Oct. 29, 2003
Local groups surprised by $150,000 in new funding for Belfry Church
by Lucy Schultze
The Oxford EAGLE
Oxford preservationists were elated Tuesday afternoon with
news of a $150,000 federal grant for the restoration of Burns
"Belfry" Church on Jackson Avenue.
"I am still thinking it just can't be for real," said Maralyn
Bullion, president of the Oxford-Lafayette County Heritage
Foundation. "Susie Marshall's dream is going to come true."
Marshall and other members of the African-American community
have long held the hope that the Belfry would someday be restored and
used as a meeting place and heritage museum.
The building was given to community groups last fall by
author John Grisham, who had used it briefly as an office. Though
thrilled at the chance to save it, the heritage foundation together
with the Oxford Development Association, an African-American group,
were daunted by the money they'd need to restore the crumbling church.
But with this week's unexpected gift, the project now has
about half of the amount needed for a full restoration, according to
project leader Jim Pryor.
"It's a very pleasant surprise and one that will allow us to
go further with the renovation," he said.
The group was already planning to begin the restoration in
February with $100,000 from the state's Community Heritage
Preservation Grant Program, combined with $20,000 in locally raised
funds.
Belfry supporters applied for state money through this
program again this year, Pryor said, and are hoping for good news
when the grants are announced in December.
Initial restoration work will include a new roof, brick work,
heating and air condition systems and other work to stabilize the
building.
Pryor said he's not sure yet how much more the additional
money will accomplish.
The federal grant was included at the last minute by U.S.
Rep. Roger Wicker as the Interior Department appropriations bill was
passing out of the House-Senate conference committee on its way to
final passage.
"We were fortunate to provide funds to begin the process of
bringing back this historic structure," Wicker said in a written
release.
John Keast, Wicker's chief of staff, said this morning that
the congressman "took a gamble" on pushing for the Belfry money.
The project was among several that city and county leaders
brought to the attention of Wicker and senators Trent Lott and Thad
Cochran during a visit to Washington last winter.
The appropriations bill also includes $300,000 for the
restoration of the L.Q.C. Lamar house on North 14th Street, a keen
interest of Cochran's.