The historical and architectural significance of three Meridian schools — Meridian High, Crestwood Elementary and Magnolia Middle — has led to their designation as Mississippi Landmarks.

The three schools were approved for state landmark status by the Board of Trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History during a January meeting.

“As we look to the future, it’s important to remember the history of our schools and district,” said Meridian Public School District Superintendent Dr. Amy Carter. “Having Crestwood, Magnolia, and Meridian High designated as Mississippi Landmarks will ensure that the rich history of these campuses will be maintained.”

Under the state’s Antiquities Law, the Department of Archives and History’s board has the authority to designate publicly owned properties that are found to have historical and/or architectural significance as Mississippi Landmarks.

The designation also carries with it a requirement that any proposed alterations or additions to the building that may affect its historic character must be reviewed and approved by the department.

The Meridian district needed approval from the department for renovation and addition projects currently underway on several school campuses as a result of the $34 million school bond issue approved by voters. During the process of archives and history department officials reviewing the bond projects, they noted these three schools were of importance because of their architectural style or historical significance, said Clay Sims, MPSD’s director of operations.

“We support their mission,” Sims said of the department’s efforts to preserve historic buildings in the state. “They have an interest, and it’s a reasonable interest, in the historic nature of some of the construction of some of our buildings. And we want to honor that by partnering with them to make sure we do any alternations that respect that.”

All three schools were designated as Mississippi Landmarks on Jan. 19.

The Meridian High School complex, which includes the old Meridian Junior College complex, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 29, 2014. Constructed in 1936-1937, Meridian High not only served high school students but also housed a municipal junior college from the late 1930s through the mid-1960s, before MJC moved to a new campus. The two-story, red-brick masonry structure “is also locally significant for the architectural character of its buildings that embody the Stripped Classical and Art Moderne styles,” according to the high school’s Landmark listing.

Constructed in 1965 in an International and Modernist style, Crestwood Elementary is one of the more well known public schools designed by famed Meridian architect Chris Risher Sr., who was considered one of Mississippi’s leading Modern architects. His brilliance for Modern design is seen all over the Queen City. Because of the sloping ground, Crestwood was designed in a compress one- and two-story style around two courtyards.

Formerly Magnolia Junior High School, Magnolia Middle was constructed in 1958-59 also in the Modern and International style, designed by architect Bill Archer.

“Magnolia, they said, was more significant historically because of the time frame it represents,” Sims said. “It was built during the transition to integration and they felt it was a good example of the type of architecture that was being used at that time.”

Sims said all bond construction projects to Meridian school campuses, after some reworking, have been approved by the Department of Archives and History. He also said some historical preservation grants may be available to the school district in the future as a result of the Mississippi Landmark designations.