Driving up and down the streets and alleys of downtown Natchez is a study in our community’s history.

From 18th century French and Spanish structures to more modern buildings, pieces of the complex jigsaw puzzle that makes our downtown such a jewel are found block after block.

But even the most rare gemstone needs some help to become uniquely beautiful and to reach its peak potential.

The hands of skilled jewelers can carefully cut and polish the stone to bring out its full inner beauty.

For downtown Natchez, those hands belong to a very special couple, Ron and Mimi Miller.

The Millers are the faces and brains behind so much of Natchez’s great historic preservation work.

They’re so widely well-known in Natchez that city leaders often know they’d best check with the experts before embarking in a new venture. The Millers, the Historic Natchez Foundation and Natchez’s historic preservation are so intertwined, imagining one without the other is difficult, at best.

The Millers’ work and the work of the volunteers, members and supporters of the Historic Natchez Foundation recently earned the organization the great distinction of being honored with the Organizational Achievement Award from the Mississippi Heritage Trust.

In addition, the Millers earned the Al and Libby Hollingsworth Lifetime Achievement Award.

We can think of no better recipients than the Millers and the Historic Natchez Foundation.

Each has done what we all should aspire to do — create lasting, positive marks on Natchez and leave this great city just a little better than when we arrived.