Lauderdale County supervisors are weighing a request from the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation to revitalize the Ulmer Building in downtown Meridian into a permanent home for both the foundation’s offices and museum.

 

In a work session Thursday, Leslie Lee, executive director of the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation, said the foundation is asking the county to donate the building to the foundation for it to use. The foundation and museum recognizing the Meridian native and “father of country music” have been making use of rented and temporary spaces, she said, but they need a permanent space to truly build roots.

 

“That is a huge starting point for us as a foundation,” she said. “We’ve spoken with some people who are knowledgeable about historic preservation and some of the funding we can get with that, also with The Mississippi Arts Commission and their building fund. It would give us a better starting point than we have now.”

 

The foundation currently rents a house on 22nd Avenue, Lee said, but the building is up for sale, and there is no guarantee the museum would be allowed to stay under new ownership. Additionally, she said, the museum exhibits and memorabilia actually belong to Jimmie Rodgers’ family and are leased to the foundation. The family also wants the museum to have a permanent home, and having one could help Meridian keep the memorabilia when the foundation’s lease is up.

 

“It is one of our main jobs to keep the family happy so that these items, when our lease is up, don’t go to Nashville in the Country Music Hall of Fame, they don’t go to Marty Stuart, they stay here in Meridian and Lauderdale County and keep the museum going,” she said.

 

“They want a freestanding museum that is owned by the Jimmie Rodgers Foundation, so that’s what we need to keep them happy,” she added.

 

The Ulmer Building, located at 1906 Fifth Street, is a two-story brick building built around 1920. It was declared a Mississippi landmark in 1999 and added to the historic register in 2007. Owned by the county, the building will need significant restoration before it can be used.

 

Lee said the foundation will look to include space for a small music venue, the Jimmie Rodgers Museum, a gift shop and office space in its restoration of the building. Not only will having a home keep the family happy, but it will also help the foundation qualify for more grants and other funding opportunities it can use to grow and thrive.

 

Supervisor Josh Todd said one of the selling points to him is that the foundation will be eligible for grants and other funds to help pay for the renovations that the county cannot access. The foundation has had engineers look at the building and understands it will not be an easy project, he said.

 

“I would encourage the board to really think about this,” he said.

 

Supervisor J.J. Anders, who serves as board president, said he is also on board with the plan but the specifics will take some time to work out. As a government entity, the county is restricted in what it can and cannot donate, he said, and the board will need to consult with its attorney to make sure the transfer is done legally.

 

Should it receive the building, Lee said the foundation is looking at approximately three years to raise the needed funds before work begins.