The Cutrer Cultural Arts Center
In the 1940’s the St. Elizabeth Catholic Parish purchased the Cutrer property and established a school. The Mansion itself fell into disrepair and the Parish elected to sell the structure and grounds in 1998. At that time a small group of Coahoma County residents raised the seed money needed to stop the wrecking ball from destroying the mansion. The group led the community in formulating a vision for the property that allowed them to raise enough money to purchase the property, deed it to Delta State University, and renovate the Cutrer Mansion, a beautiful example of Italianate architecture. The renovation remained true to the historical time period while creating spaces for art galleries, workshops, receptions, and other events. RockRiver Foundation was given the naming rights and chose to recognize the historical significance of the mansion while also creating a new vision, hence the name, The Cutrer Cultural Arts Center. The Cutrer Cultural Arts Center can be rented for parties, dinners, wedding receptions, and other events. |
The Cutrer Mansion was built in 1916 by the daughter of the founder of Clarksdale, Blanche Clark and her husband, J. W. Cutrer. The Clarks entertained lavishly, and the playwright Tennessee Williams visited the Cutrer Mansion frequently as a boy when he lived with his grandfather. The aura of the residence and its occupants apparently influenced the fledgling writer and he immortalized the Cutrer names in several of his plays: "Glass Menagerie", "Orpheus Descending", "Battle of Angels", and "Streetcar Named Desire".