The Foundation for Mississippi History has received $1.4 million in donations for the future Margaret Ann Crigler Park, which is part of the ongoing effort to revitalize downtown Jackson.

The Mississippi Arts Commission and the Phil Hardin Foundation contributed $500,000 each. In addition, two anonymous donors gifted $200,000 each. The donations are directed to the Foundation of Mississippi History, a nonprofit that supports Mississippi Department of Archives and History projects.

“It’s such an uplifting day today to see this, to see dreams become a reality through the generosity of so many donors, and really all of us working together,” Spence Flatgard, president of the state archive department’s Board of Trustees, said at a press conference Tuesday in front of Two Mississippi Museums and across the street from the future park.

The two museums are the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, which are a short walk from the state Capitol building.

Katie Blount, director of archives and history, said the park would help the larger push to revitalize the downtown area.

“A park can really galvanize other improvements, and we’re really excited about that,” she said.

The new park is currently in phase one of construction. It’s set to open at Mississippi Makers Fest in 2027. It will be a green space with a children’s area, a walking trail, a splashpad, a pavilion and more.

Lloyd Gray, executive director of the Phil Hardin Foundation, said the park would help the Two Mississippi Museums provide educational opportunities to Mississippi students and that their donation was an investment in the capital’s revitalization. 

“No entity in our capital city is more important to the educational, cultural and civic life of our state than the Two Mississippi Museums, and we at the Hardin Foundation are both honored and excited to be a part of their continued growth and development,” he said.

The Legislature allocated $3 million to support construction of the park, according to an archives and history press release.

“The arts enhance the quality of life and local economies,” said Mississippi Arts Commission’s Executive Director David Lewis in the release. “With the generous support from the Mississippi Legislature, we can activate our citizens’ innate creativity and invest in our communities.”

The park is located at the former site of the Eudora Welty Library.

Once a Sears department store, the Welty library became the flagship branch of the Jackson/Hinds Library System in the 1980s. The library closed its doors in June 2023 after falling into disrepair. The Jackson City Council transferred the property to Mississippi Department of Archives and History in December that year. The state department is now turning the site into a park and green space, inspired by the city of Jackson’s original layout.

Margaret Ann Crigler Park gets its name from the late wife of Noble Crigler, a retired businessman who contributed $1 million in lead funding to the project in 2023. 

Editor’s note: The Phil Hardin Foundation is a Mississippi Today donor. Donors do not in any way influence our newsroom’s editorial decisions. For more on that policy or to view a list of our donors, click here.