North Washington Street runs from downtown Vicksburg to the junction with 61 bypass. On the east side of Washington Street, near the turnoff at Haining Road, which leads to the Port of Vicksburg, sat the Jo-Anna Motel (address 1750 Washington St.). The brick rooms were arranged in an en echelon pattern with a two-floor unit at the north end. A friend told me she remembered when it was built in the late 1940s or early 1950s. According to the Preservation in Mississippi blog, the architect was N.D. Galo, presumably of Vicksburg.
The Jo-Anna was typical of the American trailer court, catering to a post-war generation on the move. With flowers in the planters out front, it was probably a cheerful place in its prime. But since the 1980s, it was nasty-looking, and I recall seeing equally rough cars parked there. However, some renovations had been made, and the asbestos tile roof was replaced with a new metal roof in the 1990s.
The Jo-Anna once had an attached restaurant. My friend said she remembered going there with her parents for Sunday dinner. But as you can see, the restaurant had converted into a beer joint of seedy disposition.
At least they asked patrons to not bring their weapons. Maybe the establishment provided them. All the buildings were purchased by the Park Service and demolished around 2005 or 2006. The land is now part of the Vicksburg Military Park but is not being used.
This scan of a post card is courtesy of a friend who writes the Preservation in Mississippi blog. Notice this shows the units to have flat roofs. Also, the artist took some geological liberty when drafting the post card: the hill behind does not exist. Maybe tectonics since the 1950s resulted in some orogeny (mountain-building).....
4 comments:
I remember this place as I was growing up in the 40's and 50's. I've seen a lot of buildings demolished in my hometown of Vicksburg. So sad!
We slept there one night while busting narcotic scripts in my dumbass idiot days, and I remember them asking do we want the room by the hour or by the day...day thank you. Thats exactly the kind of places ones life gets to enjoy when you choose to do drugs of any kind. One misery after another you can be sure and certain of. Thanks be to God for loving me when I couldnt love myself and lettin me live long enough to slither out from that nightmare life.
I actually worked there in the seedy beer joint as a front desk agent/bartender and sometimes housekeeper. It was open 24hrs; I ended up working the overnight shift and living there with a toddler, a baby, and their father. You had to go across the river to PJ's in Louisiana for hard liquor; we only sold beer and soda.
My parents stayed there traveling through on their honeymoon. January 25,1951. Room 4. It cost $4.50 plus 9 cents tax.
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