Dates: 1924-1985.
 

Biography:

Robert Walter Bell, Jr.

Robert Walter Bell, Jr., son of R. Walter and Frances Elizabeth Young Bell, was born in Hazlehurst, Mississippi, on February 19, 1909. Bell graduated from Hazlehurst High School in 1925 and Copiah-Lincoln Agricultural High School in 1928. He also attended Mississippi Agricultural and Mechanical College in Starkville from 1928 to 1929.

The Copiah County Engineering Department employed Bell from 1929 to 1936. During this time, he married Zeliss Eugenia Tillman on April 14, 1934. They were the parents of Robert Tillman and Betsy Jean Bell. The Mississippi Highway Commission employed Bell as surveyor of the Natchez Trace Parkway in 1936. He worked there until his retirement on January 31, 1974. Bell was transferred to the Jackson office of the Mississippi Highway Commission in 1942, and he worked toward acquiring the entire 310-mile right-of-way for the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi and the deeding of this land to the federal government. Bell was promoted to chief negotiator of the Right-of-Way Division of the Mississippi Highway Department in 1969. As a result of his persistent efforts in seeing the Natchez Trace Parkway right-of-way-acquisition phase completed, Bell was nicknamed "Mr. Natchez Trace" by those who knew him.

Bell received a distinguished service award from the Mississippi River Parkway Commission in 1957, and he was one of only five recipients ever to receive the honorary Post-Rider Award from the Natchez Trace Association of Mississippi. He was also awarded a twenty-five-year-service pin and citation from the American Association of State Highway Officials; a concurrent resolution of appreciation from the Mississippi legislature in 1974; and a meritorious service award from the Mississippi Highway Department.

He was also active in the development of the Mississippi segment of the Mississippi River Parkway, serving as chairman of the Mississippi committee for the first international meeting of the Mississippi River Parkway Planning Commission. Bell died in Jackson, Mississippi, on July 29, 1988, and he was interred at Clinton Cemetery, Clinton, Mississippi.

 

Scope and Content Note:

This collection documents the career of Robert W. Bell, Jr., who served as surveyor and chief negotiator of the Right-of-Way Division of the Mississippi Highway Department. The collection contains the correspondence of Bell and others who were actively involved in acquiring the right-of-way for the Natchez Trace Parkway from 1936 to 1984. The correspondence documents the right-of-way-acquisition phase and early construction of the parkway. Among the personal correspondence of Bell are congratulatory letters, invitations, and one postcard from his son, Robert T. Bell. Among the business correspondence are letters discussing the retention of mineral rights by landowners who sold rights-of-way to the Mississippi Highway Commission. There is also a 1958 letter regarding the approval of private-access-road construction across parkway boundaries.

There are several speeches that Bell presented to various civic groups concerning the history of the Natchez Trace and the proposed Natchez Trace Parkway project. The introductions to these speeches usually include autobiographical data on Bell. Legal papers in the collection document a lawsuit involving the Mississippi Highway Commission and a disgruntled landowner who had sold land for the right-of-way. Also included are the preliminary statements (by district) of various right-of-way costs in Mississippi. They record material costs and salaries incurred during the right-of-way acquisition. Several maps of the Natchez Trace Parkway detail its construction and also contain survey notes relevant to the three districts of the right-of-way-acquisition project in the late 1930s. There are photographs of Bell and postcards of scenes along the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Included are various publications dating from 1936 to 1985, such as National Park Service handbooks and manuals. A number of magazines contain articles about the Natchez Trace or the Natchez Trace Parkway. There are sound recordings of Otis Youngrens "Mississippi Waltz," accompanied by a 1960 letter to Bell from Youngren, who was optimistic that Governor J. P. Coleman would adopt "Mississippi Waltz" as the state song. There are also five audiocassette tapes recorded by Bell documenting his career with the Mississippi Highway Department, especially his tenure as chief negotiator of the Right-of-Way Division. Other items include Mississippi travel brochures; awards and certificates that Bell received from 1951 to 1973; and many newsclippings concerning Bell, the Natchez Trace, and the Natchez Trace Parkway from 1958 to 1984.

 

Series Identification:

Series 1: Correspondence. 1936; 1944-1946; 1950; 1952-1955; 1958-1964; 1966-1978; 1984; n.d. 0.50 c.f.

