Description
The Franklin Academy Elementary School was constructed on the site of the state’s oldest public school, Franklin Academy. PWA project x1306 approved a grant of $117,000 9/26/1938. Construction began 12/1/1938 and was completed 12/1/1939 for a total cost of $260,154. Architect R. W. Naef designed the 2 1/2 story brick Colonial Revival building constructed by Daniel Construction Company. The building featured a “two-story pedimented portico supported on continuious Tuscan columns, rusticated brick quoins, and square central tower with octagonal cupola” (P’Pool, 1979, p. 17). The building remains in use as a school.
Source notes
Mississippi Department of Archives & History. Historic Resources Inventory. Retrieved Nov. 26, 2019 from:
https://www.apps.mdah.ms.gov/Public/rpt.aspx?rpt=publicPropSearch&Name=&StreetNo=&StreetName=&City=Columbus&County=AnyP'Pool, K. (Sept. 5, 1979). Columbus Central Commercial Historic District National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service: United States Department of the Interior.
New school slated on site of state’s first public hall. (Nov. 14, 1938). Clarion-Ledger, p. 6.
Report No. 5 Status of Completed Non-Federal Allotted Projects, Region No. 3 Mississippi. (January 3, 1940). Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works Projects Division, p. 106.
Project originally submitted by Susan Allen on November 26, 2019.
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