Livingston Township and Chestnut Hill

David Landrum's Madison County developments called Livingston Township and Chestnut Hill continue to move forward.

Jackson Northside Sun - Project under development on site of Livingston community - AT A CROSSROADS between Flora and Canton, little proof remains a town existed there. But on Livingston Church Road, just southwest of where two state highways intersect, century-old cypress trees and sunken roads provide hints of what used to be. This place was - and still is - called Livingston. From 1828 until 1833, it was the seat of Madison County. Two years later, the town earned some fame when slaves and others were tortured and hanged there as fear of an abolitionist uprising spread across west Mississippi.

The first phase of a residential development just south of the original town site is well under way, and the new old Livingston is expected to be rebuilt within the next 18 months. “The whole idea is to preserve history,” Kathy Hill, director of development for David Landrum, said.

A new road winds through a portion of what will eventually be the residential Chestnut Hill, part of Landrum’s 450-acre project. Landrum’s father built a similar town in Jones County.

Livingston will host festivals, Hill said, and the general store will have gas pumps. The chapel will be used for weddings and meetings. One floor of the courthouse will be used for parties, banquets and meetings, and the other floor will house offices. The rest of the building will be a museum of life in 19th-century Livingston. “Eventually, we’ll have retail shops, but we’re not in any hurry.” The smallest lots in Chestnut Hill are two acres, and the largest are over 50 acres. They cost from $240,000 to $525,000, Hill said.

Landrum's Town

Clarion Ledger: A town re-created: "Developer David Landrum and his team of consultants want to re-create Livingston, the town that served as Madison County's seat in the early 1800s. His initial plans call for a general store, farmers market, office building and chapel. From there, Landrum hopes to expand the development to include restaurants, specialty stores, offices, boutiques and, possibly, an inn, spa and tavern. Landrum said he hopes to break ground in January on a general store and a farmers' market near Livingston Church Road. 'We want to have them running by fall of next year,' he said. The stores will be locally run, and Landrum said he already has plans for who will operate them, though he would not disclose names. The general store will have gas pumps, and it will sell basic items such as bread and milk. 'This isn't going to be a convenience store,' Landrum said. 'This really is that old-time general store.'Landrum wants to kick off the grand opening of the first two stores at Livingston with a fall festival, he said. The next step of the project will be to build a new 'courthouse' that will serve as an office for Landrum and a meeting or banquet hall. A chapel for weddings also has been planned. Work on those buildings likely will begin next spring. After the first four buildings are completed, Landrum said he will begin work on additional buildings that will house restaurants, specialty shops, offices and similar businesses. While an alternate route could take some of the passing traffic away from his development, Landrum said he hopes an alternate route can be found so the rural and historical qualities of the Livingston area can be preserved. 'I think it would be beneficial to us, not hurt us,' he said. That's mostly because Landrum sees the development as being a destination place, rather than a site that relies on passing traffic. Over time, Landrum said he can see the development becoming a tourist attraction for the area, and he said he's happy to give Mississippians another place to 'get away' from the norm."