This series contains Bell's personal and business correspondence. In addition, there is correspondence between other parties that mentions Bell and his work on the right-of-way acquisition for the Natchez Trace Parkway or the Mississippi River Parkway Commission. Among the principal correspondents are Robert W. Bell, Jr., Robert Tillman Bell, Thad Cochran, G. V. (Sonny) Montgomery, James O. Eastland, John Bell Williams, Sam W. Waggoner, Troy B. Watkins, Mrs. Roane Fleming Byrnes, T. C. Robbins, Elbert Cox, Orley B. Caudill, Carroll W. Ogle, Malcolm Gardner, G. A. Draper, Mrs. Oscar Johnson, George B. Hartzog, Jr., and Paul B. Benham. Among the personal correspondence are letters from Mrs. Roane Fleming Byrnes, president of the Natchez Trace Parkway Association, who invited Bell to speak at several of the association's annual meetings. There are also several cards and letters of congratulation to Bell after he received the honorary Post Rider Award in 1970. Accompanying much of the correspondence are newsclippings of Bell receiving this award, such as one from United States Representative Thad Cochran. In addition, there are several letters and cards congratulating Bell on his retirement in 1973. Among the business correspondence are several letters from various directors of the Mississippi Highway Department to Bell and others concerning the right-of-way acquisition along the Natchez Trace. Included is correspondence from National Park Service regional directors to Mississippi Highway Department officials concerning the mineral rights of landowners who sold rights-of-way to the Mississippi Highway Commission. There is correspondence regarding the approval of the construction of private-access roads across parkway boundaries from the superintendent of the National Park Service to Bell. There are several personal letters from National Park Service regional directors to Bell. There is a letter from T. C. Robbins, director of the Mississippi Highway Department that mentions Governor Ross R. Barnett's request that Bell be designated as a consultant to the Mississippi River Parkway Commission in 1962. There is a letter from Bess Abell, social secretary of the White House, to Bell, informing him that First Lady Lady Bird Johnson would not be able to visit as requested by Bell in 1966. Accompanying the letter is a photocopy of Bell's invitation to Mrs. Johnson who had recently expressed publicly an interest in highway beautification.

Boxes 1-2
 

Series 2: Speeches. 1957; 1965; 1967; 1969; 1973; n.d. 0.20 c.f.

This series contains speeches delivered by Bell to the Kiwanis Club of Greenville, Mississippi, in 1957; the Rotarians of Durant, Mississippi, in 1965; the Mississippi Association of Land Surveyors in 1969; and the Mississippi College Rifles Chapter, United Daughters of the Confederacy, in 1973. His speeches are all on the history of the Natchez Trace and its present development as a national parkway. In addition to Bell's speeches, there is an address on the Natchez Trace given by Mrs. Carter Anderson, president of the Fayette Garden Club, Fayette, Mississippi.

Series 3: Legislative Bills. 1940; 1946; 1958. 0.10 c.f.

This series contains copies of bills from the Mississippi legislature, some of which were approved by the governor. House Bill No. 498 (1940) authorized and empowered the Mississippi Highway Commission to participate and cooperate in the development of national parkways. House Bill No. 453 (1946) authorized the Mississippi Highway Commission to purchase rights-of-way for the Natchez Trace Parkway as needed. Senate Bill No. 9 (1946) continued the existence of the Mississippi Bond Commission and authorized it to issue bonds for state highway purposes and to initiate other administrative duties. House Bill No. 994 (1958) called for the continuing existence of the Mississippi Bond Commission for the purpose of purchasing the right-of-way for the Natchez Trace Parkway. Senate Bill No. 1724 (1958) called for the creation of the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District.

Series 4: Legal Records. 1969-1970; 1973. 0.10 c.f.

This series contains correspondence and photocopies of summonses, warranty deeds, and proceedings of the Circuit Court of the First Judicial District of Hinds County, Mississippi, and of the Mississippi Supreme Court, in which Paul H. Sanders was the plaintiff and the Mississippi Highway Commission was the defendant. The proceedings were filed by Sanders against the Mississippi Highway Commission for payment of lands sold to the Mississippi Highway Commission in order to expand the Natchez Trace Parkway right-of-way.

Box 2

Series 5: Right-of-Way Cost Statements. 1945. 1 folder.

This series contains three preliminary Natchez Trace Parkway statements that reflect right-of-way costs for the northern, central, and southern road districts in 1945. Included are such costs as attorneys and surveyors fees, salaries, and the average right-of-way cost per mile. The costs are listed by district and also by county.

Box 3

 

Series 6: Photographs. 1917; 1955; 1971; n.d. 1 folder.

This series includes a 1917 photograph of Capitol Street in Jackson, Mississippi. There are several photographs of Bell in various outdoor locations along the Natchez Trace Parkway. There is also a photograph of a 1921 Model-T Ford.

