The former site in downtown Jackson of the former downtown library formerly on North State Street in Jackson has been demolished. New renovations are underway to undertake the transformation of the former site into a City Park.
Located adjacent to the Two Mississippi Museums, the park will feature native Mississippi foliage, a large open green space, an outdoor stage and a play area for children.
The park is a project of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and will be a new anchor on the city’s Museum Trail. Perkins & Will, a national architecture firm, is the landscape architect for the project.
The Legislature provided $3 million for the demolition of the Welty Library, which is under way, and dirt work, he said.
A $1 million gift from businessman Noble T. Crigler of Moon Lake and Viola, Ark., is for the design of the park that will be named in honor of his late wife, Margaret Ann Crigler, who died in November 2021.
“He’s the real reason why this is happening,” Flatgard said.
Crigler has also given an insurance policy that will provide for the perpetual maintenance of the park.
“He wrote a check out for $1 million and gave it to Katie Blount (director of MDAH) and said, ‘Let’s get started,’” said Mike Espy, former congressman and agriculture secretary who is a member of the Foundation for Mississippi History that supports and promotes the activities, programs and projects of MDAH.
Neither Margaret Crigler nor Noble Crigler attended college, but they worked together to become the largest owner, builder and manager of multi-family housing in the Mississippi Delta and north Mississippi and then branched off into fast food chicken restaurants. They have no children.
Espy met Margaret Crigler when he was campaigning for congressman and knocked on the door at the Crigler home in Moon Lake, which is outside Clarksdale, hoping to meet Noble Crigler.
The Foundation for Mississippi History has been awarded a $1 million grant from the Community Foundation for Mississippi’s John and Lucy Shackelford Fund to support the construction of Margaret Ann Crigler Park in downtown Jackson.
The Community Foundation of Mississippi donated $1 million from the John and Lucy Shackelford Fund to support the construction of the park.
“John and Lucy Shackelford were native Mississippians who left a legacy gift to this community,” said Jane Alexander, president and CEO of the Community Foundation for Mississippi. “With an enduring interest in history and public green spaces, the Shackelfords invested during their lifetime in projects like these, which enhance the quality of life in our capital city. We believe this gift honors their commitment to ‘forever’ giving and pays tribute to their personal interests.”
The Mississippi Arts Commission has also contributed $225,000 toward the green space.
Additional gifts have been made that have not been announced publicly, including one from the Walker Foundation.
The green space is expected to be ready for the 2026 Mississippi Makers Fest, which the Mississippi Department of Archives and History puts on to celebrate the state’s music, art and food.
“Every year, the Makers Fest has gotten better,” Flatgard said. “The new park will be the perfect place for it.”
Earlier, in March of 2025, the Northside Sun wrote an article the processes for the replacement of the former Eudora Welty Library with a new Eudora Welty Library.
