner and the Tangible Past: The Architecture of Yoconapatawpha. The title, while accurate, understates the broad appeal the book should have to anyone interested in the history of architecture in Mississippi, generally (not just in relation to Faulkner).
The publisher has just put a version of the book online. The online photographs are not of the quality of those in the book itself– they look to be rough scans– but it’s a great resource nevertheless. The cover picture, above, is the old country store at College Hill, across from College Hill Presbyterian church.
Among the illustrations are historic photographs and even some plans. For instance, there’s an elevation from Calvert Vaux‘s design for Ammadelle in Oxford.
There’s also some interesting stuff about architect James Canizaro, who designed a number of buildings in Oxford; the one people probably know best is the Flamingo Apartments on University Avenue. There’s also a picture of his design for the Oxford City Hall, since demolished to make way for what is now the West parking lot of the federal court building on Jackson Avenue, just off the Square. Hines describes the design as “a structure that pushed even more courageously toward the brave new world of international modernism.” And, of course, in about 1970 it was torn down. I will say that my memory of the building (I was about 15 when it was demolished) was that, inside, it was fairly cramped quarters. I wish I could see it now, though; the Flamingo is an interesting design as it stands today, and this looks even more so.
In any event, the book is well worth an online browse, or, even better, obtaining your own copy.
h/t to the 12th Chancery Blog for the link.
OXFORD CITY HALL. I took the time to go look at the photographs because the Oxford City Hall was so reminiscent of buildings designed by N. W. Overstreet. I’ve never heard of James T. Canizaro. When you look at the photograph of Columbia H.S. and compare it to the old Oxford City hall, they really look like the same person designed them both.
See: http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft0z09n7jz&chunk.id=0&doc.view=print.
There are also similarities to what is now called the Bailey Magnet School on N. State St. in Jackson, which is an Overstreet design.
I’m not big into architecture, but it does interest me. Overstreet designed many buildings around Mississippi, and essentially put his signature on the buildings by incorporating “O” into the designs. For instance, the Alcorn County Courthouse had round windows in the interior doors, and also has “Os” in the interior wrought iron stair railings.
It’s too bad so many modern buildings just do not have any personality. Does anyone think the Lafayette County Chancery Building will ever be considered anything other than a building?
Nope. Nor will the federal building here whose parking lot occupies the space of the old city hall.
NCM, I seem to have some memory of a connection between the old city hall building and the production company of “Intruder in the Dust”. Can anyone help?
YOCONA RIVER BUM: Not the old City Hall, but the old Lafayette County Jail is featured in the movie “Intruder in the Dust.” The old jail was on the spot now occupied by the Lafayette County Chancery Courthouse (or whatever that building is called).