More donations are being made to help construct a public park to the old location of the Eudora Welty Library in Jackson.
The Mississippi Department of Archives and History announced during a Tuesday press conference that $1.4 million in new funding has been attained to bring the Margaret Ann Crigler Park to life. $500,000 of it came from the Phil Hardin Foundation, $500,000 from the Mississippi Arts Commission, and a pair of $200,000 donations were made by donors who are choosing to remain anonymous.
“Support from the Phil Hardin Foundation, the Mississippi Arts Commission and the private donors represent strong community buy-in on a project that will connect visitors to Mississippi’s history and culture,” said Spence Flatgard, the president of the MDAH Board of Trustees. “Their generosity brings us closer to making Crigler Park a vibrant space for reflection and learning in the Jackson community.”
The park will be located next to the Two Mississippi Museums and is designed to be a vibrant gathering place for families, students, and museum visitors. It will feature native landscaping, an open greenspace, a children’s play area, and an outdoor stage.
It will also connect to Jackson’s growing Museum Trail, which is currently about three miles of walking, running, and bicycling paths conjoining different parts of the city.
Construction is expected to begin in early 2026 with the first phase to be completed in 2027.
Lloyd Gray, executive director of the Phil Hardin Foundation, said the donation made sense for the nonprofit as part of its continued support of the Two Mississippi Museums, which include the Museum of Mississippi History and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum.
“The Two Mississippi Museums are educational and cultural treasures for our state, and the Phil Hardin Foundation has been a proud supporter since their inception,” he said. “We are delighted to continue that partnership with this grant for the children’s area at Crigler Park, which will both complete the Two Mississippi Museums campus and allow for expanded learning opportunities for students from across Mississippi.
“We also view this as an investment in the revitalization of our capital city, which is crucial for Mississippi to reach its fullest investment.”
The $500,000 donation from the Mississippi Arts Commission follows a $225,000 grant awarded by the state agency last year, bringing its total investment to $725,000. Other donations to date include $1 million from retired businessman Noble T. Crigler, whose late wife the park is being named after, $1 million from the Community Foundation for Mississippi, and $100,000 from the Junior League of Jackson. The Mississippi Legislature has also provided $3 million in state support.
“The arts enhance the quality of life and local economies,” Mississippi Arts Commission executive director David Lewis said. “With the generous support from the Mississippi Legislature, we can activate our citizens’ innate creativity and invest in our communities.”
In 2024, the MDAH acquired the former Eudora Welty Library property with plans to replace the building with a new public park and green space. The plans align with the original layout for Jackson from 1822, which included public green spaces on alternating blocks. Only two parks remain from the original layout: the Old Capitol Green and Smith Park.