Preservationists fanned out across the Coast as soon as they could after Hurricane Katrina to document the historic structures ravaged by the powerful storm’s wind and surge.

“Of course, some of them were completely gone,” said Ken P’Pool, then deputy state historic preservation officer for the Mississippi Department of Archives & History . “We could hardly determine where they had been.”

MDAH’s small staff was joined by volunteers from organizations that included the Mississippi Heritage Trust , Historic Natchez Foundation, and the Vicksburg Foundation for Historic Preservation.

While many historic structures were lost completely, many others survived.

P’Pool and others got to work, securing almost $25 million in federal funds and other money, and enlisting expert volunteer assist

See Full Page