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The First Presbyterian Church of Port Gibson

Save Port Gibson Mississippi

Target:
2500
Sponsored by: 

After many years of  review and analysis the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has decided to reconstruct US Highway 61 on historical Church Street in Port Gibson instead of locating it to the east of the town. This project will significantly impact those characteristics, such as the historical churches and homes, the mature trees, the pedestrian and bike access, that make Church Street such a special place. (visit http://www.portgibson.org/ and www.portgibsononthemississippi.com for more information) The MDOT is attempting to ignore federal laws by claiming it will build the project with only state funds and therefore the Department does not have to comply with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106). Ignoring the fact that the prior MDOT work was conducted under NEPA and Section 106 with federal dollars, the MDOT believes it does not have to satisfy the historical preservation concerns associated with a Church Street route. It has masked its efforts with numerous misleading explanations on why the Church Street route has been chosen. The Mississippi State Department of Archives and History has expressed its concerns to the MDOT. MDOT's independent engineers and consultants have stated in their reports that such a route would harm the very elements that make Church Street a historical treasure. Even MDOT Commissioner Dick Hall has publicly stated he is opposed to using Church Street and acknowledged that the MDOT was skirting NEPA and Section 106 by claiming it will only use state funds. During the recent public presentation the MDOT informed residents that the Church Street route is its final decision. The Port Gibson Heritage Trust along with the NAACP are pursuing all avenues, including legal, to save Church Street. The effort needs the support of everyone interested in historical preservation. If you have never visited Port Gibson please visit the web sites above to see the significant historical structures that will be impacted along with the entire tourism business associated with this unique town.

For more information please visit - www.portgibsonheritagetrust.org/


If you would like to send a written letter in support of our efforts please send them to the-


PORT GIBSON HERITAGE TRUST INC
PO BOX 751
Port Gibson, MS
39150-0751

We will be collecting all letters and petition information for presentation to the MDOT and other potential uses. Thank you.






After many years of  review and analysis the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) has decided to reconstruct US Highway 61 on historical Church Street in Port Gibson instead of locating it to the east of the town. This project will significantly impact those characteristics, such as the historical churches and homes, the mature trees, the pedestrian and bike access, that make Church Street such a special place. (visit http://www.portgibson.org/ and www.portgibsononthemississippi.com for more information) The MDOT is attempting to ignore federal laws by claiming it will build the project with only state funds and therefore the Department does not have to comply with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (Section 106). Ignoring the fact that the prior MDOT work was conducted under NEPA and Section 106 with federal dollars, the MDOT believes it does not have to satisfy the historical preservation concerns associated with a Church Street route. It has masked its efforts with numerous misleading explanations on why the Church Street route has been chosen. The Mississippi State Department of Archives and History has expressed its concerns to the MDOT. MDOT's independent engineers and consultants have stated in their reports that such a route would harm the very elements that make Church Street a historical treasure. Even MDOT Commissioner Dick Hall has publicly stated he is opposed to using Church Street and acknowledged that the MDOT was skirting NEPA and Section 106 by claiming it will only use state funds. During the recent public presentation the MDOT informed residents that the Church Street route is its final decision. The Port Gibson Heritage Trust along with the NAACP are pursuing all avenues, including legal, to save Church Street. The effort needs the support of everyone interested in historical preservation. If you have never visited Port Gibson please visit the web sites above to see the significant historical structures that will be impacted along with the entire tourism business associated with this unique town.

For more information please visit - www.portgibsonheritagetrust.org/


If you would like to send a written letter in support of our efforts please send them to the-


PORT GIBSON HERITAGE TRUST INC
PO BOX 751
Port Gibson, MS
39150-0751

We will be collecting all letters and petition information for presentation to the MDOT and other potential uses. Thank you.






