NATCHEZ, Miss. – A bronze plaque will be placed in City Hall’s front lobby to commemorate its rededication as Natchez marks 100 years since the building’s construction.
Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson on Tuesday presided over the rededication ceremony with others, including two former mayors, the son of a former mayor and the great-great granddaughter of another who served the city more than 100 years ago.
With City Hall’s construction finished a century ago, its dedication ceremony back then was held Nov. 12, 1924. Tuesday’s rededication ceremony provided an opportunity to review the history of the building and Natchez city government, which dates back to 1803.
Among those attending Tuesday’s gathering at City Hall’s front steps were former mayors Tony Bryne, who served five terms from 1968 to 1988, and Jake Middleton, who served one term from 2008 to 2012. Also in attendance was Larry Brown, the son of Butch Brown who served three terms as mayor: 1992-2000 and 2012-2016. He died last year.
The city’s longest-serving mayor – William Benbrook – served from 1889 to 1922. His great-great-granddaughter is Laura Newkirk, who owns the North Pearl Street house Mayor Benbrook built in 1883 that’s been in her family since. Noting Benbrook was mayor during “a very progressive time in Natchez,” Newkirk said the family home was the first in town to have electricity, gas, telephone and water utilities.
Benbrook died while in office 1922, just two years before the current City Hall was erected on the site of the former seat of city government that was built in 1837.
Officially called the Municipal Building in 1924, it was constructed and outfitted at a cost then of nearly $60,800, which is about $1.1 million in today’s dollars. The South Pearl Street building has recently had renovations done to install a new roof and refurbishing the interiors costing about $250,000.
Gibson – first elected in 2020 and reelected without an opponent this year for his second term – noted he’s Natchez’ 44th mayor. He’s also the first mayor to be reelected unchallenged since Benbrook.
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