Meridian and Lauderdale County residents enjoyed finger foods, drinks and socializing on Thursday as Meridian Architectural Trust held its first membership drive at Meridian Art Museum.

Trust President Sarah Johnson said the non-profit organization, which was formed in 2022, works to preserve Meridian’s historic structures for future generations. Members approach historic preservation from three angles, she said, including education, engagement and a revolving fund.

The group has already made headway on the education front with several lunch-and-learn events featuring different experts in aspects of historic preservation as guest speakers. The trust is also working on engaging the community in the preservation effort through an oral history project, Johnson said.

“We hope to begin our oral history program with the stories of Meridian in the late summer or fall to actively engage the community in collecting and preserving the stories of our city, the people and the places we call home,” she said.

The third front, Johnson said, is the revolving fund, and is by far the most difficult. The trust’s goal is to create a fund to purchase, preserve and restore historic structures in Meridian’s six historic districts. Once restored, the structures will be sold and the proceeds put toward the next project.

That is where membership in Meridian Architectural Trust comes in, said Vice President Ellen Bordeaux. There are seven levels of membership available, which range from $50 to $5,000 per year, and the funds raised from memberships go toward helping the trust achieve its goals.

“I urge you, I compel you to become a member of this organization,” she said. “We need you. We need your family members. We need all of your relatives. We need all of your friends. We want to make a difference in Meridian.”

Local architect Mark Davis, who serves as treasurer of Meridian Architectural Trust, said many people don’t fully understand how quickly the city is losing its historic buildings. If historic structures are to be saved, he said, something needs to be done.

“It’s really frightening how fast it’s going, so we’ve got to do something now, “ he said. “We’ve got to build this community. We’ve got to build this effort and really ramp that up to get something happening fast.”

While membership is one way to support the trust’s mission, Johnson said there are other ways to support the effort as well. The trust is also looking for someone to donate property in one of the city’s historic districts to jump start the restoration effort, she said.

The trust is a registered nonprofit organization, Johnson said, so donations are tax deductible.

The trust is also launching its second Historic Meridian Photo Contest, Davis said. The contest is open to professional and amateur photographers alike to submit their photos of Meridian’s historic buildings.

The photos will be displayed in the ACES gallery on 5th Street during the Full Moon on Fifth celebration in October, with cash prizes going to the top three entries. Artists will also have the opportunity to sell their photos with a small commission going to support the trust, Davis said. The cost to enter is $25 per photo.

For more information about Meridian Architectural Trust, membership, the photo contest and other ways to get involved, visit meridianarchitecturaltrust.org.