NATCHEZ, Miss.–Land that was originally supposed to be part of the Natchez Trace Parkway now goes back to the state and the City of Natchez. It was officially handed over at a deed-signing ceremony in Natchez Thursday.
The land ultimately was not needed in the parkway construction, so arrangements were made with the federal government to turn back over 37 acres next to Natchez High School to the city and 30 more acres to the state.
And it literally took an act of Congress to get it done.
Sen. Thad Cochran introduced the bill last year in the U.S. Senate and got it passed.
He joined Natchez Mayor Butch Brown and others Thursday.
“The conveyance of this property is an example of federal, state and local governments coming together to benefit Mississippi,” said Cochran. “With this land transfer, the City of Natchez will now have an opportunity to utilize the ‘bean field’ property to meet the community’s needs. The state will also have a property that it can use for purposes that benefit the state and this community.”
