Former Gulfport Library May Qualify as Historical Structure
Department of Archive to Collect Public Comments

by Keith Burton - GCN  6/12/08

In what may be a significant victory for Gulfport citizens who have sought to preserve the former Gulfport Library downtown, the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Thursday determined that the building may qualify as a historical structure. This could set in motion a process that could end up preserving the building that was set for demolition by the county.

The former library has set empty and derelict since Katrina slammed into the Coast on August 25, 2005. Since that time, the Harrison County Library System has sought to build a new library as the current building was badly damaged and unusable. It also faces future damages from hurricanes. In the process, the county library system, which owned the building but not the land, found themselves in the position where FEMA would only reimburse the county for a new library if the county had full control of the property. That required that the city of Gulfport, which controlled the land, turn over the property to the county. In so doing, that meant the county didn't need the building any further as it plans to build a new library in the Orange Grove area of Gulfport as the community's main library.

This decision set of a fury of protests from residents in the older section of Gulfport who felt that the old library needed to remain and be refurbished. The library, located just north of Gulfport Harbor, has always been problematic and expensive to maintain, but residents wanted it to stay and have pushed to get a stay on its demolition by appealing to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.

At a meeting on the library building, state archive officials have reportedly said the building could qualify as a historical structure, even though it was built in the 1960's. A period of public comment is expected to be held on  the building and a final decision will come later. The process does keep the wrecking ball from the library a bit longer.

More Information:

Gulfport Library Gets a Reprieve - Sun Herald