JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI | City With Soul

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Mississippi’s first LGBTQ shelter opening in Jackson
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JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Mississippi’s first LGBTQ+ domestic shelter has opened in the capital city.

Officials said the Jack Myers House took a decade of planning and executing.

“There has been a lot of love and attention for the city and for the state. And there are a lot of community members that have really come together to really help get the Jack Myers House open,” said Jason McCarty, executive director of the Mississippi Harm Reduction Initiative.

The idea started in the 1970s with a man from Pelahatchie. Jack Myers provided resources to those in need.
“They were taken cared of and protected and loved. And Jack’s been doing that his whole life. And that’s why I’m thrilled that they named the center after him or the house after him to honor him while he’s alive, so he can see it because this city owes a lot to him,” said Stan Nichols, the manager of the Jack Myers House.

The house will serve as a resource hub for residents and those who are seeking help in the community.


“Our clients can stay up to 90 days. There are shop placements, there’s resumé building. There is a recovery aspect to it, as well. So if there is a substance use disorder, we can get you back into treatment. We can help you with those aspects. There are support groups for people surviving domestic violence, support groups for mothers of domestic violence,” said McCarty.

The Jack Myers House will hold a grand opening in July.

https://www.wjtv.com/news/local-news/mississippis-first-lgbtq-shelter-opening-in-jackson/

Discover Mississippi: Carousels at the Agriculture Museum

Elaborate carousels, replete with carved and lacquered horses and other animals take you back in time.

When the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum opened in 1985, 22 exhibits were available to tour on the 39-acre property in the center of Jackson. One area that takes visitors back to a simpler time is its fictional Small Town, Mississippi. Reminiscent of a 1920’s town, the exhibit is complete with a general store, filling station, sawmill, blacksmith shop, doctors’ office and more. One of the ways people found entertainment was on elaborate carousels, replete with carved and lacquered horses and other animals.


By 1988, Small Town, Mississippi had its own carousel. Manufactured by the Allan-Hershell Company of North Tonawanda, New York, the 1928 carousel features cast aluminum galloping horses and sleigh-style seats, and a custom canvas top. The carousel house features painted scenery. Each of the animals on the carousel has a scene painted on the saddle. The carousel is retrofitted with 144 lights and 12 mirrors. The nostalgic carousel fits the overall theme of Small Town.

A larger carousel will now be added to the museum, thanks to a generous donation from Miskelly Furniture.

“The original carousel is great, but it’s best suited for small children,” says Justin Nipper, marketing and events specialist at the Ag Museum. “There is a height and weight limit. The new carousel can handle adult riders.”


The large antique carousel was acquired by Miskelly Furniture from a theme park in Argentina. Known as the “Caring Carousel,” it was located in a special wing of the store in Pearl. Customers paid $1 to ride the carousel, and the proceeds benefited many local charities, including Make-A-Wish Foundation, Big Brothers/Big Sisters and more.

“Over $200,000 was raised since Miskelly Furniture added it to their new building in 2004,” said Justin.

An announcement was made on October 19, 2020 that Miskelly Furniture was donating the carousel to the Ag Museum. Oscar Miskelly made the announcement with Agriculture and Commerce Commissioner Andy Gipson and Hayes Patrick, Executive Director of the Mississippi Ag Museum on hand.


At the press conference, Commissioner Gipson said, “We are very excited to accept this unique donation on behalf of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum. This attraction will make a great addition to the multiple exhibits we currently offer across the grounds of the Museum complex. I look forward to seeing the joy their generous donation brings to all the families that visit the museum.”

The carousel had to be disassembled at the furniture store and taken in pieces to the Ag Museum.

“Because it was October, the state fair was in town,” says Justin. “The same people to assemble the rides at the fair were dispatched to Miskelly’s to disassemble the carousel. That wasn’t a job for just anyone. It required someone who understood what they were dealing with.”

The carousel will be reassembled inside a new carousel house once one is built.

“The location has been determined,” says Justin. “It will be on the grounds of the Ag Museum near the Children’s Barnyard and Multipurpose Building.”

There is no time frame for the construction.

“The Ag Museum Foundation is working on raising funds for the carousel house.”

The Ag Museum is located at 1150 Lakeland Drive in Jackson. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm.

https://magnoliatribune.com/2024/06/11/discover-mississippi-carousels-at-the-agriculture-museum/

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