Day 26 - Tour of Natchez, Mississippi

Linda & Darrell Marshall - Adventure 11

Today, Tuesday October 18, started out with a free morning.   The weather had changed from warm, sunny days to clouds and showers, much cooler. 

Shortly after lunch we ride shared to take a horse drawn carriage ride through Old Town Natchez. Our mighty steed, who goes by the name of Mac, took us past many old buildings from the 1800's. 

all aboard! We all load up on horse-drawn carriages

Mac, our mighty steed

William Johnson Building

William Johnson was a freed man of color who was a barber. His home is now owned by the Park Service. 

  

In 1828 the first Presbyterian Church was built.

  The Guest House was built in 1840 and is now a bed and breakfast with 17 rooms.

Myrtle Terrace was built in 1844 by the Captain of the Steamboat Natchez. The Stanton House, completed in 1859, took 6 years to build and cost $83,000.  It is built of Cyprus and the roof is copper.  All the door knobs throughout the home are made of sterling silver.  There were 19 live oaks planted in 1851 of which 15 are still standing. 

The Stanton House, Circa 1859

The Fire House was built in 1839.  The block and tackle on the outside were to lift and hang the hose so it would drain the water.  The hose would last longer.  

The Firehouse, Circa 1839

St. Mary's Basilica took 10 years to build.

The first Jewish Synagogue was built in 1843. 

Then we were shown four homes built in the 1700's, two of which were Texada and Griffin homes. 

Texada Home

Griffin Home

After a pat to thank Mac for dragging us all over, which he returned by trying to bite me, we were on our way to tour the Longwood Mansion.  A cotton planter, Haller Nutt, started building the octagonal mansion in 1860.  Because of the Civil War, his northern workers left in 1861, so Haller and local workers finished the basement for the family to live in.  After Haller died in 1864 the house was never finished.  His widow lived in the basement of the home until her death in 1897.  It is now a National Historical Landmark and cannot be finished.  

Front view of the Longwood Mansion

The main entrance, unfinished since 1861.

After the tour we headed home to warm up.  The weather had gotten worse, chilly and very windy.  We will end the day with a social in a warm building provided by the camp.