This morning, we did the touristy thing and looked around Natchez. The first stop was Stanton Hall, one of the magnificent mansions that brings busloads of tourists to Natchez for the annual tour of homes known as the Pilgrimage. It was built in 1857 by cotton magnate Frederick Stanton. It is quite extravagant by today's standards, back then it must have been really over the top. The first floor ceilings are 17 feet high! There are many original pieces present, including 4 huge mirrors, two of which measure 7' X 14'! Pictures are not allowed indoors, but I did get one outside. The size and opulence, esp. for 150 years ago is mind-boggling. By the way, pictures are not allowed inside any of the finished parts of the homes. I guess they are afraid we will make souvenir postcards and sell them! So, I only have pictures of the outsides.
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| Stanton Hall (pictures are not allowed inside any of the homes) |
After leaving Stanton Hall, we drove to the Natchez City Cemetery. This is an old cemetery, established in 1822, with some very interesting old graves. For some reason, its interesting to see some of the very old tombstones, many surrounded by elaborate wrought iron fences. There is a grave for a child that was the only casualty of the naval bombardment of Natchez during the civil war.
From the City Cemetery, we had lunch at a cafe downtown then went to see another old house - Longwood.
This is the largest octagonal house in America. It was started by Haller Nutt, another cotton planter, in 1860. Unfortunately, his craftsmen were from Philadelphia and when the Civil War started, they all fled back north. Nutt finished the basement with local workers so the family would have living space. He died in 1864 and the house was never finished beyond the basement. The outside walls and inner structure still stand and are quite impressive even unfinished. There is a central foyer that rises 5 floors to a glass observation dome.
The house is on about 60 acres of land.
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| Longwood |
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| Main entrance to Longwood |
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| View upward toward dome |
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| Original construction equipment |
After touring Longwood, we headed back to the hotel to rest and cleanup before a get together for the car show participants at a local tavern downtown. The show will be tomorrow on a downtown bluff above the Mississippi River. Should be a beautiful day.
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