Natchez, Symbol of the Old SouthOliver, Nola Nance
History
Natchez, Symbol of the Old South
Oliver, Nola Nance
Historic buildings -- Mississippi -- Natchez
Built in 1840 for William St. John Elliott and his wife, it was given
her family name, “D’Evereux”, and this home, one of the most spacious in
the community, was the scene of many happy affairs for the socially
prominent.
Great double drawing rooms and a banquet room, while not containing the
original furnishings, show woodwork and walls, hand-turned railings and
doorways, evidence of the excellent taste of the builders.
After more than forty years the master-owner of D’Evereux died. The home
was closed for a long while; later the widow with some of her young
relatives opened the mansion and it became again the scene of many
joyful gatherings.
Upon the death of Mrs. Elliott, “D’Evereux” was willed to her niece,
Mrs. Margaret Martin Shields. During Mrs. Shields’ occupancy, it was
selected as the most perfect home, in style and setting, in the entire
Southland, and for this reason it is shown in that exquisite motion
picture, “The Heart of Maryland”.
Within the past few years D’Evereux has been purchased by Miss Myra
Smith of Chicago. With great pride in the ownership of one of the
South’s most majestic ante-bellum homes, Miss Smith has restored every
portion of the old home, which today presents such magnificent
perfection as to bring forth exclamations of wonder from all who travel
that section of the Natchez Trace highway.
[Illustration: (unlabelled)]
_Cherokee_
[Illustration: Cherokee]
One of the most attractive of Natchez’ ante-bellum houses is the
recently reclaimed Cherokee, built in 1794 by Jesse Greenfield on land
acquired under Spanish grant.
In 1810 David Michie purchased the property and added the classic front.
The present owner, Mr. Charles Byrnes, has reclaimed the old Irish Manor
House and its grounds, using wherever possible the style and materials
of the original.
Cherokee stands on a great elevation overlooking Natchez. It is across
the street from Choctaw and within calling distance of Connelly’s Tavern
on Ellicott Hill.
_Dunleith_
This house, built in 1849 by Gen. Dahlgreen, is situated in perfectly
kept terraced grounds, surrounded by symmetrically planted oak trees
which have grown to giant size. A long driveway from the tall iron gate
at the street entrance to the porch steps bring one to “Dunleith”, a
veritable Greek temple.
Dunleith is almost one hundred years old. The land on which it stands is
part of a Spanish grant of 700 acres, and was the site of the original
home which was destroyed by fire (caused by lightning) in 1845. In the
rear of the present Dunleith are the stables which belonged to the
original house.
At the death of Leslie Carpenter a few years ago this property was
inherited by his widow and her son, J. N. Carpenter. No more perfect
example of a Colonial mansion of the Old South can be found. The house
and grounds are under the constant care of scientific gardeners and
caretakers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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