Dear NEXT TRAVELER to Natchez, Mississippi!
Highlights/Recommendations:
1. Mansion Home Tours: Monmouth, Longwood, Stanton Hall, Rosalie
2. Southern Carriage tours
3. St. Mary’s Basilica
4. Darbys store
5. The mighty Mississippi River
6. Frogmore Cotton Plantation
7. Natchez City Cemetery
8. The Camp restaurant
9. Stay for a night – Monmouth, Dunleith, Bed & Breakfast of Natchez

I had been wanting to visit Natchez ever since we moved to Mississippi. It was 15 years before I finally made it. However, it was worth the wait. It’s the perfect mix of small town southern charm, Civil War endurance and history, and the mighty Mississippi River strength & beauty. Natchez has a remarkable collection of gorgeous antebellum homes. Before the Civil War, the city of Natchez had more millionaires than any other city in the US.

House Tours – A large number of the restored antebellum homes can be toured year-round. Longwood, Stanton Hall, Monmouth, and Rosalie are some of the largest and most famous but there are many more. During the Fall & Spring Pilgrimage there is an “open house of homes” with the Pilgrimage Garden Club and the Natchez Garden Club. If you are going to be staying the weekend in Natchez and are interested in touring more than 1 home, the best deal is to buy a 3 museum house pass or a 4 museum house pass. They even offer a 2 museum house pass. It will save you in individual ticket costs.

Monmouth. This gorgeous mansion was built around 1818 for John Hankinson, an early Natchez postmaster who was from New Jersey. A Natchez attorney, John A. Quitman, who later became a General and Governor, purchased the home in 1826. Monmouth Historic Inn is one of the most monumental mansions in Natchez.

Longwood House. This house is one of the most famous historic homes to tour in Natchez. It’s the largest octagonal house in America. The family’s original furnishings and the tools used to build the house are still scattered on the upper level floors. Construction was halted by the Civil War and never completed. Touring this home is fascinating and also rather sad. Although the family lived in the basement floor at 10,000 sqft, because you could see into the other floors, it was a constant reminder of unrealized dreams. The architecture is beautiful and the plans for the home were so extraordinarily grand. The grounds where the home is located is somewhat isolated. The first time we drove into the property, we would have missed the entrance if we hadn’t really paid attention. There is a large sign but there are a lot of trees and overgrowth and not what you would be expecting for a large mansion entrance. In addition to the main house, several of the original property buildings have been adapted for current needs, such as a public bathroom with beautiful antique furniture.

Stanton Hall. This beautiful home is one of Natchez’s most palatial mansions. It was built in 1892 by an immigrant from Belfast who made his fortune in cotton. Sadly, he passed away soon after moving into the mansion. This house is furnished with beautiful antiques and original Stanton family china and crystal. Stanton Hall is 5 stories tall, originally 14,000 square feet and occupies an entire city block in downtown Natchez. Stanton Hall is owned and maintained by The Pilgrimage Garden Club. We had planned to tour this home but there was an event the day we arrived and didn’t get to. Tours typically last 1 hour and are $25 per adult.

Rosalie Mansion. This mansion was built on land purchased from Fort Rosalie which was built by the French overlooking the bluffs to the Mississippi River. When Peter Little built the home, he kept the name Rosalie. The mansion served as the Union Army headquarters under General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War. A later General who commanded his troops from the home, protected the home’s contents during the occupation.

Southern Carriage tours. On the corner of South Canal & State Street you can find Southern Carriage tours. Our daughter could hardly wait for the horse drawn carriage ride. The driver was interesting, funny and full of historical information. The tour lasted about an hour through several blocks of downtown Natchez. Our driver “said” that he grew up in Natchez and had stories about almost every home we passed. He was quite a character, and I wondered if he was telling any tall tales. We met his wife during the ride while she was working at Stanton Hall preparing for an event and she validated several of his stories. The ride was great and was the perfect introduction to the city. We had parked behind the visitor center and it was a couple blocks walk to the carriage tour. We didn’t buy tickets before and were able to purchase them when we arrived from the driver. The carriage rides start at 10:00 am and last until dark. The tours are usually around an hour.

St. Mary’s Basilica. I love exploring temples and cathedrals in the cities that we visit. This one was stunning! It was dedicated to the Virgin Mary under the title Our Lady of Sorrows on December 25, 1843. It was dedicated on December 25, 1843, but took forty years to complete and was consecrated on September 19, 1886. We noticed a large group of well-dressed men at the large ornate front doors and one of the young men told us it was his wedding day. It made our visit to the Basilica even more special. We only took a quick tour inside because the wedding would be starting soon but it was exquisite and on our way out, we shared some happy marriage advice to the groom and wished him and his family well.

Darbys store. I had heard about this Natchez store that had incredible fudge. When we walked in, it was a store with much more than just fudge. It was full of souvenirs and special gift items. Of course, we tried the fudge and it did truly melt in your mouth. We bought several pounds and a couple fun Natchez souvenirs. The store owner waited on us and he couldn’t have been any more welcoming and kind.

The mighty Mississippi. I’m not sure if I can ever see the Mississippi River too many times. It’s massive, powerful and full of history. When we arrived in Natchez, we parked at the Visitor Center which is located on the river, it was one of the first things we saw when we arrived. We saw it again when we were eating dinner and even watched a tug boat push some barges down the river. You can kayak on the Mississippi through Quapaw Canoe Company.

Fromore Cotton Plantation. An historic cotton plantation that dates back to the early 19th century and continues to operate as a working farm. They offer guided tours describing the history of cotton, ginning and the culture associated with the farm. They also show how cotton farming and ginning has been computerized and happens in our modern day. There are authentic historical buildings from as early as 1790.

Natchez City Cemetery. This is a beautiful cemetery full of so much history. The cemetery was established in 1822 and sits on the bluffs above the Mississippi River. The city’s earlier cemetery was located in Memorial Park behind St. Mary’s Basilica. Once the new cemetery was established, remains were reinterred at the current Natchez City Cemetery. The Cemetery opens each day at 7 AM and the gates are locked at dusk. You can tour the cemetery on your own and there is a CD offering a self-guided tour you can pick up at the Cemetery’s Main Office or at the Natchez Visitor Reception Center.

The Camp restaurant. Some Natchez locals recommended eating at The Camp. The location was perfect, directly across from the Mississippi. The restaurant vibe is a slower pace. If you’ve got plenty of time to sit, relax, eat and look at views of the river, this is a great place. The food was good with lots of variety. Their burgers were delicious.

Natchez is a must-visit city in Mississippi. You really need to plan an entire weekend in the city. Some of the best places to stay are: Monmouth $140 and up per night, Dunleith $150 per night, or any of the other many bed and breakfasts in Natchez. Choose a house to stay at, tour through many of the historically beautifully mansions, walk the small-town, cobblestone, southern streets and eat some delicious food. This is a small-town Southern town that you’ll want to go back multiple times to visit.