Natchez Trace Parkway Proposes to Remove Select Structures within the Tupelo Homestead Historic District

TUPELO, MS – The Natchez Trace Parkway (Parkway) proposes to remove several structures within the Tupelo Homestead Historic District in Lee County, Mississippi. The houses were built in 1936 by the Resettlement Administration and transferred to the National Park Service (NPS) in 1940.

The Parkway has been able to preserve a number of the structures by utilizing them as office space. In an attempt to preserve the remaining houses through a leasing program, the NPS issued a Request for Expression of Interest and held an open house to gauge public and private interest. In 2018, the NPS issued a Request for Proposals. Although there was interest, no proposals were submitted. Unfortunately, the Parkway does not have the resources to manage the structures and has made the difficult decision to move forward with removing nine houses (numbers 1-3, 5 and 6, 8-10, and 25) and associated outbuildings.

In accordance with §106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended, and the Advisory Council’s regulations, 36 CFR Part 800, we invite the public to consult with the Parkway regarding the above-referenced undertaking.

The Homesteads were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. The nomination document, which provides a historical overview of the property, and a location map are available at the link below. As mitigation, the Parkway plans to conduct a Historical American Building Survey (HABS) to document the structures before removal.

How to Provide Feedback

A public comment period will open between May 20 and June 21, 2019. The public is encouraged to comment about the proposal electronically via the National Park Service’s Planning, Environment, and Public Comment (PEPC) website:

https://parkplanning.nps.gov/TupeloHomesteads. Comments will also be accepted in writing. To submit written comments, mail to:

Superintendent

Natchez Trace Parkway

2680 Natchez Trace Parkway

Tupelo, MS  38804

Before you include your address, phone number, e-mail address, or other personal identifying information (PII) in your comment, you should be aware that your entire comment – including your PII information – may be made public at any time. While you can ask us in your comment to withhold your PII from public review, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so.

Media Release/Office of the Superintendent, Natchez Trace Parkway