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We signed the "Save Port Gibson Mississippi" petition!
# 3,078:
10:07 am PDT, Sep 25, Chip Donald, Mississippi
# 3,077:
9:59 am PDT, Sep 24, Susan Harvey, Mississippi
History should repeat itself here - save Port Gibson! As others have said, it was too beautiful to destroy before, so why now? Our history should be preserved for all to see and enjoy - and to learn from.
# 3,076:
4:28 am PDT, Sep 24, Michael Green, Mississippi
The city too beautiful to burn should not be destroyed by a highway.
# 3,075:
4:04 am PDT, Sep 24, Grady Green, Mississippi
I agree with Gen. Grant, Port Gibson was too beautiful to burn in his day and it is most certenly too beautiful to destroy in our day and time. Please let Port Gibson keep it's idenity. There are some things that we as human beings need to maintain, and our history is one of them.
# 3,074:
7:25 pm PDT, Sep 23, Scott Rachal, Louisiana
# 3,073:
3:14 am PDT, Sep 23, Sandy Hatton, Texas
Dear Sirs: I was born in Lorman, Mississippi, Febuary 1, 1945. I lived there until I was 2 years old before my parents relocated to the oil-field of East Texas. We came back every year to visit with our relatives in Lorman, Port Gibson, Vicksburg, and Hermanville, Mississippi. Years ago my Aunt and Uncle lived on Church Street and that is where we fell in Love with Port Gibson all over again. This is an area in History that cannot be lost!! Even General Grant said "It's The City to Beautiful To Burn"!!! I do not agree nor do I accept that US Highway 61 will be lost to a heritage that will be destroyed because of "Progress"!!!! I totally agree with the fine people of Port Gibson and ANYONE that has had the PRIVILEGE to Admire Church Street,...including the visitors from the Great State of Mississippi and to all the people across the Nation that have traveled to this "Holy Site" , to REMEMBER OUR HISTORY AND THE PEOPLE THAT MADE THAT HISTORY! That is what makes History.--History, the written word, passed down through generations in Books and Encyclopedia's to give account of our COUNTRY!!! I Respectfully Add My Signatures of Lee and Sandy Hatton To Keep US Highway 61 Just the Way it Has Always Been ON HISTORICAL CHURCH STREET, PORT GIBSON, MISSISSIPPI. And PLEASE CONSIDER ADDING GENERAL GRANT TO OUR SIGNATURES , SINCE BY HIS OWN WORDS, CONSIDERED IT, "THE CITY, TO BEAUTIFUL, TO BURN"!!!
# 3,072:
7:11 pm PDT, Sep 22, Name not displayed, Mississippi
# 3,071:
9:28 am PDT, Sep 22, Andrea Peacock, Washington D.C.
# 3,070:
8:50 am PDT, Sep 17, Betty Booth, Georgia
I am not from Misissippi, but my husband is. It would be a SHAME to destroy the beauty of the area that the MDOT wants to pave over. There is to much destruction of our beautiful Histroic sites by NAture and by Man!. Please save all that can be saved for future generations to enjoy.
# 3,069:
11:57 am PDT, Sep 15, Michael Pippen, Louisiana
I recently drove through Port Gibson and had the privildge of enjoying the beauty of Church Street. A collection of homes and churches that are on display at that street is a rarity and it would be a shame to see it destroyed.
# 3,068:
1:22 pm PDT, Sep 14, Lynsey Pippen, Louisiana
Port Gibson's Church Street was part of our vacation route this year. We enjoyed the beautiful, peaceful scene along with easy access to the historical sites! Our hope is that these streets are protected!
# 3,067:
10:24 am PDT, Sep 12, George Jaynes, Mississippi
To Whom it may concern: I am a native Mississipian and have been interested in our state history since I was in elementary school. We have many beautiful and historic places in MS. and one of them is Port Gibson. I have visited there many times in my life. I even helped put together a presentation on the Presbyterian church for a school project, which included taking pictures of the building inside and out. I can attest to its beauty. Much thought must be given to keeping in tact the integrity of all the structures through the town. It probably would be less exspensive to just widen the street but, the impact would be very negative and immeasureable damage would be done to the main thoroughfare. Please just build the bypass and leave the street as it is.
# 3,066:
3:18 pm PDT, Sep 9, Ryan Waldron, Louisiana
Port Gibson was too beautiful to burn, and it is much too beautiful to pave over.
# 3,065:
1:28 pm PDT, Aug 30, Isaac Pickett, Mississippi
Save Church Street!
# 3,064:
9:46 am PDT, Aug 24, William Fisher, Louisiana
The people in charge of MDOTD have the mentality that would also build a fast food resturant next to The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington D.C. The people in Port Gibson need to use all their political clout to stop this project. They have a lot of senior members in Congress. Use it. General Sherman spared Port Gibson from burning, now some "Bubba" in MDOT wants to destroy it all with bulldozers.
# 3,063:
7:16 pm PDT, Aug 21, Annette Elam Wetzel, Virginia
The Reverend Joseph Bullen, a pioneer of Mississippi, was my GGGGG Grandfather. I am proud of the work he did in establishing houses of worship in the Port Gibson, MS area, as well as in Jefferson County, MS, the site of his burial. It would be criminal to disturb historic Church Street in Port Gibson with an "improved" highway, and I hope the people of Mississippi can see to it that Church Street is not ruined.
# 3,062:
2:49 pm PDT, Aug 20, Name not displayed, North Carolina
Having recently visiting Port Gipson, I was very impressed with the historical character of Church Street. It would be a shame to destroy this with the planned highway.
# 3,061:
1:03 pm PDT, Aug 19, Anthony Hughes, Mississippi
To many in Mississippi and throughout the country , this one street "IS" Port Gibson - it is the Icon of history and heritage - to alter it would be to alter the history of the area and thus Mississippi.
# 3,060:
7:52 pm PDT, Aug 11, Amanda Wiltz, Texas
# 3,059:
7:30 pm PDT, Aug 10, RANDY SOMMER, California
As a resident of Los Angeles and a frequent visitor to Port Gibson, I can only warn of what will occur to Church Street if it is widened to accomodate an army of constant large trucks with diesel fumes. Not only will the historical buildings immediately accelerate in decomposition, but the town of Port Gibson will quickly devolve into a dirty, cheap looking conglomeration of parasitic growths that will ultimately make Port Gibson devoid of any redeeming qualities, let alone charm! Don't think it can't happen. Explore other routes around Church Street. Why destroy a beautiful American city especially when our dependency on oil will soon be changing how all business is done. Be foresighted and look to the future.
# 3,058:
4:47 am PDT, Aug 9, Charles D Ethridge, Tennessee
# 3,057:
6:09 am PDT, Aug 7, William Robert Clark, Mississippi
# 3,056:
7:24 pm PDT, Aug 6, Kenton Athearn, Texas
# 3,055:
8:18 pm PDT, Aug 5, David Coon, Michigan
# 3,054:
5:18 pm PDT, Aug 5, Neal Neuenburg, California
# 3,053:
5:48 pm PDT, Aug 4, Paul Jenkins, Florida
# 3,052:
7:23 am PDT, Aug 4, Name not displayed, Mississippi
# 3,051:
7:20 pm PDT, Aug 3, Jennifer Robbins, Texas
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