Historic Churches of Mississippi

Historic Churches of Mississippi is Sherry Pace's photographic tribute to religious architecture in Mississippi. In her new book she showcases 133 of the state's most notable historic churches and synagogues dating from the 1820s through the 1920s. Close-ups of some of the structures reveal the work of talented artisans and beautiful architectural detailing.

Architectural historian Richard J. Cawthon provides historic and architectural background both in the introductory essay and in the captions to Pace's photographs. The religious styles and forms represented range from simple wood-frame country churches to elaborate cathedrals, including the Federal, Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, Italianate, Romanesque, Moorish, and Neoclassical Revival styles.

All of the churches are documented by the Historic Preservation Division of the Department of Archives and History. The book includes images of several churches that have since been destroyed or damaged by Hurricane Katrina. On the front cover of the catalog is the bell tower of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer in Biloxi. Made a memorial after surviving Hurricane Camille in 1969, it was destroyed during Katrina.

With churches from Aberdeen, Bay St. Louis, Biloxi, Bogue Chitto, Brookhaven, Byhalia, Canton, Carrollton, Centreville, Church Hill, Clarksdale, Clinton, Columbus, Como, Enterprise, Greenville, Greenwood, Grenada, Gulfport, Hattiesburg, Hazlehurst, Holly Springs, Iuka, Jackson, Laurel, Leakesville, Learned, Leland, Lexington, Liberty, Macon, Madison, Magnolia, McComb, Meridian, Natchez, New Albany, Ocean Springs, Okolona, Oxford, Pocahontas, Pontotoc, Port Gibson, Raymond, Rodney, Sardis, Shubuta, Starkville, Terry, Vaiden, Vicksburg, Water Valley, Wesson, Winona, Woodville, and Yazoo City

Sherry Pace of Madison County, Mississippi, is a freelance outdoor photographer. Her work has appeared in the Best of Photography Annual 2001 and Victorian Houses of Mississippi. Learn more about her work at www.sherrypacephotography.com. Richard J. Cawthon is the former chief architectural historian at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. He lives in Jackson, Mississippi.