Magnolia Hall 215 South Pearl St. Natchez, Ms. January 17th, 1998

This magnificent home was built in 1858 by Thomas Henderson, planter, merchant and elder in the nearby First Presbyterian Church. It is one of the three most outstanding examples of Greek Revival architecture in Natchez. Downstairs, elegant and spacious rooms are filled with beautiful antiques of the period while the upper floors showcases the only  costume museum in Natchez, featuring Victorian clothing and original gowns of the Pilgrimage queens. There is a hoop skirt for the ladies to try on and experience the antebellum days. An old Confederate musket stands in the corner available to be handled. I picked it up and it was quite heavy. Holding it level for just a few seconds caused the barrel to dip. In the same room, along one wall was a doll collection representing a variety of periods. Magnolia Hall was the last great mansion to be completed in Natchez before the outbreak of the  Civil War. It was damaged during the conflict when it was hit by a shell from the Union gunboat, Essex. Magnolia Hall was acquired in 1976 by the Natchez Garden Club. And restoration, which continues on today, was started immediately.  The house is open daily to tourists. Having toured many of the homes in this historic area, I was grateful to have found one that had no photographic restrictions. Bring your camera and have a ball. . . .

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