Sadly, one of our area’s most visible historic buildings is in a bad state of disrepair. Fortunately, tourists continue to flock to it year after year.

The former railroad baggage depot on the bluff along Broadway Street has housed several entities in its long history. In recent years the building has been home to a restaurant on one side and a gift shop on the other.

The recent completion of the first phase of the Natchez Trails project has highlighted just how far down the depot building has been allowed to fall. As a backdrop for the pristine new trailhead, the building is run down and unattractive. In fact, from some viewpoints, it’s a downright eyesore.

Leaders with the City of Natchez have wisely targeted the building as its next focus. This week the city publicly announced its intention to seek funding to rehab the building, a move that’s decades past due. We applaud their efforts in this regard.

As those plans come together in the days and months ahead, we hope the city will work closely with the owner of the gift shop to ensure the facility is allowed to stay open.

The Old South Trading Post gift shop, while perhaps kitschy in the eyes of some locals, serves an important purpose as a hub of friendly, Southern hospitality and charm to tourists who come to our city and seek to take home a small memento.

The smiles and friendly greetings that such businesses offer tourists are as important in the experience we offer tourists as the city’s history itself, particularly in regard to bringing back repeat customers to our city.

Our community would be wise to keep that in mind as the building is brought back up to its former grandeur.