Natchez Tourist Attractions
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The little town of Natchez in south-western Mississippi, founded in 1716, was the most important port on the Mississippi in the heyday of the cotton trade, and many handsome mansions and estates, mostly in Greek Revival style, bear witness to the wealth of those days. Among them are the House on Ellicot Hills (1798); Rosalie (1820-3), beautifully situated on high ground above the Mississippi; Stanton Hall (1851-7), with a large ballroom; Magnolia Hall, now housing a museum of fashion and costume; and Longwood, a very large house that was never fully completed.
Natchez Trace Parkway
Natchez Trace Parkway is a tourist road following the line of the Natchez Trace, an old route from Natchez to Nashville, Tennessee, which is first mentioned in 1733. It was at its busiest between 1800 and 1820, when the crews of boats that had sailed down the Mississippi to Natchez returned home on foot or horseback. The Parkway runs past Emerald Mound (12 mi. north of Natchez), the second largest pre-Columbian site in the United States, which was occupied between 1250 and 1600 by the Mississippi people, ancestors of the Natchez and Choctaws.
Emerald Mound
Emerald Mound, near Natchez Trace Parkway, is the second largest ceremonial mound in the United States. The Mound covers 8 acres and was created by depositing earth along the sides of a natural hill and creating an enormous artificial plateau.Emerald Mound was used from 1250 to 1600 AD as a ceremonial center.
Mount Locust
Mount Locust is one of Mississippi's oldest structures. It was constructed in the 1780s and served as an inn on the old Natchez Trace. The history of the inn is presented in an exhibit with information about the enslaved African Americans who lived and labored there.
Chickasaw Village Site
Chickasaw Village in Lee County, Mississippi is the site of an 18th C Chickasaw settlement. Exhibits at the site describe the Chickasaws' daily life and early history.
Longwood
Longwood was built in 1858 in Natchez. It is a brick octagonal house with a large dome-shaped roof. Built by Dr Haller Nutt, it is thought to be one of the largest octagonal houses in the USA. The interior was never completely finished but the family area is furnished with heirlooms.
Stanton Hall
Stanton Hall in Natchez is one of the largest antebellum mansions in the USA. It was built in 1857 and encompasses an entire block.
Governor Holmes House
Governor Holmes House in Natchez was the home of the last governor of the Mississippi Territory, who also became the first governor of the state of Mississippi in 1817. The home, built in 1794, is now a bed and breakfast and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Grand Village of the Natchez Indians
The Grand Village of the Natchez Indians was the main settlement of the Natchez Indians. It was destroyed by the French in 1729 following an Indian attack on a French fort. The museum displays artifacts found at the 128 acre site and interpretive exhibits on the lives of the Natchez Indians.
Natchez Museum of African American History And Culture
The Natchez Museum of Afro-American History and Culture aims to present and preserve cultural and historical contributions of Afro-Americans, focusing primarily on the state of Mississippi. The museum was moved to its current location in 1998 following a tornado that seriously damaged the old building.
Rosalie Mansion
This 1820s brick Rosalie Mansion sits on the site of the former French Fort Rosalie in Natchez. The home is furnished in period. The four-acre grounds also include the Rosalie Historic Gardens. The estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Auburn
Auburn is an 1812, red brick mansion located in Natchez which features Corinthian columns. It was considered one of the finest homes in the area in its time. The interior has been restored and furnished in period.
Canal Street Depot
The Canal Street Depot in Natchez is a 1900 train depot which offers mini-golf, game rooms, shops, crafts, and food stands. The depot also offers information on historic Natchez.
Dunleith Plantation
Dunleith Plantation in Natchez is a Greek Revival mansion that was built in 1856. Furnishings are from the 1850s, with French Zuber wallpaper and V'soske carpets. It is now a hotel.
House on Ellicott's Hill
Andrew Ellicott raised the American flag on Ellicott's Hill in Natchez in 1797 in defiance of Spain. The house was built in 1798 and is furnished in period. The property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Lansdowne Plantation
The Lansdowne Plantation was built in the early 1850s in Natchez. It contains some of the original furnishings. It is now a bed and breakfast, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Linden
Built in Natchez around 1800, Linden has remained in the same family since 1849. The building is currently a bed and breakfast and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Monmouth Plantation
Monmouth Plantation in Natchez was the home of Gen. John Quitman, a Mexican War hero, Mississippi governor, and U.S. congressman. It was built in 1818 and is furnished in period.
Mostly African Market
The Mostly African Market in Natchez is an 1850 Greek Revival house. It was the home of the African American family of Emile Angelety. The gallery and shop display African-American art and artifacts.
Natchez National Historical Park
Natchez Park deals with the cultural history of the town of Natchez, Mississippi. The park features three sites - Fort Rosalie, William Johnson House and Melrose Plantation. The Melrose Estate and William Johnson house are open to the public.
Ravennaside
Ravennaside in Natchez is a fine example of Colonial Revival architecture with stained glass, parquet floors, and hand tinted wallpaper. The home was built in the early 1900s.
Springfield Plantation
Springfield Plantation (1786-90), north of Natchez, believed to have been the first in Mississippi, has been preserved almost unchanged. Andrew Jackson was married in the house.
The Burn
The Burn in Natchez is a Greek Revival home that was built in 1834. It served as a hospital for Union troops during the Battle of Vicksburg and is now a bed and breakfast.
Weymouth Hall
Weymouth Hall is a Greek Revival mansion in Natchez offering excellent views of the Mississippi River. The house is now a bed and breakfast listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Magnolia Hall
Magnolia Hall was built in 1858 by Thomas Henderson in Natchez. This Greek Revival house contains 18th and 19th C antiques, as well as the Natchez Costume Museum.
Natchez City Cemetery
The Natchez City Cemetery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and contains graves dating to the 1700s.
Natchez Festival of Music (formerly Natchez Opera Festival)
The Natchez Festival of Music is held each year from late April to late May and operates from the Margaret Martin Performing Arts Center.
