CARROLLTON – Thanks to Mayor Pam Lee, a Show and Tell and Training for Historic Preservation Commissioners in the Mississippi Delta was held at the Carrollton Community House last Friday.
Lee, who is a member of the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area’s Resource Stewardship said she volunteered the town to host the training for two reasons -- the caliber of a training sponsored by the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the potential for future tourism.
“This was the first joint meeting [between the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area and the Department of Archives and History],” Lee said. “They are good partners.”
Lee said in addition to the training held at the Community House, several of those attending also toured the Cotesworth Culture and Heritage Center, with a tour led by Cotesworth board of director president, Kenny Downs.
“I look for some tour groups out of it, either for the Pilgrimage [this October], or independent tours,” Lee said.
During the Show and Tell portion of the training, Carrollton Historic Preservation Commissioners Kathleen Clark and Denise Grones presented to the group the Town of Carrollton Walking Tour app, available free of charge at the App Store.
According to Clark, the app was developed two years ago thanks to a grant and features 26 historic locations in town with audio descriptions provided by “Mississippi Roads” host Walt Grayson.
“All of [the locations] have little tidbits of history,” Clark said.
Clark also presented notecards, customized with drawings of several historic structures in town, created and sold by the Carroll County Society for the Preservation of Antiquities. They are available at the Carrollton Town Hall for $10.
Representatives from Cleveland, Leland, Senatobia, and Sharkey County also presented ideas.
Also, Clay Beckwith, owner of Precise Land Services of Carrollton, spoke with the group about 3D scanning for historic preservation to make collaborating with an architect easier during restoration.
Lee said lunch for the commissioners was sponsored by Bank of Commerce in North Carrollton.
