Saturday April 7th, 2009 George, Lorene, spouse and I took a day trip through the Natchez Trace and to see a southern plantation home. It was very sweet of them because this involves 2 things spouse and I really enjoy.
So a little history about the Natchez Trace... from their national park services website:
The Natchez Trace Parkway commemorates an ancient trail that connects Natchez with Nashville. This prehistoric trail probably evolved by repeated meanderings starting with the prehistory American Indians.Above is a picture of the front of this mansion and a close up of it's front balconies. This 30,000 square foot 6 story home capped with a byzantine onion shaped dome was framed up in 1861. The workers (from Pennsylvania) left their tools here to return home to fight in the Civil War. The believed the war wouldn't last long. The first 4 floors were to be the main living area, with a 5th story solarium and 6th story observatory. Of the 32 planned rooms only the 9 in the basement were ever completed. Longwood is the largest octagonal home in the US. It is listed on the National Registry as a historic antebellum (Latin for "before" (ante) and "war" (bellum). It's style was unusual for the era. Greek Revival was the more common style of this period. Longwood (according to the tourist book I bought) is "a superb example of the mid-nineteenth century "villa in the oriental style".
The architect was Samuel Sloan from Philadephia. 
Dr. Haller Nutt and his wife Julia hired Sloan in the late 1850's and work started in the spring of 1860. The house was framed by 1861 when the Pennsylvania workers left. Slaves finished the 9 rooms in the basement so the Nutts could move into their "temporary home" in 1862.
Dr. Haller Nutt and his wife Julia hired Sloan in the late 1850's and work started in the spring of 1860. The house was framed by 1861 when the Pennsylvania workers left. Slaves finished the 9 rooms in the basement so the Nutts could move into their "temporary home" in 1862.
Dr. Haller Nutt died in 1864 officially of pneumonia (he also had 
gout.) His "gout inspired" chair still is still in the basement on this home tour. Anyhow, his wife Julia Nutt said he died of a broken heart. Julia lived in the basement with her many children until her death many years later. 
The pictures below are of the 1st floor level main entrance, very open rooms. The preservationists of this home believe the alcoves were going to have some kind of sculpture representing the 4 seasons.
gout.) His "gout inspired" chair still is still in the basement on this home tour. Anyhow, his wife Julia Nutt said he died of a broken heart. Julia lived in the basement with her many children until her death many years later. 
The pictures below are of the 1st floor level main entrance, very open rooms. The preservationists of this home believe the alcoves were going to have some kind of sculpture representing the 4 seasons.
Longwood was referred to as "Nutt's Folly".
Dr. Nutt was a fierce unionist . He chose not to delay construction because he never thought there would be a war.
Dr. Nutt was a fierce unionist . He chose not to delay construction because he never thought there would be a war.
One of their 11 children (not all survived until adulthood) was also named Julia. This is the crate that delivered her piano. The family used the upstairs as storage. The home stayed in the family until the 1970's and today is owned and maintained by the Pilgrimage Garden Club as a house museum.
Longwood represents that last burst of southern extravagance before the cotton baron dominance went bust. This is at least part of the reason it was never finished.
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