Natchez City Hall marks 100 years since construction

NATCHEZ, Miss. – City Hall’s construction 100 years ago will be commemorated Tuesday as Mayor Dan Gibson and others rededicate the historic building.

Constructed in 1924, the two-story Classical Revival building of blond brick  houses the offices of the mayor, city clerk and other municipal departments. 

Total costs for the new building in 1924: nearly $60,800, which is about $1.1 million in today’s dollars.  This included the $53,200 for the 1924 construction costs along with other expenses for heating, plumbing, electrical and furniture installations, according to the souvenir booklet published for the new building 100 years ago. It also had six jail cells. City Hall’s basement formerly housed the Natchez Police Department.

The Pearl Street structure was erected on the site of the old city hall and marketplace built in 1837. While it had fallen into disrepair, opposition to the old structure’s demolition helped spark the historic preservation movement in the city, according to the Historic Natchez Foundation.

The new building was designed by Jackson architect Harry Austin, whose work is also displayed on the campuses of Millsaps College and the University of Mississippi, according to the state Department of Archives & History.

Tuesday’s 10:30 a.m. rededication ceremony for Natchez City Hall follows renovations done there the past couple of years that include installing a new roof and refurbishing the interiors.