Box 4

 

Series 7: Maps. 1837; 1924; 1937; 1939; 1958; 1966; 1970; n.d.

This series contains a reproduction of an 1837 map of Grand Gulf, Mississippi, as surveyed by William Davis. There is a 1924 road map of Mississippi that was published by Rand McNally and Company and several photographic prints of it. There is also a 1937 National Park Service map of the Natchez Trace intended for the Mississippi Highway Department that details the three road districts and contains survey data in the margins. There is also a 1939 master development plan map of the Natchez Trace Parkway. Also included is a 1958 Natchez Trace Parkway map that was published by United States Department of the Interior, National Park Service.

Boxes 3 and 10

 

Series 8: Postcards. n.d. 1 folder.

This series contains postcards of scenes along the Natchez Trace Parkway and other points of interest in Mississippi.

Box 4

 

Series 9: Printed Material. 1936-1938; 1940-1942; 1946; 1954-1955; 1957; 1959; 1962; 1964; 1968; 1970-1976; 1978; 1980; 1985; n.d. 1.00 c.f.

This series contains manuals, magazines, and other printed material. Included are publications such as A Manual of the Revised Requirements, Instructions, and Information Relating to National Parkways for Use in the National Park Service (1937); Mississippi Code, Annotated (Volume 5, 1942); Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1954; National Park Service Information Handbook (1957); Elements of Highways Land Acquisition Plat and Record (1946); National Geographic (Volume 134, Number 5, November 1968); Appendix II, Directory, Mississippi State Bar, August 1970; and Clinton, Mississippi, Incorporated 1830, One Hundred and Fiftieth Anniversary, 1980. This series also contains a number of magazines that have articles on the Natchez Trace or the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Boxes 3-7

 

Series 10: Sound Recordings. 1960; 1967. Two 45 r.p.m. records; 5 audiocassette tapes. 0.12 c.f. Restricted.

This series contains two copies of a 45 r.p.m. record entitled "Mississippi Waltz," the theme song of the Mississippi River Parkway by Otis Youngren, Red Wing Records, Red Wing, Minnesota. Accompanying one of the records is a 1960 letter from Youngren to Bell relating his hopes that Governor James P. Coleman would adopt "Mississippi Waltz" as the state song. On the reverse side is recorded another song by Youngren entitled "Klickety-Klackety Polka," featuring Ernie Garven's Orchestra. In addition, there are five 1967 audiocassette tapes of Bell speaking on the history of the Natchez Trace and his involvement in acquiring the right-of-way for the parkway through the Mississippi Highway Commission. Included on the tapes are Bell's reflections on the living conditions of his family during the early years of the initial survey, the personnel shortages during World War II, and a synopsis of the legislation that eventually secured the right-of-way acquisition for the parkway. The audiocassette tapes have been restricted, pending their transcription.

Box 9 (removed to Audio-visual Fragile Formats)
 

Series 11: Awards. 1951; 1954; 1958-1959; 1965; 1969; 1971; 1973; n.d. 1 folder.

This series contains awards and certificates presented to Bell during his career with the Mississippi Highway Department. Most of the certificates were awarded by the Mississippi Highway Department or the American Right-of-Way Association.

 

Series 12: Travel Brochures. 1956; 1959; 1961; 1963; 1964; 1968; 1972; 1974-1976; n.d. 0.20 c.f.

This series contains travel brochures with information on the Natchez Trace and other points of interest in Mississippi.

 

Series 13: Newsclippings. 1958-1959; 1962; 1968; 1970-1978; 1980-1984; n.d. 0.20 c.f.

This series contains newsclippings of articles on Bell, the Natchez Trace Parkway, or both, from various Mississippi newspapers.

 

Series 14: Miscellany. 1952; 1961; 1965; 1969-1976; 1982; 1985; n.d. 0.17 c.f.

This series contains biographical data that Bell compiled for introductions to speeches. Also included is a survey table of natural sines and cosines. There is also a 1965 status report of the right-of-way acquisition for the Natchez Trace Parkway in Mississippi. Another item is a 1971 program of the dedication of the Natchez mansion, Longwood, as a national historic landmark. There is a list of officers and directors of the Natchez Trace Parkway from 1972 to 1973. Included is a personal telephone directory; a Natchez Trace Parkway mileage chart from Tupelo to Jackson, Mississippi; and a copy of House Concurrent Resolution No. 89 honoring Bell in 1974.

Box 8