Update: Historic Preservation in Glen Allan and Avalon, MS

In 2024, the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund received a $50,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund to conduct a TWO pre-preservation surveys–one of the historic juke joint in Glen Allan, MS and another of the St. James MB Church in Avalon, MS. MZMF hired preservation consultant Juan Self, of Memphis, and preservation engineer Parker DePriest, of Chad Stewart & Associates, Inc, to conduct structural assessments for historic preservation. Their initial site visits were conducted in November 2024.

The grant also provides funds to hire contractors and complete some of the preservation work suggested in the pre-preservation studies. After receiving an initial draft of the pre-preservation study for the Glen Allan property in late May 2025, MZMF scheduled weekly meetings with the Morganfield family to prepare a bid request, solicit bids from contractors, and complete as much work as possible within the grant period.

To learn more about the juke joint in Glen Allan, please visit HERE

This blog post contains some text from the initial draft of the “Facility Assessment” of the “Chatmon Store and Juke Joint [in] Glen Allan, MS.” It also contains a copy of the bid request prepared during the weekly meetings with the Morganfield family and other stakeholders, including descendants of the Chatmon family. MZMF is still seeking bids from licensed and bonded contractors who wish to work on the historic structure.

If you are a contractor, or if you know someone who might want to assist in our efforts to restore perhaps the most unique historic resource in the state of Mississippi, please do not hesitate to share the bid request and contact us to discuss potential collaboration.

Final Bid Request for the Juke Joint in Glen Allan, MS

Juan Self and Parker DePriest speaking with Ollie Morganfield, the owner of the Chatmon juke in Glen Allan, MS in November 2024. [Photograph © Shannon Evans 2024]

Building Description – Glen Allan, MS

(Taken from the May 2025 draft report prepared by Juan Self and Parker DePriest)

Located at the southeast corner of the intersection of 3rd and 4th Streets in Glen Allan, Mississippi, the building is a “shotgun” style, single-story wood framed structure built in the mid-1940’s and set on a conventional foundation with a crawl space. The size of the structure is approximately 670 gross square feet. The main entrance is from 4th Street where there is a wood framed porch approximately 48 square feet. The original use of the building was a store and café and later became a juke joint. The building is comprised of four (4) rooms: the main entrance from 4th street, the center room which has a brick chimney and wood-burning stove for heat, a bathroom (not original) attached to the center room opposite 3rd Street, and the kitchen which appears to have been a later addition.

The foundation is a conventional foundation incorporating pyramid CMU piers, CMU blocks and wood blocks for primary support of the wood joists. Above the floor joists, the sub-floor is a mix of plywood, and 1×6 wood planks. The walls are comprised of wood studs with various exterior siding materials (wood, vinyl, Masonite, cement fiberboard, and plywood). The exterior sheathing material beneath the siding was concealed at the time of the site visit and not observed. In addition to the mix of siding materials, the exterior fenestration includes wood double hung windows with two-over-two stacked lights, four-over-four and one-over-one lights. The front and rear doors are paneled wood doors, each with a black metal security door. The gable roof has a three-tab asphalt shingle over a wood deck and wood rafters.

The interior finish of the walls and ceilings is a mix of oriented strand board (OSB) and drywall. Floor finishes include laminate and sheet vinyl flooring in the kitchen, sheet vinyl in the bathroom, a mix of exposed plywood subflooring and vinyl tile in the center room and main entrance.

