Unrivaled architectural history makes Natchez a must-see for house lovers.
Whether drawn to historic homes or just hooked on HGTV, visitors will find plenty of real-life, jaw-dropping architectural gems in Natchez, a city of about 14,000 perched high on a bluff overlooking the muddy Mississippi River. Having a fascination for both, I found more amazing houses than I could possibly visit during a two-night stay in the town that claims the largest collection of antebellum homes in the country.
One of the premier attractions, the 1785 Linden Historic Bed and Breakfast on the outskirts of downtown, was my basecamp, where a second-floor bedroom overlooking the wide front porch and lawns was elegantly outfitted with an antique writing desk, luxury linens and the contemporary necessities of an ultra-modern bath and thermostat- controlled air conditioning. Ownership has changed hands since its inception, but the current owner, Marjorie Feltus Hawkins, is the sixth generation descendant of Jane Conner, who bought the 7-acre property on the edge of town in 1849. With her husband, David, Hawkins showcases family heirlooms throughout, including an extensive collection of silver, crystal and American Federal antiques. The dining room boasts a wood punkah, the antebellum equivalent of a ceiling fan pulled by servants to keep diners cool. Linden’s front door, it’s said, was the inspiration for the entrance to Tara, Scarlett O’Hara’s home in Gone With the Wind.
The GWTW connection is just one of the stories tour guides at Natchez’s most notable homes are happy to share. Whether the tales are entirely true isn’t as important as the romantic lore they add to each abode. At Longwood, the story is that in 1860 wealthy Dr. Haller Nutt hired architects and a construction crew from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to build an octagonal home. They framed five floors, topped them off with an onion dome and finished the basement and brick exterior before dropping their tools and rushing back to Philly to fight for the Union. The family survived in the basement, but after Nutt’s death in 1864, the upper stories were never finished. Visitors can gaze up into the maze of cross beams and stairs, check out stacks of unused lumber and abandoned tools, and marvel over original furnishings. The structure is billed as the largest octagonal “house” in the country, but it stands unfinished and unoccupied.
Another jewel in the collection is Stanton Hall, a white-columned mansion with double porches built in 1857 by Dr. Frederick Stanton at a cost of $83,000 (about $3 million today). The Greek Revival home, taking up an entire city block, is decorated with ornate moldings, murals, unique wrought-iron chandeliers and 17- foot ceilings that made it an opulent showplace as well as a family home.
Having a car made getting from each sprawling abode to the next easy. Though Natchez is small, its main attractions are spread out. The wheels also let visitors stop when they’re ready to grab a bite at Fat Mama’s Tamales, where gringo pie (three tamales topped with chili, cheese, onions and jalapenos) and oversized “knock-you-naked” margaritas are the menu stars. The influences of New Orleans and the South are featured on The Little Easy’s menu that includes shrimp remoulade and the “mother-cluckin’” buttermilk- fried chicken sandwich.
After a day of house-gawking, visitors can wind up the evening on the Bluffs, frequently the site of events from music festivals to foreign car shows. Night owls can try their luck at the Magnolia Bluffs Casino on the river’s edge where the games go on until 2 a.m.
But it’s the prominence of restored mansions, churches and significant sites, most listed on the National Register of Historic Places, that makes Natchez worth the trip.
LINDEN HALL BED & BREAKFAST
769.355.2127
lindenbandb.com
@lindenbb
visitnatchez.org
@visitnatchez
