Meridian architect Krouse returned to Laurel to build the city hall a decade after completing the Jones County Courthouse (PW11). The building curves at the corner to face both N. 5th and W. Oak Street with a recessed Doric-columned portico. White trim, tan brick panels, and a green terra-cotta tile roof with exposed rafter ends accent the dark brownish-red brick walls. Stylistically, this building, constructed by Meridian builders Hancock and McArthur, fits into the Arts and Crafts tradition, with its emphasis on natural materials, geometric forms, and large windows.
At 311 N. 5th, the Italian Renaissance-styled former U.S. Post Office (1916), now Bancorp-South, mirrors the corner orientation of the city hall. A design from the Office of the Supervising Architect of the U.S. Treasury under Oscar Wenderoth, it features a Corinthian-columned loggia and large round arched windows.
First United Methodist Church (1957; 420 N. 5th) in pink brick with stone trim is a Georgian Revival design by Chris Risher Sr., better known for his modernist work. It features a pedimented portico on Composite columns and a slender copper steeple (1967) on a two-tiered tower.