The Marion County Historical Society says it is making great strides on the restoration of the 1809 John Ford Home and the Fordsville complex at Sandy Hook.
Recently the board of directors along with Carol Durham, curator of the Marion County Museum & Archives, met with Mingo Tingle of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History Technical Preservation Services. They discussed needed restoration and stabilization projects for the home itself.
According to Clyde Ginn, PhD, “The most immediate need is stabilization of the historic foundation, followed by reconstruction of the original windows and restoration of the cypress siding.”
Those projects, along with current work being conducted on historic Paynes Chapel, should be completed by the end of this year.
The Historical Society has a five-year plan that includes, among other things, reconstruction of the historic outbuildings and completion of a new visitor and interpretive center. The Mississippi Legislature appropriated $350,000 this year to help the Historical Society with renovations to the Ford Home.
“We really have a lot of activity going on at the property right now. I am excited that our legislators saw fit to assist us with this effort,” Ginn said.
Durham came on board in June as curator and is reorganizing the museum materials and preparing for future changing exhibits and educational programs. For tours of The John Ford Home, please contact Durham at (601) 731-3999.
Pictured Above: Mingo Tingle and Clyde Ginn review an early 1900s photo of the John Ford Home and proposed work. The Marion County Historical Society has several projects going on to renovate the Sandy Hook homestead that is one of the oldest in the region. | Photo Submitted