Juan Self walking with Keith Johnson, the grandson of Ollie Morganfield, during the pre-preservation survey of the Chatmon juke.” – November 2024. [Photograph © Shannon Evans 2024]

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Observations and Recommendations

The existing shingle roof needs to be replaced and is a high priority. Options for roof placement include either a similar three-tab shingle or an architectural dimensional shingle. The eaves should and valleys should be lined with a product similar to Grace’s Ice and Water Shield. The portion of the brick chimney above the roof needs to be re-built and properly flashed using metal step flashing. The penetration at the electrical service weather head needs to be properly flashed. A new continuous ridge vent is recommended and the addition of vents at the eaves between the exposed rafter tails. Voids between the rafter tails also need be closed with new wood sheathing and trim. Optionally low-profile hybrid powered roof ventilators may be installed on the south side of the roof concealed from the street. See structural recommendations for the porch replacement which should coincide with the roof replacement. The rear steps should also be replaced with similar construction materials (pressure treated wood) as the porch.

Ollie Morganfield and Parker DePriest discussing the pre-preservation survey inside the Chatmon juke – November 2024 – [Photograph © Shannon Evans 2024]

The wood-burning stove in the center room is the only heating source for the building and is a potential fire hazard. There are window air conditioners in the kitchen, main entrance room and center rooms. A new central heating and air conditioning system is recommended. A refrigerant-based HVAC (ductless split) system is recommended. Ceiling air distribution cassettes are recommended over wall mounted cassettes. Outside air may be fed to the cassettes via the attic.

The existing windows are deteriorated should be replaced with new single hung historically compatible one-over-one wood windows with double insulated glass. The exterior doors should be replaced with new six-panel or other historically compatible door profiles. It is recommended that the security door on the front be replaced with one that allows more of the main door to be visible from the street.

It is recommended that the existing siding be replaced in its entirety with new wood clapboard siding to match the ship-lap wood siding currently visible on the front/west elevation. All damaged wall sheathing should be replaced using either OSB or plywood. Diagonal wood planks are also acceptable. Any deteriorated studs or rim joists are to be replaced The sheathing should be covered with “house wrap” similar to products by Tyvek.

It is recommended that the soil at the crawl space and perimeter of the building be treated with termiticide and that a 15-mil vapor barrier be installed over the soil in the crawl space.

Regarding interior finishes. Once the items above and the structural recommendations are completed, interior finishes may be replaced as necessary. A wood plank floor is recommended for the main entrance and center room. A linoleum type floor for the kitchen may be used and tile is recommended for the bathroom. The steps to the bathroom should be replaced and made uniform.

Walls and ceilings should be replaced with veneer plaster (recommended) or drywall.

Ollie Morganfield inside the Chatmon juke – November 2024 – [Photograph © Shannon Evans 2024]

Dr. Carroll Van West and the St. James MB Church

The 2024 National Trust for Historic Preservation grant also focuses on the pre-preservation study of the St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Avalon, MS. It is an early to mid-twentieth century building frame church building that is significant for its associations with the African American community of Avalon as both a place of worship and as a school. It is the only extant historic community building associated with the Black community of Avalon. The building is also significantly associated with Mississippi John Hurt, who was not only a member of the congregation but also performed his music at the church. The sacred music he experienced at the church influenced his own music, both in the recording studio and on the concert stage. Standard Baptist hymnals such as “Oh Mary Don’t You Weep,” “Nearer My God To Thee,” “I Shall Not Be Moved,” and “Here Am I, Oh Lord, Send Me,” were part of his concerts and were released in albums.

In order to save the building from demolition, the Mississippi John Hurt Foundation arranged to move the building in 2018 to the Hurt property. This relocation is still within the larger cultural landscape of the African American community of Avalon and the setting of the church in a large open, public area is appropriate.

MZMF invited Dr. Carroll Van West to visit the site in January 2025 to assist in the preparation and installation of interpretive panels on site. In November 2024, Juan Self and Parker DePriest also conducted a site survey of the building in order to prepare a pre-preservation study. Below is a copy of Dr. West’s “Heritage Assessment and Recommendations” regarding the historic church, and MZMF intends to share the work of Juan Self and Parker DePriest as soon as it’s available. MZMF will also need contractors willing to complete some preservation work on the church. We will share that bid request as soon as possible.

To learn more about the St. James MB Church, please visit HERE