NEWTON — With clouds drifting overhead, a gentle breeze circulating, a lawn full of well dressed citizenry and a politician in a seersucker jacket giving a speech from a Victorian era porch, it could have been a beautiful day in 1871 Mississippi, or the scene of a movie set. Instead, it was Thursday’s grand opening of the McElroy-Hoye House, the latest addition to Newton’s growing registry of historic landmarks.

Mississippi senator and Newton native Terry C. Burton, local dignitaries, volunteers from the Newton Historical Cultural Commission and a representative from the Mississippi Department of Archives and History were celebrating the completion of a restoration project that began in 2002 with the purchase of the center-hall-plan house by NHCC. Oddly enough, the idea of purchasing the house and turning it into a museum began at another Newton historic landmark, the Newton Depot.

NHCC President Dot Turnage said that a group of local men who gather to drink coffee at the depot on weekday mornings began the discussion of renovating the McElroy-Hoye House for use as a museum. Turnage’s husband, Wade, who has since died, was part of the coffee group. He talked to Turnage about the idea, and she began getting together a group to purchase the house from First Baptist Church of Newton.

Turnage and many volunteers decided that the home was important to the architectural history of the town and eventually bought the house for $1 from the church in 2006. Since that time the house has been moved from its original location and fully restored.

Present plans for the home will be to make it a center for arts and cultural activities. In addition to a complete restoration of the home, the NHCC has gathered donations from local citizens to furnish each room of the home with authentic period furniture and other appointments such bric-a-brac, paintings and Choctaw Indian beadwork and baskets. The home includes a parlor authentic to the period, a library and art studio.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony, Burton said the beautifully restored home was more than just a historical site. It is a modern example of cooperation among many groups to complete a worthwhile task.

“This is a perfect example of participation from the federal, state, local governments and the private sector,” Burton said. “All these groups have been amazing to get this off the ground. This is exciting and a great example of teamwork, hard work, dedication and determination.”

Jim Woodrick, director of Historic Preservation at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, also noted the importance of the McElroy-Hoye House restoration.

When asked why it was so important to preserve these homes, Woodrick said, “The simple answer is, it’s our history. I think it is pretty clear to most of us that a community that doesn’t preserve their history loses its identity. Economically, it is also beneficial. People from other places like to invest money where towns have invested in their architectural history with projects like this.”

Not resting on the accomplishment of opening the house, Turnage said the NHCC will begin next week with a meeting to discuss plans for upcoming events and projects at the home. She also said the organization is hoping to gain new volunteer members to continue working to preserve Newton’s historic landmarks.