Trailblazing The Museum Trail
The idea for the Museum Trail started in 2009, when two friends Clay Hays and David Pharr, spent time exploring a decommissioned railroad line running along the backside of the Greater Belhaven Neighborhood in Jackson, Mississippi. They started thinking about how the abandoned railway could be transformed into a public trail. The two formed a coalition with other members of the community interested in building trails called the Jackson Trailblazers. The team studied other trail systems like the Beltline in Atlanta, Greenline in Memphis, Bayou Greenways in Houston, and the Longleaf Trace in Mississippi. Almost a decade later, after planning, fundraising, and construction, Phase 01 of trail was completed.
Phase 01 includes a 1.7 mile trail including a rail to trail project in Belhaven and multi-use path along Museum Boulevard and Jefferson Street. Phase 02 includes a .35 mile trail in between Interstate 55 and Waterworks Curve. These phases were led and implemented by Jackson Heart Foundation. Phase 3 includes a 1 mile trail currently under construction that runs through LeFleur Park. This section was separately led by Susan Garrard and Emily Hoff of the Mississippi Childrens Museum.
The next phases of the Museum Trail include a pedestrian bridge connection to the LeFleur East Neighborhood, bringing the trail South through Downtown Jackson, towards West Jackson, and terminate at Jackson State University. When the project is fully complete it will connect Northeast Jackson, Downtown, and West Jackson.
The Museum Trail Project is a public and private effort led by:
Project Leaders
Jackson Heart Foundation, Mississippi Children’s Museum, Great City Foundation
Government Partners
US Department of Transportation, City of Jackson, State of Mississippi, MDOT, MDAH, MDFA, MDAC, MDWFP, Hinds County, Hinds County EDA, CCID, Chamber of Commerce, JXN Water
Philanthropic Partners
Entergy, Ergon Foundation, Community Foundation for Mississippi, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Nancy & Ray Neilsen, Mississippi Beverage Association, Jackson Heart Clinic, Century Club Charities, AARP
Community Organization Partners
Bike-Walk Mississippi, Jackson Association of Neighborhoods, Visit Jackson, Revitalize Mississippi, Downtown Jackson Partners, Two Mississippi Museums, Mississippi Museum of Art, Mississippi Farmers Market, Mississippi Children’s Museum, Greater Belhaven Foundation, Jackson State University, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson Convention Complex
Design and Development Partners
Tree Design Co, WBA Architecture, Neel-Schaffer Engineering, Waggoner Engineering, Native Habitats, Hemphill Construction, Alliant Construction, SOHO Landscaping
Business Partners
Entergy, Hal and Mal’s, Westin Hotel, Cathead Distillery, Iron Horse Grill, Old Capitol Inn, WLBT
