Like an impressive jewel, Longwood mansion nestles atop a Natchez hillside. However the opulent Mississippi house hides a secret inside.
“It was by no means completed,” tour information Cindy says. “All that was ever completed was the basement and that’s the place the household needed to dwell.”
The most important octagonal home in America, Longwood was the unfulfilled dream of rich planter and doctor Haller Nutt.
The within of Longwood was by no means completed, simply the basement.
“To me, it’s a story of romance, tragedy, triumph and beauty,” Cindy says. “After I consider Longwood, that’s what I consider.”
The story began when Dr. Haller Nutt married Julia Augusta Williams in 1840. Haller adored his spouse and determined at some point to shock her by shopping for the previous home and property the place she used to play as a toddler in Natchez, Mississippi.
“Julia at all times had beloved this place,” Cindy says. “On that day in 1850, Haller and Julia went for a drive and got here out right here. What Julia didn’t know was that her husband had despatched servants and a few of her private possessions to the home out right here to shock her and let her know they owned it. Haller meant for it to be a summer time retreat for the household.”
Haller’s objective was to demolish the previous home on the property and construct an ostentatious house worthy of a rich household. He employed Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan who introduced expert craftsmen from Philadelphia to start development in 1860.
Architectural masterpiece
The design of the six-story, octagon-shaped home referred to as for 32 rooms, every with its personal balcony. The house would have 26 fireplaces, 115 doorways and 96 columns. It will characteristic a 16-sided cupola topped by a Byzantine dome.
For 18 months, workmen buzzed about creating the architectural masterpiece. Then one thing unexpected occurred that halted development in its tracks.
The unfinished inside Longwood.
Warfare was declared. When the Civil Warfare began in 1861, the Northern staff deserted the undertaking, dropping their instruments the place they stopped and returning to their properties within the North.
“Haller thought the struggle would solely final a pair months and the South would win,” Cindy says. “Then he might end constructing his house.”
As an alternative, the struggle raged on. Haller’s wealthy cotton property was burned and confiscated. Lots of his museum-quality European furnishings and supplies being shipped to Longwood had been seized by the Federal blockade.
Shedding his wealth and valuables, Haller and some native staff accomplished the basement degree and the household lived there. The Nutts had 11 youngsters however solely eight lived to maturity.
Dying of a damaged coronary heart
So as to add to the tragedy and household hardships, Haller received caught in a rainstorm and got here down with pneumonia. He died within the basement on June 15, 1864. Though the reason for dying was listed as pneumonia, many believed Haller had died of a damaged coronary heart over his unfinished dream home.
“Julia was left to hold on,” Cindy says. “She wrote that her youngsters had been going to mattress half hungry… Though Julia was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, she rolled up her sleeves and went to work. She planted greens and offered them on the town out of the again of a wagon. Occasions had been very dangerous for them.”
Julia and the kids continued residing within the cellar of the elegant shell, doing solely the fundamental requirements to take care of the nice hulk looming over them. Julia died in 1897 and was buried beside her husband within the Longwood household cemetery on the property grounds.
Haller Nutt suffered from gout and used this chair for aid.
Grandchildren owned Longwood, nicknamed “Nutt’s Folly,” till 1968. In 1970, Longwood was deeded to the Pilgrimage Backyard Membership and named a Nationwide Historic Landmark in 1971. About 80 % of the furnishings and different furnishings now within the basement had belonged to the Nutt household.
Common with guests, Longwood is open year-round for excursions. If among the web site appears to be like acquainted, scenes from the HBO vampire collection “True Blood” had been filmed at Longwood in 2010.
A rope-operated ‘punkah’ fan over the eating desk was typically used to maintain flies off meals throughout mealtime.
In contrast to different Natchez antebellum properties, Longwood is secluded on an enormous tract of wooded land. Large bushes are eerily draped with Spanish moss and coming into the winding driveway looks like touring again in time to go to one other world and maybe ponder what might need been.
Basement bed room
Images by Jackie Sheckler Finch
Ed. Notes: CruiseCompete and its member journey advisors present many curated cruise and land offers, presents and facilities on over 50 cruise strains with over 500 cruise ships crusing all around the globe. Browse Cruise Ships and Cruise Strains
7 Evening – Decrease Mississippi River Cruise from.. American Symphony (cruisecompete.com)
Mississippi River Cruises | American Cruise Strains
