Initial Work Is Underway On Old Jail Museum Project
Work is in the early stages to make the county’s century-old jail on Blackmur Drive a museum.
Initial Work Is Underway On Old Jail Museum Project
By Linda Scott
Special To The Herald
Recently many have asked us, “How is the Old Water Valley Jail Museum Project going?”
We thought we would take a moment to update everyone. Bob Tyler, Eddie Ray, Mickey Howley, and Jamie Scott recently had very positive and fruitful visits in our state capital with directors of the Mississippi Heritage Trust and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History.
Our next steps in the process are to host officials from these agencies to Water Valley for a site visit, complete the structural engineering analysis of the building, prioritize work to stabilize the structure, visit jails around the state to view their preservation work and programs – all in preparation for seeking funding for The Old Water Valley Jail Project. It’s an exciting time! We are on the cusp of things really happening and excited about the progress of project. Of course, all of this will occur only with the support of the Board of County Supervisors, Water Valley Main Street Association, and Economic Development and Tourism.
A few folks have asked us lately, “What kind of museum this will be?”
The most important goal and our main interest is to preserve the jail as a unique structure and historic icon, tell the jail’s story before it disappears, educate visitors about the Mississippi Department of Corrections penal system and assist in the development of a future Mississippi Jail Trail.
Our focus is to create a museum that tells the story of small jails to the penitentiary. Currently, we expect to include such things as auditory jail cells exhibits, interactive learning opportunities and other educational possibilities, special events nights, sleepovers, preservation of graffiti, gift shop, jail house music and its history, historical research, create a movie with a narrative of life in the Mississippi penal system including chain gangs, work details, and create an art gallery for prisoner, outsider and primitive art.
Currently we are in the exploratory phase of this project. We will continue to update everyone as the Old Water Valley Jail Museum and Art Gallery Project moves forward. Something to think about: We are not prepared to collect artifacts yet, but if you have access to uniforms, records, equipment, tools, prisoner paraphernalia or personal items, please consider collecting those to share and display in the old jail.
