CARROLL COUNTY — One of the most well-known historic buildings in Carroll County, Cotesworth, is on its way to becoming a culture heritage center, as a new board holds its first fundraising activity here Wednesday.
The reception will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the home, which is located 2.3 miles north of Carrollton.
All area citizens are invited to attend and learn about the project and the home, which belonged to U.S. Sen. J.Z. George.
It was built around 1840 as a coach stop on the way from Holly Springs to Natchez. George leased it in 1853 and later purchased it as his home.
Dr. Tim Smith, formerly of Carrollton, who has written a biography of George, will discuss the house and George’s legacy. Tickets are $25, a tax-deductible gift, and can be purchased at the gate. A band will play on the porch.
Since 1956, Katharine Williams, a great-granddaughter of George, has owned the home and raised her family there. Mrs. Williams said she reached a point where she felt she could no longer care for the large home and grounds.
With her cousin, Gloria Kellum, Mrs. Williams looked for a way to put the home into the public domain. “I’ve been interested in the house for a long time and started working with Katharine to find a way to preserve it and share it with the public,” Kellum said.
The first step was to get assistance from the state Legislature.
“Senator Lydia Chassaniol worked to get a $250,000 bond to begin the project,” she said. “Other sources of financing will be from private foundations and from state and federal grants.”
The recent filming of “The Help” benefited the project immensely, Kellum said. The film crew put about $50,000 into improvements inside and outside the home. “This acts as an in-kind contribution toward the state funds,” she said.
The Cotesworth Culture Heritage Center, a nonprofit, will be governed by a board of directors and will work to acquire the house and find a sustainable plan for it. “We’re working with the Department of Archives and also the Department of Tourism,” Kellum said.
One of the most important aspects of the property will be to show the benefits of agriculture, she said.
“Sen. George helped get the Department of Agriculture to the cabinet level. He made it more important in the federal government,” she said. “We want to show people how food gets to the table, and we’ll look at other uses of the house.”
The group is hoping to tie the center into tourism in area cities located on Highway 82, in Indianola, Greenwood, Carrollton and Columbus.
“Carrollton has tremendous assets in its historic homes and churches and the Courthouse square. There are so many things that appeal to a cultural heritage tourist,” Kellum said.
“This type of tourist stays longer and spends more money,” she said. “We want to work together with the town and county to promote economic development.”
Forming the board and beginning the fund-raising process is the first step in an eight-year phase that will include purchasing and then developing the property, Kellum said.
“We’re just a group of volunteers working to make this happen,” she said.
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