Description
Beacon Homes for white families was begun in 1939 with clearance of sub-standard housing. The project included 45 buildings of 3 1/2 and 5 1/2 room units on Beacon Street, now renamed Leontyne Price Boulevard. Designed by architects Landry and Matthes, low bid was awarded to W. J. McGee and Son for $466,943. Beacon Homes was the first low-rent housing project in Mississippi. Plans called for construction of one-story duplex dwellings and two-story row houses, with brick walls on hollow tile backup, concrete first floors and wood second floors, pitched roofs with cement asbestos shingles, and gas-fired space heaters. The facilities remain in use.
Project Details
| Federal Cost | Local Cost | Total Cost | Project #'s |
|---|---|---|---|
| 466943 |
Source notes
Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Historic Resources Inventory Database. “Beacon Homes.” Retrieved October 22, 2019 from https://www.apps.mdah.ms.gov/Public/rpt.aspx?rpt=publicPropSearch&Name=&StreetNo=&StreetName=&City=Laurel&County=Any
Slum clearance projects starts soon in Laurel. (Aug. 19, 1939). Clarion-Ledger, p. 2.
Laurel receives bids for Federal low-cost dwelling. (Sep 17, 1939). Clarion-Ledger, p. 1.
150 dwelling units planned. (Nov. 21, 1939). Clarion-Ledger, p. 11.
Housing Project at Laurel will start next week. (Dec. 7, 1939). Clarion-Ledger, p. 5.
Project originally submitted by Susan Allen on November 10, 2019.
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