In September of 2009, the Threefoot building was placed on a list of the 10 most endangered historic places in Mississippi by the Mississippi Heritage Trust. It was announced today that the building has made it to an even more ominous list - The National Trust for Historic Preservation has listed it as one of the 11 most endangered historic places in the United States. The National Trust for Historic Preservation has listed numerous factors for the building being added to the list, such as deterioration and water infiltration. It has noted the city's failed attempts to restore it even after having a restoration company willing to move forward. The latest update on the Historic Trusts' website lists a fear of the Meridian "City Council will attempt to remove the building from the Mississippi Landmark List in order to pave the way for its demolition" as one of the main reasons it has been added to this list. This is important because The Mississippi Antiquities Act (Code of 1972) states:
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(39-7-11) (2) All other sites, objects, buildings, artifacts, implements, structures and locations of historical or architectural significance located in or under the surface of any lands belonging to the State of Mississippi or to any county, city or political subdivision of the state may be declared to be Mississippi landmarks by majority vote of the board. Every Mississippi landmark shall be so designated based upon its significance within the historical or architectural patterns of a community, a county, the State of Mississippi, or the United States of America. Upon such action by the board, the designation of the Mississippi landmark shall be recorded in the deed records of the county in which the landmark is located. All such designated sites or items located on public lands within the State of Mississippi may not be taken, altered, damaged, destroyed, salvaged, restored, renovated or excavated without a permit from, the board or in violation of the terms of such permit.
The Threefoot building is on a short list with places such as the Wilderness Battlefield in Virginia. This Civil War battlefield is under threat as Walmart has made plans to put a store on this historic site and has ignored options to locate it in other suitable places. The inclusion on this list puts the Threefoot building in the spotlight in front of a national audience of preservationists. Recent city furloughs and downsizing are proof that the City of Meridian does not currently have the money to spend on the building. However, this may be what the building needs to draw the attention of private investors who are willing to save the art deco structure from the inevitable wrecking ball it's heading towards. The Citizens of Meridian and Lauderdale county can only hope to be so lucky.
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Facts and Links:
Built 1928-1930
The Threefoot Building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979
It was added as a Mississippi Landmark in 2008
The City of Meridian owns the building
The building took its name from the Threefoot family who built it as part of their growing wholesale business.
The Threefoot family was wiped out during the Great Depression a few years after opening this building.
