Natchez on the Mississippi........ Part 2 -" WhereThe Old South Still Lives"

It is a town filled with Antebellum and Victorian Mansions
that are full of antique furniture, rare books, China, Silver, Crystal
and history that the descendants of Southern Aristocratic families
are eager to share. A world of Verandas and Porches, lawns full
of heirloom flowers including hundreds of varieties of Azaleas
and Camellias. Where they laughingly explain the difference
between a veranda and a porch is:


" If you serve Mint Julep's, it's a veranda , if you're serving
Iced Tea, it's a porch, if you serve neither, it's a shame"!


A place, where Southern Royalty still reigns ..................
A place, where a Name still opens doors.........
A place, where the Old South Still Lives !


This is Hope Farm where the 77 Year Old Spring Pilgrimage began.
In the Spring of 1931, Natchez was to host the Mississippi Federation
of Garden Clubs to view the glorious gardens of Natchez homes. A late
freeze ruined the flowers days before. Katherine Grafton Miller, the
President of the Natchez Garden Club talked the members into opening
their homes to entertain the Federation members. Most of these homes
were the elite mansions of Natchez. It was such a success that it was
thought that maybe strangers would be willing to pay money to see the
homes. So in the Spring of 1932, the first Natchez Spring Pilgrimage Tour
of Homes took place. There are two garden clubs involved, Natchez Garden
Club and Pilgrimage Garden Club. Each of these clubs own two houses.Each
elect a Court of Royalty each year.



Miss Hannah Loy, 2009 Natchez Garden Club Queen

Mr. Jordon Farmer, 2009 Natchez Garden Club King

Miss Grafton Pritchartt, 2009 Pilgrimage Garden Club Queen

Mr. Martin Scott Hanson, 2009 Pilgrimage Garden Club King

There is a Pageant that the public can attend! It is a

wonderful experience to attend it!
Before I do posts on the homes I did tour, I want to show

pictures and old postcards from some I did not tour.

This is Stanton Hall.................It was bought and restored

by the Pilgrimage Garden Club many years ago. It is open

for tour year round..............It also has a restaurant on the

grounds.

This is Dunleith, it is a B & B and has a restaurant also.

An old postcard of Dunleith.............

This is Longwood, which was being built when the Civil War

broke out and was never finished. Most of the carpenters were

from northern states.They threw down their tools and went to

join the Union Army. It is also owned by the PGClub and open

year round for what is a fascinating tour!

Magnolia Hall was the last mansion built in Natchez

before the war. It was built in 1858 by Thomas Henderson,

son of John Henderson who built Melmont, the deteriorating

home I showed you pictures of a few days ago. This home was

bought and restored by the Natchez Garden Club and is open

for tour year round. It is also rumored to be very haunted!

This is Melrose. It is owned by the state,

open year round for tour and has historical

research archives in it.

Monmouth.........A luxurious B & B!

And D'Evereaux..................

This is Linden...........also a B & B................

Gloucester....Jennie Merrill once lived here!

Rosalie......owned by The Daughters of The American Revolution

and open year round for tour...........

An Old Postcard of The Elms....also a B & B.....

I hope you are enjoying touring Natchez via The Porch blog!