The largest auditorium constructed for African Americans in Mississippi, Carnegie Auditorium was completed in 1923 and was a centerpiece of Mississippi Industrial College until it closed in 1982. Founded in 1905 by the Mississippi Conference of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, this former 120-acre campus was once the home to The Mississippi Industrial College. The college was built across from Rust College, another HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) that focussed on the liberal arts. This college offered training in fields ranging from agriculture to mechanical arts. Facing declining enrollment, the alumni acted to save the campus in the 1970s. As part of this effort, the college was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, just two years before the school closed its doors for good. Rust College has acquired the campus buildings and hopes to preserve and repurpose these structures.
The Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum dates back to community-based exhibits that were located in a variety of locations in Holly Springs from the 1970s until 2000 when this museum found a permanent home in this historic house where Ida B. Wells was born into slavery. The museum is dedicated to promoting the contributions African Americans have made in the areas of art, culture, and history. The museum's namesake, was one of the most influential Americans of the 20th century, a noted African American journalist, activist, and founding member of the NAACP. The museum is located in the historic Spires Bolling House, which was erected in c.1858 by local architect Spires Bolling, who owned Wells, her mother, father, and several other enslaved persons. The museum's collection contains local family heirlooms and artifacts, and personal items of Wells including memorabilia, awards and belongings. There is also a Genealogy Room that houses records of several local African American families and a an art gallery. The museum offers a variety of educational programming for adults and children as well. The house is a contributing property of the East Holly Springs Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Erected around 1858 by Robert and Margaret McGowan, Montrose is one of the more striking historic homes in Holly Springs. An excellent example of Greek Revival architecture, the house features a grand two-story portico with Corinthian columns, a lunette window in the pediment, a spiral staircase, marble mantel pieces, parquet flooring, and ornate ceiling medallions. There is also an arboretum on the property. Today, the house is maintained by the Holly Springs Garden Club and is available to rent for weddings and other events.
One of the most beautiful homes in Holly Springs, Airliewood is a historic mansion built in 1858 by wealthy planter William Henry Coxe (1824-1865). It is a striking example of Gothic Revival architecture. Notable features include three steeply pitched front gables with ornate woodwork and pointed Tudor-arched windows. In the winter of 1862-1863, Union General Ulysses S. Grant lived in the house and used it as his headquarters. Airliewood is a contributing property of the East Holly Springs Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Walthall House is a small but elegant historic home built by Barrett Walthall (1799-1881) in 1848. His son, Edward Cary Walthall (1831-1898) served as a Confederate brigadier general during the Cvil War and as a U.S. Senator. The house is also significant for its association with noted artist Kate Freeman Clark (1875-1957), who was Barrett's great granddaughter. Clark lived in the house for two periods of her life. In between, she lived and worked in New York City for 30 years. The adjacent building is the Kate Freeman Clark Art Gallery, where many of her paintings are stored and on display. The Kate Freeman Clark Trust owns both buildings.
Operating from this historic former college building since 1970, the Marshall County Historical Museum preserves and promotes local and Southern history with exhibits and programs that interpret the numerous items and artifacts on display. These include Civil War artifacts, taxidermy animals, Victorian children's books, Native American artifacts, antique books, sports memorabilia, quilts, and clothing. The museum is housed in the former Mississippi Synodical College girls dormitory, which is a contributing property of the East Holly Springs Historic District. The district is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Marshall County Courthouse has served as the seat of county government since its construction in 1872. It is situated prominently in the center of Holly Springs and is the centerpiece of the Holly Springs Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed in the Italianate style, the courthouse features pedimented porticos on the north and south sides and a clock tower on the roof. It houses the offices of the Marshall County Circuit Clerk and the 18th Chancery District Court.
When this historic Holly Springs mansion was sold in 2011 for $15 million, it became the most expensive home in Mississippi. Not only is the property an outstanding example of Greek Revival and Gothic Revival architecture, but it was also the temporary residence of Union General Ulysses S. Grant's wife, Julia, and their son, Jesse, in early December 1862 (it is unclear whether Grant himself stayed here). At the time, Grant was in the midst of a campaign to capture the strategic town of Vicksburg, Mississippi. The house was built in 1860 for its namesake, Harvey Washington Walter, who was the president of the Mississippi Central Railroad. Walter Place is a contributing property of the Southwest Holly Springs Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a private home and not open to the public.
The Chalmers Institute building has significant historical connections to the city. It was once the home of four schools in Holly Springs: Holly Springs Literary Institute (a boy's school), the University of Holly Springs, a Methodist law and medical school, and another boy's school called the Chalmers Institute. Built in 1837, it is one of the oldest structures in the city. It is currently owned by the Preserve Marshall County & Holly Springs, Inc., which has worked to preserve and restore it since acquiring the old building in 2009.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This walking tour begins at the former campus of Mississippi Industrial College. the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum, and several historic homes before making its way to the downtown area with stops at art galleries, additional museums, and historic buildings. The tour concludes at the former home of the Chalmers Institute, a boys school located in a building that was constructed in 1837.
