COLUMBUS — The Tennessee Williams House Museum and Welcome Center will mark its 150th anniversary on Sunday, Nov. 23, with a ceremony and public reception. The house, built in 1875 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was designated a National Literary Landmark in 2004.

The anniversary event will begin at 2:30 p.m. in Poindexter Hall on the Mississippi University for Women campus, followed by a reception and tours of the Williams House. Remarks will be delivered by Brother Rogers, historian with the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and Lolly Rash, executive director of the Mississippi Heritage Trust.

Constructed in the Late Victorian Picturesque style, the home displays characteristics of both Gothic and Stick architecture. It has undergone multiple preservation efforts to maintain its structure and historic integrity. Recent renovations addressed structural issues, including rotted underpinning and general wear from more than a century of use, ensuring the house remains safe and accessible for visitors. Repairs included stabilization of foundational elements, restoration of woodwork, and other improvements to maintain the home’s original architectural details.

The house is the birthplace of Tennessee Williams, born in 1911, whose plays — including “A Streetcar Named Desire,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” and “The Glass Menagerie” — have been performed worldwide and remain widely studied. Tours of the home allow visitors to see where Williams spent his earliest years and learn about the Southern landscapes that influenced his writing.

The Tennessee Williams House continues to be a site for cultural and educational programming in Columbus and the Mississippi Hills region, highlighting the city’s literary heritage and offering an opportunity for residents and visitors to engage with a national literary landmark.

For more information, contact Sonia Thompson at [email protected].