The Preservation Society began in 2019 when Gaines Gaskin and Kathy Novotny, owners of two beloved historic homes, recognized the need for greater city-wide preservation and shared a vision for inclusive programs that would extend preservation efforts across our city—going beyond our landmark nineteenth century mansions to include the fascinating and important stories of all the people who have made the Friendly City the place we love to call home. Beth Miller soon joined their team with her dream of a Mississippi State University Masters in Preservation Program, and the small planning organization quickly partnered with the pending Mississippi State program. Gaskin and Novotny then asked owners of some of our city’s beloved historic homes to join, and The Preservation Society of Columbus was formed. The PSC board of directors is now composed of people from throughout our community who share a passion for historic preservation, including experts from Mississippi State University’s Masters in Preservation Program, nationally recognized businesspeople, Columbus Air Force Base affiliates, expert historians, and long-time residents of Columbus, Mississippi.

Since its inception, the PSC has gained additional partnerships with Mississippi University for Women’s History Department to research not only the history of the structures on the Pilgrimage Tours but the lives of everyone who lived and worked there, including the enslaved; the Mississippi School of Mathematics and Science’s Tales of the Crypt to provide invaluable research they have gathered; and the Tennessee Williams Tribute to celebrate the history of Columbus’ most famous citizen. Other important partnerships include the Columbus-Lowndes Visitors and Convention Bureau, the Columbus Chamber of Commerce, the City of Columbus, the 7th Avenue Heritage Festival, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, the Slave Dwelling Project, and numerous area businesses.

The Preservation Society of Columbus is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization