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Natchez, Mississippi - Part 4
Written by: Janet Pope
Photography by: Donald
Natchez has an unusual view of the river and it has been here almost 200 years. The hill is high but buses provided the way to a house tour that explained more of the economic impact of the war and the strength of the people. History was typically never like this in school: fun a
Day 4 - Natchez, Mississippi
You do things on vacation that you would not normally do. Carried away with the moment, you think, "I'll never see these people again." The theory is that vacations are for fun so you might as well let loose and have fun, right? That's my excuse for volunteering to be in the cruise's fashion show. I was asked to model Mardi Gras items from the gift shop. That is why I found myself listening to the strains of Macarena as they called my name to walk down the runway, decked out in a Mardi Gras tee shirt, gold top hat, purple boa, feathered and sequined mask and five layers of beads. The emcee announced my name and city and, then, he announced that my hobbies were "wine, men and song."
I strutted my stuff and played to the crowd and, when it was over, I was happy to get my discount in the gift shop as a reward, anything for a bargain.
After the fashion show, we went into Natchez to browse the gift shop, but again, temptation beckoned to the Isle of Capri Casino, which is open 24 hours a day. I tried my best to win back what I spent in the gift shop and at bingo, but I ended up leaving a donation for the local economy. The Grand American Queen does not have a casino, as it wants to retain its distinctive old world charm, but there are some in many of the stops along the river. I, for one, was grateful there was not a casino onboard, as I'm a sucker for bells and the sound of clinking coins.
Back on the boat, we grabbed a quick lunch before boarding a bus to visit three of the area’s antebellum homes. Antebellum is Latin for before the war and, down in Mississippi, there was only one war.
Natchez is the oldest settlement on the river and it has 11 homes on the National Register of Historic homes. In 1840, there were 24 millionaires in the U.S. and 13 of them lived in Natchez.
Longwood is a 1860s Italianate Octagonal house and its claim to fame is that it remains unfinished. Haller Nutt, the original owner, commissioned the six-story home before the war broke out and during the course of the war he lost $3.5 million dollars. The ornate shell of Longwood and the bottom floor was finished, but funds stopped and so did all construction. Three generations of his family subsequently lived in the basement until 1968.
It's difficult to describe the size and scope of this house, but one indicator is the almost three quarter million bricks that were made onsite.
Our next antebellum home was D'Everaux, built in 1840 by William St. John Elliot. The unique aspect of this home is that the current owners have been living in it since 1962, as opposed to it being a museum saved for posterity. Among the period antiques are a variety of personal family photos dating to the present time. I especially liked the front windows in this home, which rise up with the bottom panels and open out to form doorways to the porch.
Our final antebellum home of the day was Lansdowne, built in 1853. I was truly impressed with not just this home, but also the fact that our tour guides are the great grand children of the original owner, George Marshall. The original family still owns this house. The furnishings, the clothes and especially the photographs, are, in fact, those of their immediate relatives. The grandfather's baby clothes are lying on the four-poster bed alongside the family dolls. In the parlor, the walls are still lined with the original wallpaper and the ceiling has the original paint. Why don’t our paint jobs seem to last more than seven years? The family legacy and unique heritage of this home is a treasure to the family, the community and to all of us.
On the way back to the boat, our tour guide was quick to point out sights of interest, as she injected her own humor.
"If you're having a cup of tea, it's called a porch. If you are having a mint Julep, it’s called a galley. If you're not doing either it's a shame," said Myrthis in a dry Southern drawl.
Throughout the area, we noticed shanty homes alongside mansions. The dichotomy can be both invisible and startling at the same time.
Well, we made it back to the boat in time for bingo, a game I am determined to win. Next on the agenda, was our mandatory nap in preparation for an evening of jazzy music, another wonderful meal and a St. Patrick's Day sing-a-long. We even caught a movie and popcorn in the theater.
Tonight's show starred "Lucille and the Delta Tornados" who explained the history and background of their Jazz style and then proceed to show it off musically. This was to be transition of jazz from a traditional to the more contemporary styles. There is no adequate way to describe their effect on the audience. People of all ages and interests picked up by the music, emotionally entwined and then gently set down. The music made a difference.
This is definitely one of my all time favorite vacations. Just two more days to go....
Part 1 - American Queen - Jazz and Blues Cruise
Part 2 - Vacherie, Louisiana
Part 3 - St. Francisville, Louisiana
Part 4 - Natchez, Mississippi
Part 5 - Vicksburg, Mississippi
Part 6 - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Part 7 - Mardi Gras, New Orleans
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