Longwood Plantation - Natchez, Mississippi

Take a Tour of the Longwood Plantation. The Longwood Plantation, also known as Nutt’s Folly, whose construction began in the 1860s, is certainly a unique looking plantation building. Rather than the usual Greek Revival style that was so popular in the South during that era, the builder chose to create a multistory, octagonal, Oriental Revival style. The house is six stories tall, encompasses 30,000 square feet, and has a large byzantine styled dome.

Dr. Haller Nutt funded the construction of his plantation house, but a Philadelphia architect named Samuel Sloan designed it. As the house neared completion, the Civil War broke out and construction halted. The workers were needed at home, so they left the house in an unfinished state. Fortunately, construction of the exterior was complete; only the inside of the massive home that was never finished. The house has 32 rooms, but only 9 were completed.

In 1864, Dr. Nutt died. His wife, however, continued to live in the first floor of the house. This first floor still holds a number of original furnishings and belongings, which means that a tour of the house is like stepping back in time. In fact, touring the upper floors or this architectural masterpiece is like entering a world where time stands still.

Even through years of neglect and abandonment, the house survived. Known around the nation as the most beautiful, as well as the largest, of the octagonal houses, the Longwood Plantation is a National Historic Landmark and registered on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Pilgrimage Garden Club runs the property, as well as many other historic houses in the area. Visitors can take tours of the home and grounds to learn more about Dr. Haller Nutt and see just what it might have been like to live on a plantation. You can find out more about the Longwood Plantation as well as the other houses the Pilgrimage Garden Club runs by visiting their website at natchezpilgrimage.com.

The Longwood Plantation is a place that anyone who is visiting the area around Natchez, Mississippi should strive to visit. It is one of the most often visited and photographed places around Natchez, and has even been featured on television specials.

Few other places in the nation embody the lavishness of the South, and travelers will be hard pressed to find a building that is as unique and in as beautiful a setting as this plantation.

Address:
P.O. Box 347
Natchez, MS 39121
Phone: 601.442.5193
Fax: 601.446.8687
Toll-Free: 1.800.647.6742