Which Historic Homes or Plantations Do You Recommend for Visits?

Joined
Nov 26, 2016
Location
central NC
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(Photograph taken by @Southern Unionist)

Based on responses to an earlier thread, it seems most of us would visit a plantation and many of us have. So, which plantations would you recommend for others to visit? I have a bunch, but I'll start us off with Longwood, an octagonal antebellum home located in Natchez, MS. It was never finished due to the Civil War so the owners lived in the basement until their deaths.

Please list as many as you like and share pictures if you can. Thanks in advance for your contributions!
 
Based on responses to an earlier thread, it seems most of us would visit a plantation and many of us have. So, which plantations would you recommend for others to visit? I have a bunch, but I'll start us off with Longwood, an octagonal antebellum home located in Natchez, MS. It was never finished due to the Civil War so the owners lived in the basement until their deaths.​

Please list as many as you like and share pictures if you can. Thanks in advance for your contributions!

Longwood was called Nutt's Folly, correct? I learned about Longwood on several podcasts. The original owner was mocked for starting the construction on something that he wasn't able to finish.
 
Longwood was called Nutt's Folly, correct? I learned about Longwood on several podcasts. The original owner was mocked for starting the construction on something that he wasn't able to finish.

Yep! That's the one. My husband visited Longwood on a business trip and took me back with him for a visit a couple of years later. He didn't tell me the story of the house and I was in complete shock when I saw inside. The tour is fabulous! And they have an extra special one at Christmastime. I've had the pleasure of enjoying both and highly recommend them both.
 
Mordecai Historic Park
1 Mimosa St
Raleigh, NC 27604

Pronounced "mor-duh-kee." The antebellum plantation was a sizable property to the north of downtown Raleigh. Most of the land was sold off and developed, but the main plantation house remains in its original location. Other buildings remain on the property as well, or have been moved there, including the birthplace of Andrew Johnson, 17th U.S. President.

Interestingly, several slave narratives exist describing the life of enslaved people at the plantation, as well accounts from the owners of the plantation.

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Roy B.
 
I enjoyed McRaven house in Vicksburg, it had little things I hadn't seen in some bigger home, toured nice one in Natchez but so long ago don't remember the name, perhaps someone can help it huge hand carved magnolia blossom trim for every chandalier
 
I enjoyed McRaven house in Vicksburg, it had little things I hadn't seen in some bigger home, toured nice one in Natchez but so long ago don't remember the name, perhaps someone can help it huge hand carved magnolia blossom trim for every chandalier
Like you, I've visited McRaven and one in Natchez who's name I can't remember. Does Monticello count?
 
View attachment 347879
(Photograph taken by @Southern Unionist)

Based on responses to an earlier thread, it seems most of us would visit a plantation and many of us have. So, which plantations would you recommend for others to visit? I have a bunch, but I'll start us off with Longwood, an octagonal antebellum home located in Natchez, MS. It was never finished due to the Civil War so the owners lived in the basement until their deaths.

Please list as many as you like and share pictures if you can. Thanks in advance for your contributions!

@Eleanor Rose, I’m not sure if you and your husband have been, but I know beyond a doubt y’all would love St. Francisville, La. As @Polloco stated above, it has some incredible homes. It is just down the road a bit from Natchez, so the two can be done at the same time.
 
@Eleanor Rose, I’m not sure if you and your husband have been, but I know beyond a doubt y’all would love St. Francisville, La. As @Polloco stated above, it has some incredible homes. It is just down the road a bit from Natchez, so the two can be done at the same time.
St. Francisville is wonderful. John James Audubon lived at Oakley Plantation for several months teaching and painting many of his Birds of America there. Rosedown is simply stunning. Visit Grace Episcopal Church. Jeff Davis’ first wife Knoxie is buried in the church yard there. Cross the Mississippi on the Audubon Bridge to New Roads and False River. There you will find my all time favorite, Parlange, a French colonial built in 1750 and still owned and occupied by the Parlange family.

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My uncle was a good friend of the Parlanges and 30 years ago on a visit to see him in Baton Rouge we were invited to a Saturday morning breakfast. It was a huge meal arrayed on a large hunt board and taken around a big table with maybe a dozen people of all walks. I remember one was a Canadian student walking the lower Mississippi for his thesis and was invited in while passing through. The others were locals. You can’t imagine how hospitable it was, truly a step back in time and much of the furnishings in the house are original to it. They show the house by appointment I believe.

Link below:

 
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Monticello, & Mt. Vernon are must sees. Besides the obvious, they both give great insight into the minds of two of our countries greatest men.

Even though I've been to both multiple times, I'm planning on visiting Monticello again, later this spring/early summer. It's been a few years since I've been.
 
Monticello, & Mt. Vernon are must sees. Besides the obvious, they both give great insight into the minds of two of our countries greatest men.

Even though I've been to both multiple times, I'm planning on visiting Monticello again, later this spring/early summer. It's been a few years since I've been.
That view over the front lawn at Mt. Vernon is something to see isn’t it!

Monticello is just fascinating. Everyone should see it.
 
That view over the front lawn at Mt. Vernon is something to see isn’t it!
Breath taking
Monticello is just fascinating. Everyone should see it.
Agreed !

As I travel around Virginia, sometimes I pause, & look around. At those moments, it becomes easy to understand why our ancestors, & founding fathers fell so in love with this area. A trip to Jamestown can stimulate similar feelings.
 
I was fascinated by the ruins of Windsor on the Mississippi River, near Port Gibson Mississippi. It was finished in 1861 and was used by both Confederate and Union forces during the ACW. The plantation home was located on approximately 2,600 acres. The house had 25 or so rooms on three levels topped by a cupola. It had two indoor bathroom (utilizing a tank in the attic). It burned in 1890 leaving the columns, which are still standing today. Photos are from a visit my wife and I made in 2017, and the drawing is a period sketching of Windsor.

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