A graduate student in Mississippi State’s Master of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation program was one of fifteen finalists in the 2024 Image of Research competition. The finalists’ work was displayed in the Colvard Student Union Art Gallery where Charlyn D. King of Lauderdale was selected for the People Choice award.
Put on by the Graduate School, the competition “gives students the opportunity to engage creatively with their research, share behind-the-scenes views of their research processes or portray their academic study in visual form.”
King’s research focused on the preservation of the historic Lewis House in Gautier. Constructed around 1845 as a residence for Alfred E. Lewis, who served as a state representative, the Greek Revival house was also home to artist Walter Anderson and is where he created some of his most innovative work.
“This particular building represents a confluence of historic preservation, architecture and art—three of my favorite things,” King said. “Historically, it's one of the oldest existing examples of Planter’s Cottage style, which is unique to the lower Mississippi river region. The components of the house were shaped by hand. The initial outlay of material, energy and labor required to build it are too valuable to push into a landfill only to duplicate the process with new construction.”
She added that buildings that pre-date electricity and air conditioning can teach a lot about passive methods of cooling and heating homes, directly impacting energy efficiency.
“It's important to educate the general public about sustainable architectural practices,” she said.
King said she’s always loved old houses and the creativity involved in updating historic structures to support modern expectations for continued use, which is why she enrolled in the historic preservation program at MSU.
“It’s the only advanced degree in historic preservation in the state, and I feel it was a good addition to my architectural education,” she said. “We have a very rich architectural heritage in Mississippi—from the big antebellum houses that you think about in Natchez and Columbus—to more modest structures like Oldfields. These structures are valuable historically but also as viable housing resources that have endured for generations.”