INITIATIVES

New Albany Man Street Association is a non-profit committed to historic preservation and community vibrancy through organization, design, promotion, and economic vitality. While these four points are directed at the "heart of the community", the downtown district, the Main Street Board and community stakeholders recognize that these concepts can naturally be applied to the surrounding areas found throughout the community.

PARKS

New Albany Main Street has been involved in the upgrades to local parks and the Tanglefoot Welcome Center. Through grants submitted to and awarded by Walmart, Toyota Mississippi, KABOOM!, and New Albany Kiwanis the Main Street Association has been able to invest over $100,000 in local parks and public green spaces.

PUBLIC ART

Public art adds enormous value to the cultural, aesthetic and economic vitality of communities in the Hills Region. Public art contributes to our community's identity, fosters community pride and a sense of belonging, and enhances the quality of life for our residents and visitors. Through funding from Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area and the National Park Service, New Albany Main Street Association has been an integral contributor to public art which promotes the assets of the region in a manner that enhances exposure, education and economic growth.

DeSoto & Chickasaw

Historically known as an area along the Little Tallahatchie River where the Chickasaw once traded, the Park Along the River pavilion is the place to visit to see where local artist, Brian Crockett, and a team of youth artists created a dynamic mural of what DeSoto's first encounter with the native Chickasaw may have been like.

Mississippi A-Z Wall

Another student artist let project was the Mississippi A-Z wall. Originally in 2003, this mural, which stretches over 150 feet, is located on a retaining wall on Highland Street and along the railroad tracks, and was in need of serious refurbishing.

Bicycle Sculpture

Local artist, Katie Sappington, of Due Moon Creations, took inspiration from the 44 mile Rails to Trail conversion Tanglefoot Trail which has its trailhead in New Albany, Mississippi. The sculpture, "Upcycled", sits on E. Bankhead Street at Pocket Park.

Recycled Metal Drum Project

Local youth artists interned under the guidance of artists Katie Marie Sappington and Tracy Vainisi during the summers of 2020 and 2021 to work on several projects. 55 gallon drums were refurbished with local cultural attractions and native plants. They can be found scattered throughout the City of New Albany at The Union County Heritage Museum, Cooper Park in Historic Downtown, The Union County Library, and at the Community Center located on the historic south side.

Bicycle Mural

Local artist, Katie Sappington and her husband Randy, of Due Moon Creations, took inspiration from the 44 mile Rails to Trail conversion Tanglefoot Trail which has its trailhead in New Albany, Mississippi. As cyclists of all ages cross over the bridge above Main Street, they can spot this colorful mural on the side of locally owned business.

Faulkner Book Tree

In 2018, several trees were taken down during a storm. Union County Heritage Museum had the foresight to save one of the trees and enlisted a local artist to carve a stack of native born William Faulkner book titles out of it. The sculpture stands at the back entrance of the museum.

William Faulkner Water Tower

Native born William Faulkner proudly welcomes visitors at the intersection of East Bankhead Street and Hwy 15 to his home town of New Albany.

Mural at South Central Park

Once the entrance to an in ground pool, the wall was bare and unsightly. Local artist and New Albany High School art teacher, LeeAnn Thompson, gathered a crew from the class of 2005 and created this whimsical mural of several points of interest from around Union County.

Other local organizations and artists have collaborated to create wonderful murals, sculptures, and trails in New Albany-Union County, Mississippi.