Travel: Step back into Southern history in Natchez, Mississippi ...Middle East

Southern hospitality is alive and well in Natchez, Miss. On a trip in April to tour Natchez’s famous historic pre-Civil War mansions, my husband, friend Lana and I arrived at our hotel, the Linden Historic Bed & Breakfast, about 4 p.m. A party with food and wine was underway in the lush garden. As soon as we parked our rental car, the dozen guests who lived in town immediately asked us to join them. We walked over to say hello and within minutes, the three of us had a full wine glass in hand and were offered dinner from the food table. Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson arrived and warmly greeted us with a quick talk about what to see in town.

“Once you come here to Natchez, you will realize that it is a one of a kind place,” said Gibson, who moved to Natchez in 2016 and is in his second term as mayor.

“We are the oldest city on the highest bluff of the mightiest river. Our history goes back very far, to the very early beginnings of our country. That said, a lot of our history is a checkered history. We unfortunately have much here because of the institution of slavery. We were home to the nation’s second-largest slave market in the Deep South after New Orleans, Forks of the Road, which is now a part of the National Parks system,” he said. Gibson noted that the growth of Natchez is due to the contributions and talents of formerly enslaved people as well as the Spanish, French and British.

The garden party at Linden was a charming introduction to Natchez, a town of about 14,000 people located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. After chatting over breakfast the next day with tourists from Britain, France and Holland who were staying at our B&B, we discovered that Natchez is a frequent stop along a Southern driving route frequented by music lovers and Europeans who like to visit New Orleans, Memphis and Nashville.

But few American cities offer an in-depth look at the lives of pre-Civil War Southerners like Natchez, formerly the home of the native Natchez Indians, Civil War soldiers, Southern belles, enslaved Africans and civil rights pioneers.

Natchez is also unusual because its antebellum mansions and many of their original furnishings survived the Civil War intact. These grand homes were built as the pre-Civil War cotton industry and slavery made many plantation owners extremely wealthy. By 1840, the Natchez region was producing most of the world’s cotton; by the time the Civil War broke out in 1861, Natchez had three generations of millionaires.

While these mansions — initially built as seasonal second homes for wealthy plantation owners and Northerners – are Natchez’s main draw, the city’s dark side is also on display. Information about enslaved Africans and slavery’s role in Natchez is displayed throughout the city. Tourists also can learn about the pre-Civil War conflicts between the Natchez Indians and French colonials. After a major rebellion at Fort Rosalie in 1729 when the Natchez destroyed French settlements and killed more than 200 colonists, French soldiers defeated the Natchez, killing the remaining natives, deporting them, or selling them into slavery in the Caribbean. Some Natchez fled and sought safety with other tribes as their former lands were taken over by colonists.

There are several ways to tour the mansions. While many are private homes closed to the public, others are owned and operated by families or organizations like the Natchez Garden Club and the Pilgrimage Garden Club and offer multi-house tours throughout the year or during specific months. Or, you can visit individual mansions on your own. Visitors should check the days and schedules for tours in advance.

My husband, Lana and I toured three homes: the Linden Historic Bed & Breakfast (where we stayed), Stanton Hall and Rosalie Mansion & Gardens. Each house has a fascinating story to tell about the original owners, slaves and those who lived in them in later years.

Rosalie was built between 1820 and 1823 in the Federal architectural style (popular from about 1760 to 1830) and is located at the former Fort Rosalie, on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River. Ninety percent of the furnishings in Rosalie, from Bavarian crystal chandeliers to grand pianos to the Wedgewood China and expensive European furniture, are original. The house is surrounded by towering, centuries-old magnolia trees, dogwoods, pecan trees, and Southern live oaks, and has a pretty shaded garden. There are no bathrooms or kitchen. Cooking was done in a detached cookhouse, which also is open for viewing.

Rosalie was occupied in 1863 by Union soldiers and remained occupied for several years after the Civil War. When first occupied, 60 slaves worked there. Unlike homes that were burned down in other Southern cities where Confederates were hostile to occupying Union soldiers, the mansions in Natchez were protected because the women left at home while the men were gone fighting were cooperative and invited the Union soldiers in. (Natchez did not vote for succession.) Natchez’s mansions and personal belongings from toys to clothing were spared and frozen in time.

Stanton Hall, one of the most visited National Historic Landmarks, was built in 1857-1858 on an entire city block in downtown Natchez, with no expense spared. Built in the Greek Revival style and five stories tall, Stanton Hall showcases massive French gold-leaf mirrors, Italian marble fireplace mantles, ornate grillwork and elaborate furniture. The original owner was Frederick Stanton, an Irish immigrant who became a prominent cotton planter with five plantations in Louisiana. When Stanton died in 1859, he owned about 600 enslaved people. Stanton Hall includes an informative display about his slaves, their lives, and how their existence was documented through probate and business records. There’s also a gift shop in the detached cookhouse.

Linden Historic Bed & Breakfast is owned by Marjorie Feltus Hawkins, an interior designer, and her architect husband David Hawkins. Marjorie is a sixth generation family owner of the Linden house which features newly renovated guest rooms and lush gardens. Linden was built in 1790 as a small Federal style home on property that was once a Spanish land grant. Several additions were completed in the 1800s. The shaded exterior porches exude Southern charm with rocking chairs, colorful floral pillows in sitting areas, large blooming flower pots and lush grounds. Home tours showcase rare antiques collected by Marjorie’s late mother.

Other interesting attractions in Natchez include:

The Forks of the Road, at the intersection of Liberty Road and St. Catherine Street. This is the site of one of the nation’s largest slave markets from the 1830s until 1863. Today, it’s a park with information panels discussing the slave trade in Natchez and around the South, and a rendering of slave chains on the ground in concrete.

Fort Rosalie, 528 S. Canal St. Founded in 1716, this French colonial site is now a green space maintained by the National Park Service with picnic tables.

Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, 400 Jefferson Davis Blvd. This 128-acre site has three prehistoric Native American mounds, a reconstructed Natchez Indian house, a visitor center and a museum.

Natchez Museum of African American History and Culture, 301 Main St. Exhibits tell the story of Natchez-related African American historic sites, important citizens and events.

Natchez also is home to several historic churches, art galleries, restaurants and live music venues, plus the Magnolia Bluffs Casino overlooking the Mississippi River. The Natchez Trace Parkway is a scenic parkway and cycling route that extends 444 miles to Nashville and includes historic markers, lush forests and rolling hills.

Information: www.visitnatchez.org

Getting to Natchez: Check flights to Alexandria International Airport in central Louisiana and Baton Rouge International Airport in Baton Rouge, La. Many travelers opt to fly to a larger city in the region like Nashville or New Orleans and rent a car for a multiday road trip through the South to several cities including Natchez.

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