Longwood is a a remarkable eclectic octagonal house located in Natchez, Mississippi. The city was one of the first American communities to embrace heritage tourism, largely through the efforts of the women running its garden clubs in the 1930s.
Long focused on presenting a romanticized image of the Antebellum South, in recent years there has been a concerted effort to tell the full story of Natchez’s past, including the vast contributions of enslaved people. The story is told in this article from Country Roads magazine: countryroadsmagazine.com/art-and-culture/history/a-ninety-year-pilgrimage/
Among the many exceptional houses in Natchez is Longwood. Construction was halted at the start of the Civil War, and the interior was never completed above the walk-out basement level. The framing of the house inside the brick walls is fully exposed above the finished basement. It is a masterwork of 19th-century building technology, particularly in the cupola and dome.
The Pilgrimage Garden Club, founded in 1936, owns the house, which is open to the public on the basement and first floor levels. It is well worth a visit!
Visiting historic house museums is a wonderful way to get inspiration for your home restoration projects.
Restoration methods and materials used by museums are included among the approaches presented in “Restoring Your Historic House, The Comprehensive Guide for Homeowners.”
Signed and personalized copies of the award-winning and bestselling 720-page hardcover book are available directly from the author in our shop YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
© Scott T. Hanson 2024.
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