BROOKHAVEN — There are several benefits to a building being placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Brookhaven’s Hartman-Harrigill Funeral Home at 101 West Chickasaw Street, owned by John Lynch, was placed on the Register in January 2024. 

The former funeral home is the potential new home of City Hall as Brookhaven works to move out of the Lincoln County Courthouse.

Nancy Bell with the Vicksburg Foundation for Historical Preservation prepared the application in June 2023 for the funeral home to be placed on the national register. One of the listed current functions for the building was “work in progress/ city hall,” in the application. 

A Facebook business page for The Clubs at Ole Brook, owned by Lynch, commented on a story about the building being placed on the National Register stating Bell helped the developer, Lynch, with the application because “the process required particular expertise.”

Bell prepared the application to place the former Stahl-Urban building and the Captain Jack Hardy House on the National Register in the past. 

Two specific benefits are associated with the National Register of Historic Places. Properties can receive tax incentives and grant assistance by being on the national register. 

Lincoln County Tax Collector/Assessor Blake Pickering said taxes were paid on the funeral home prior to the building being placed on the national register. Governmental properties such as the Lincoln County Courthouse are exempt from property taxes. He added after the Board of Supervisors meeting Monday he wasn’t sure if a lease agreement would cause the City to pay property taxes or not but if they own the funeral home property they would be exempt from property taxes.