Day 18: Natchez MI

Morning mist over the meandering Mississippi River.

But Henry brightens up our morning.

So does the egg casserole, grits with cheese and smoked bacon.

We walk to town via the visitors' centre.

On our way we spot a horse taking folk for a tour. We always like to take a tour whenever we visit a new town.

Horse and carriage seems perfect for this place.

Jack takes us on a ride.

Horse and carriage complete with a fringe on top.

The tour gives us a great overview of the history and architecture of Natchez.

It is taking us a moment or two to understand the southern dialect.

The first Presbyterian church where Mark Twain attended during his boyhood.

Natchez has well preserved buildings. There are ten antebellum houses open to visitors. ( antebellum means exisiting before the war) these houses were built before the Civil War in 1861-65. This tour helps us decide which house to tour when we go walkabout.

Stanton Hall was completed in 1858. It was built for Frederick Stanton a cotton broker and plantation owner. The house is now owned by the women of the Pilgrimage Garden Club who bought it in 1938 and restored it. Some of Stanton's descendants have returned some of the original furniture.

I'd show you the interior if I could but photography is not allowed. The website has some images.

Over the road a grand house for sale. Asking price $US 840,000.

A diver boat captains house with ships wheel inspired decoration.

We drop in to Breaud restuarant for lunch. We are looking for local dishes.

My driver is happy with his oysters. So much so that he also has an oyster poboy which is a bread roll filled with salad and deep fried oysters.

I opt for a muttaletta, a sandwich with layers of provolone cheese, ham and salami. It is a huge portion and a little rich for me. I did secure olive oil and balsamic vinegar for the salad though. A first on this trip.

 

We walked the historic route after lunch and went back to Stanton Hall and went on a very informative guided tour with Judy.

 

Libby gave us a gracious Southern welcome. Thank you.

Along the street is Glen Auburn which was built after the civil war by Christian Schwartz a member of the Jewish community who were integral to the re-establishment of Natchez after the civil War.

 

The houses are generally beautifully presented.

This antebellum house has double entry stairs typical of the period when men and women ascended separately.

Gracious verandah settings.

The Natchez Visitors' centre has an interesting timeline dating from the Natchez Indian settlement; the Spanish, the French, the British influence; the invention of the cotton gin in 1790 which had an unintended consequence of increasing slavery; the plantation era when Natchez had more millionaires than any other city in America; the civil war in the 1860's; the Jim Crow era; the boll weevil decimation of cotton plantations; segregation; through to the Civil Rights protests in the 1950's and 1960's.

Recently the names of Black American soldiers who died in WW 1 and WW 11 been added to memorials in the town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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