Wednesday, May 30, 2007

13 Great Homes From Natchez, Mississippi

Planning a trip over the long, hot summer? Why not head to Natchez, Mississippi and enjoy a little history while you are at it?

Here are thirteen great places to visit while in Natchez….

1. Linden's front door was copied for Tara of Gone With the Wind fame and has one of the finest collections of federal furniture found anywhere. If you elect to stay in this bed and breakfast your hosts will be the sixth generation of the same family to reside in this beautiful home.
2. Melrose is one of the homes I toured. It is owned by the National Parks Service and they give a very interesting tour there. Make sure you check out the cypress pond as you enter the drive and the rest of the surrounding yard has many gems waiting to be discovered. I recently wrote about the Melrose punka in the dining room.
3. Longwood is one of the saddest places I have ever toured, and while on the grounds I truly began to understand the tired old phrase “lost cause” when describing “the war”. I hope to write more about it in a few days. It is owned by the Pilgrimage Garden Club and is open for tours. It is truly a beautiful place and the picture with this post is of Longwood.
4. Dunleith has an interesting history and currently is a bed and breakfast. Make sure you ask about the names etched on the window panes.
5. Monmouth is one of the homes I actually got to visit in addition to Longwood. This home is also a bed and breakfast and has the most serene gardens I have ever walked through. Make sure you ask about the piece of furniture that helped the ladies keep the house after the war.
6. Rosalie sits on a high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. The French settled this area before the English and built Fort Rosalie on the very spot where this great house sits today. During the Civil War Union troops occupied the house. Luckily they respected the great home and its contents. Today the home is owned by the Mississippi State Daughters of the American Revolution.
7. The Burn dates from 1834 and its original owner was the president of the Planters Bank in Natchez. The house misleads you from the front because it appears to only be a story or so tall, however, it is actually three stories tall and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. Yes, you can stay here too!
8. Pleasant Hill was the home of the founder of the First Presbyterian Church in Natchez as well as owner of a newspaper. The house was built in 1830 and today operates as a bed and breakfast.
9. Stanton Hall was owned by the wealthiest man in Adams County. That’s really saying something since Natchez, Mississippi at one time had more millionares living there than any other place in America. Today the home is owned by the Pilgrimage Garden Club and tours are given of the mansion. Make sure you time it just right so you can end your tour with a fantastic lunch at The Carriage House Restaurant
10. Want something a littler newer with a great view? Then Bluff Top is your choice. It was built in 1894 and overlooks a 200 foot bluff with great views of Ole’ Man River.
11. The Briars is IT when it comes to seclusion, beauty, and historical significance. In 1845 Jefferson Davis, future president of the Confederate States of America, married Varina Howell at The Briars.
12. Glenfield Plantation sits on an original 150 acre Spanish land grant. Portions of the home date from 1778 while other sections date from 1845. No matter where you stand in this place you are standing somewhere old! Make sure you have the staff point out the bullet holes from the Civil War.
13. Oak Hill is a bed and breakfast. The home’s owners have won awards for their restoration of this 1835 antebellum home.

If you love old homes then Natchez can’t be beat for beauty, elegance, and historic ambiance.

Check out other thirteeners HERE
This is week 25 for me!

Thursday Thirteen Participants
1. Raggedy
2. Susan Helene Gottfried
3. Margie
4. Alasandra
5. samulli
6. pussreboots
7. toni

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13 comments:

Raggedy said...

What a beautiful and historical place!
Terrific Thursday Thirteen!
My TT is posted.
Have a wonderful day!
Happy TT'ing!
*^_^
(=':'=)
(")_ (")Š
Raggedy

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

Whoa. I'd never have thought of Mississippi as a neat place to visit, but you've won me over! Thank you!

I'd love to tour these places; perhaps in a few years, when the kids are older.

Happy TT!

Margaret said...

Mississippi is on my list of places to go in the south. I'm going to take a guess at yesterday's... that Great Oak looks familiar. "Savannah?"

Great List and have a Happy Thursday. Friday's almost here. =O)

Anonymous said...

Hi! Thanks for dropping by my WW. That tree in your WW is fantastic - I love photographing trees.
Your TT is very interesting.
I did 13 Wishes this week.
Thanks for sharing,
Frances

Alastriona, The Cats and Dogs said...

I love Rosalie, it's been ages since I have been. I think it's time to go back for another visit.

Mrs. Bluebird said...

Wonderful post - and one I'll have to save for when Hubby and I do the trip to that area. As for Varina and Jeff Davis...recently read the new biography on Varina and she definitely wasn't a happy woman. Very, very smart in an era when it wasn't a good thing to show that off. And her husband? Let's just say should could have done better!

Heather said...

I don't think this is very far from me.

Stephanie said...

Wow....cool post! Isn't Greg Iles from Natchez?? I keep thinking I've read about it somewhere, and that's all I can come up with!!

Karina said...

Those all look like beautiful places to visit...it's amazing the history some places hold, isn't it?

Thanks for visiting my WW...LOVE the picture of the tree in yours by the way.

Anonymous said...

Sounds beautiful. When our kids are older we want to take them east for a historical road trip. This June we're heading out to Kentucky from Colorado. It will be an interesting experiment for three kids four and under.

Special K ~Toni said...

I love old historical houses! thanks for the list! Mine is up at Being An Air Force Wife!

Debt Consolidation Loans said...

That's such a beautiful part of the country. I would love the opportunity to spend more time down there (especially in the winter!)

carl said...

What a beautiful part of the country--especially this time of the year for us Northerners!

I hope to visit that part of the country next winter!



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