Natchez MS

 Our next stop was in Natchez MS where we stayed at the Natchez State Park a short distance north of town. Natchez SP is a nice park but many of the sites would have not been able to hold us and our extra truck, luckily I had reserved a large pull through that we fit into easily. My only complaint about the park is in negotiating the park, I knew what site number we were in but didn't make note of what campground (A or B) it was in...bad me. Their signage gives just what campground not the site numbers, we eventually found our way to our site. 

At Natchez they allowed foraging for wood, close by we found a large log and part of a stump so we got our first fire going in many months. So nice to spend the evening sitting by a fire and enjoying another beautiful state park.






One of the things we wanted to do while in Natchez was tour a few of the Antebellum homes. We stopped at the visitors center and bought tickets for multiple houses.

Our first stop was  Rosalie Mansion, since we arrived early no tours were being held but instead we were allowed to tour the home at our leisure. You can read about the history of Rosalie here. This home was made up of furnishings original to the home. Somehow this wonderful house survived the ravages of the Civil War intact.

                                              

Stanton Hall was our second destination, as is with many of these old homes the furnishings were of the period but very few were actually from the home itself. Stanton Hall was completed only months before Stanton's death in 1859, a story we've heard time and time again at many of the historic homes we've toured around the country. You can read more of the story of Stanton Hall here.

 Our third home to visit was Longwood home, the house that would never be finished. The home was started prior to the outbreak of the Civil War, the owners fortune was lost during the war. The basement area was the only part ever occupied...what once was to be the servants quarters turned into the owners home. Once it was declared a National Historic Landmark it couldn't be completed. This was to be a very unique home with it's octagonal shape and grand vision. As with the other homes, pictures couldn't be taken except for in the unfinished upper areas. You can read more about Longwood here. 

 With the advent of the Civil War most of the construction workers who were from the north and headed home. They left behind tools, molds and many utensils of their profession. Many of which have been preserved.

Our last tour was of Melrose which is part of the Natchez National Historical Park. The home is a Greek Revival Mansion with furnishings from just before the Civil War. Most of the furnishing are from the home itself as the original owners and subsequent owners sold the furnishings with the home.  You can read more about the history of Melrose here.

The following day we took a 50 (of 444)  mile ride on the Natchez Trace Parkway. We enjoyed a few stops along the way. 

Mount Locust Inn where travelers could stay as they traveled the Trace.

Sunken Trace, where relatively soft ground was worn down by walkers, riders and wagons.

Rocky Springs Church and cemetery, the only building standing (and still in use) from the town of Rocky Springs.  Population in 1860-2616, today-0.

After leaving the Trace we headed over to Windsor Ruins. All that is left of a mansion that survived the Civil War only to be destroyed by fire started by a careless smoker.

We enjoyed our brief time in Natchez  and though we forgot to get a photo Dave once again got another dinner of crawfish.

Until next time...