Edelweiss, a Swiss Cottage style house in Natchez, Mississippi. Edelweiss may have been based on a design in E.C. Gardner’s “Illustrated Homes,” published in Boston in 1875. It was built for coal dealer Joseph O’Brien on the high bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in 1883.
Natchez is famed for its Antebellum houses, but this house is one of several exceptional post-Civil War houses in the town.
Houses evocative of romantic Swiss cottages had a brief vogue during the period. The style is related to, and overlaps with, Stick Style and Queen Anne. It is a charming and somewhat exotic style from the Age of Romance. Like houses in any uncommon architectural style, the preservation of these houses has heightened importance due to their relative rarity.
This house was neglected when purchased and restored by novelist Greg Iles in 2008. It continues to be well-maintained and is available as a short-term rental for visitors to Natchez.
Understanding the style of a house is the essential first step in developing a restoration plan that prioritizes the preservation and restoration of character-defining features while making changes necessary for modern life in an old house.
Exotic and eclectic styles like Swiss Cottage are covered in Chapter 2 of “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 in our online bookshop at YourHistoricHouse.com/shop/.
Our shop also carries select preservation and restoration titles by other authors. Save on cost and shipping with our multi-book combo packs!
© Scott T. Hanson 2026.
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