The Natchez Historical Society invites you to join us on Tuesday at the Historic Natchez Foundation, 108 South Commerce Street. The meeting, which is free and open to the public, begins at 6:30 p.m. with a social gathering, followed by the program at 7 p.m. 

The program features HNF Executive Director, Carter Burns, discussing the history of the Historic Natchez Foundation from its founding in 1974. 

Dr. Tom Gandy was the first president. Ron Miller was the first executive director, followed in 2008 by his wife, Mimi. Carter became the third director in 2018, upon Mimi’s retirement.

Carter is a Natchez native and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Millsaps College, a Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law, and a Master of Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia.

He served as the Senior Attorney for the Right of Way Division of the Mississippi Department of Transportation and clerked for Judge John Roper, the Senior Magistrate Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi. As Executive Director, Carter is responsible for all HNF staff and programs. He also serves on the board of the Mississippi Heritage Trust and the Mississippi Historical Society.

Truly “the historical memory of Natchez,” the Foundation has spear-headed many initiatives, including saving buildings, conducting historical research, presenting lectures, writing National Register nominations, and serving as a resource for all interested in Natchez architecture and history.

Carter will discuss the work HNF does today and its hopes for the future.

The presentation will include slides of numerous downtown Natchez buildings, some no longer here.  For those of us of a certain age, it is a wonderful memory exercise to see how many we remember and more importantly, how many the HNF has saved.  Please join us on the Tuesday.   

Maria Bowser is publicity chair of Natchez Historical Society.