The Tennessee Williams House Museum & Welcome Center is temporarily closed for restoration. Make your first stop in Columbus the Tennessee Williams House Museum & Welcome Center. Here you’ll be greeted by one of our friendly and knowledgeable Travel Counselors, who are ready to help make the most of your trip. While you’re here, enjoy … Continued
Circa 1838 NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES Twelve Gables is famous for being the meeting place of local ladies who met in 1866 to plan a special day to decorate the graves of the Confederate and Union soldiers in Friendship Cemetery. This ceremony led to our country’s Memorial Day. This private residence is one of … Continued
Built in 1843 by James Walton Harris, Whitehall was originally designed as a two-story Greek Revival townhouse. The stately mansion exhibits six square, paneled columns at the edge of a wooden porch. The banisters bordering the porch consist of identically-milled hardwood balusters. Inside the home, heart-pine floors and handsome woodwork provide the background for the … Continued
Affectionately called “Columbus Eclectic,” the combined architectural elements of Greek Revival, Gothic and Italianate come together to form a most welcoming style. Beautiful woodwork, mirrored glass doorknobs, a three story cupola and even original bedroom closets add to its allure. Circa 1857/Mr. & Mrs. Dick Leike / National Register This private residence is one of … Continued
The Penny-Savings Bank, founded in the early 1900s, was Columbus’ first African-American bank. W.I. Mitchell served as the president of the bank from 1907 to 1913. In addition to the Penny-Savings Bank, there are several other significant historical facts about this location.nnAccording to an 1873 Business Directory of downtown, the site was the location of … Continued
Queen City Hotel was the center of the African-American business district in the mid-twentieth century. It was also the focus of lodging and entertainment for the African-American community. It was constructed, owned and operated in 1909 by Robert Walker, who was once a slave. The hotel played host to such luminaries as Louis Armstrong, Pearl … Continued
Sandfield Cemetery is the late nineteenth century burial site of several African-American leaders and businessmen which include the following: Robert Gleed, Mississippi State Senator (1870-1876); Richard D. Littlejohn, publisher and businessman; W. I. Mitchell, Educator, first black principal of Union Academy School, and president of the “Penny-Savings Bank”; Jack Rabb, Businessman, who also bought his … Continued
Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church originated under a brush arbor by a few determined and devoted Christian slaves. In 1821, the land for the church was chartered. It has been determined, however, that the original church was demolished and re-erected at its present location in 1886. It was later remodeled in 1942.
Built by Isaac Williams and his brother, Thomas, both of whom, were “free men of color” from South Carolina. Isaac as a laborer and Thomas was a blacksmith; both were considered prosperous and had their own blacksmith shop on the corner of the property. This raised cottage is reinforced with handmade bricks, and its chimneys … Continued
Established in 1877. As indicated by the state historic marker on Ninth Avenue South, the original Union Academy was located at the site of a former Confederate Arsenal just south of the railroad tracks.
