Sidewalk tiles designating family homes (and at least one business, which I assume the Mill Street tiles to be) are scattered throughout Greater Belhaven and Downtown. I began noticing them some months ago, and neighbors directed me to more that they knew of; many of those were gone. With the exception of the Mill Street and Fleming tiles, those on Oakley and on the corner of Hamilton and Bloom, all are before standing structures, but I know of only one family (the Sones) still in residence. These markers are certainly not unique to Jackson, but such fragile and easily-overlooked historical ephemera deserve documentation.
Hamilton and Bloom
I lived on Congress St when I was at MIlsaps in the early 70s and there were a number of these tiles there but they were destroyed when the Baptist Hospital turned it into a Parking lot. I do remember the Wills lot and there were a few more there that I don’t remember.
I’m going to walk around Congress and President looking for more. If I find any, I’ll be sure to add them.
look up and down capitol. and Lamar, even when 1 jackson place went in, they left a lot of the tiles for the business that ‘used to be’ along with indented sidewalks for the front doors (at one time). then also in front of the king edward, Lott Furniture (I think still has them) and few others close to the train station.
I’ll certainly check Lott Furniture again, but I think most of the ones on Capitol are gone with the new construction. I’m almost certain there are no tiles such as these in front of the King Edward. God knows, I’ve been around that block many times.
Jesse–doubtless you know this, but the Sones tiles are new. Anne & Jimmy Young bought & started redoing that house (can’t remember original owners’ name) & decided it was too much for them; plus they found a house in Woodland Hills they loved. Jim Sones (GI Doctor) bought that house from them, tore out what they had done, & redid the whole thing. He had been married to Donna Kennedy Sones from Magee, they split. She married Jim Barksdale, whose wife had died, & Jim remarried as well, but I don’t know his wife.
The Lyell tiles were at my father’s childhood home.
The Lyell house at 935 Bellevue Place, still standing, was built in 1924. I was born there in September 1925. I hate to confound “global warmers” but the temperature that day was 104 degrees. For further perspective, I think the Welty house on Pinehurst was built the same time. Eudora and my brother Frank became friends at Central High and remained so. She dedicated one of her books to him. I always looked on her as a friend who wrote books. (More another time, maybe.)
The marker which says “Fife” is at 721 Arlington, not 712.
Thank you! I think I changed it, let me know if I didn’t so I’ll get it right.