Entries by Keri Rowell

Laurel’s Heyday is Now

It’s no secret that Laurel is on the rise. Although the “secret” or key to the exponential growth we are seeing here is restoration, not renovation. For us, the step forward may just be a step back, and it’s our job to “Bring Laurel back” and make it better than ever.

Innovators & Artisans: Ethan and Leanna Manning

We are natural-born leaders. We are successors of hometown heroes. We are creatives, movers, doers, and hand-makers. We are innovators. And we are artisans. We are what makes the City so Beautiful.  We are Laurel. Innovation and creation are not new to Laurel, Mississippi. From Eastman, to Gardiner, to Rogers, to Mason, our city was […]

Concept & Craft: Wall Clusters

What makes a house a home? There are countless ways to answer that question; however, our answer lies in how the family represents themselves inside.

The Arabian Theatre

1927. As twilight ends, you check your pocket watch again. The soles of your Wingtips tap hurriedly along the brick streets and paved sidewalks down Oak Street. By now, the street lights and neon signs have been switched on to light your way.

Leading Ladies: Mallorie Rasberry

Community leader, entrepreneur, and loyal friend of Laurel, Mallorie Rasberry is an integral piece to our little town’s puzzle. Mallorie lives in the historic district along with her husband Jim, and their daughter Lucy. She and Jim own the First National Bank Building on Central Avenue. Within the building, they own Rasberry Producer Group and […]

Tradition Outweighs Technology: A 100 Year Old Business Secret

A pair of tiny hands happily scribble a colorful drawing on construction paper. A callused pair of hands smooth out a blueprint. A pair of haggard, arthritis-ridden hands scrawl letters of love to children and grandchildren.

Leading Ladies: Lily Trest of Adam Trest Home

A small-town supporter, a doer, a celebrated entrepreneur, and another dog-eared page in the Laurel story, Lily Trest reminds us strongly of Nellie Rowell.

A Hidden Treasure in Downtown Laurel is Revealed

A formerly sleeping giant, stretching and dusting himself off, is awakening to a brighter, more vastly promising era. As seasons have changed and years have rolled by, the clock has begun ticking again after ages of standing still.

Honoring Nellie Rowell: The Leading Ladies Series

She attacks challenges with a beautiful ferocity that is matched by no one. She is the matriarch, the figurehead, and the unflinching leader that is vital in every story. And in Lott’s story, she is Nellie Rowell.