Video: Macon | Historic Building Standing Tall For Over 100 Years

NOXUBEE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI)- There’s a unique landmark in Noxubee County.

The Brooksville Public Library stands three stories tall and has been an important structure in the County for over 100 years. However, the building hasn’t always been used as a library.

“This building was built in 1907 and was a jail in 1977,” said Shameka Conner, library director at the Noxubee County Library.

This facility was once known as the Noxubee County Jail.

“They incarcerated bad guys and girls for 70 years,” Conner said.
But the jail closed down in 1977. Not long after, the old jailhouse became an abandoned building and an eye soar in the community until a group of concerned residents decided to renovate the building.

“A group of citizens got together, including Mrs. Beth Koostra, and they saw this building was no longer being used, so they wanted to get the building,” said Conner.

And once they got the building, they thought it would be a good idea to turn it into a library. So they raised enough enough fund to do just that.

“So in 1982 they began renovating the building and 1984 is when they finally opened it up,”the library director said.

And more than 20 years later the library is still standing tall and has become a safe haven for kids in the community to come out and enjoy story time.

“we love it, and like I say, they come in and read. They’re fascinated by the setup,” Conner expressed.

The library has become one of the main attractions for tourists who visit the area.

“The main parts is the second floor,” Conner explained. “This is where we have the eyelid and the thirteen steps that you would have to climb, and we have the second floor here where we have the incarceration room.”

And as the library continues to be a cornerstone in Noxubee County, the community wants to continue to honor and remember the history of this building.