Forward: This is a terribly long post, but it’s mostly photos, LOL!!!
Wanting a weekend getaway, I booked us a trip to a place I’ve wanted to explore for a long time, St. Francisville, Louisiana. We took the route that led us through Natchez, Mississippi so we could stop at Longwood, a place I’ve wanted to visit ever since I’d seen it featured on TV.
The draw for me to Longwood was the fact that the entire upstairs floors were left unfinished due to the Civil War. Tools and materials remain, to this day, right where the workers left them. And for me, as a builder, I really wanted to see it.
The drive up to the house is amazing!!!
The guided tour of the house begins in the ground floor that was completely finished for the family to live in while the rest of the house was to be completed. However, with the Civil War looming, the Northern craftsmen, the only ones with the skills to build it, headed back up North. When the war was over the family was left financially devastated. Then the husband died leaving his wife only able to scrape by and barely hold onto the house.
It is now owned and operated as a museum by the Pilgrimage Garden Club
No photos are allowed in the basement level, but it is beautifully decorated with period and original family pieces.
The upstairs is incredible.
I can’t even imagine how incredible the rotunda would have looked after completion.
Miter box
Shipping crates that carried materials.
Piano crate
Original finial that was blown off in a storm.
Family outhouse
We finished our exploring of the grounds with the family cemetery.
Then we hit the road again to St Francisville.
It was time for lunch when we got there, so we stopped in at the Magnolia Cafe.
I had the Spicy Shrimp Po-boy and LeAnn had the Crawfish Dip. Both were delicious!!! And of course, we had to try their Bread Pudding.
Look at these tiny bungalows for rent behind the restaurant parking lot.
Then we drove around the little town exploring and hit a couple antique stores before making the short drive out to where we’d be staying, Greenwood’s Plantation Bed and Breakfast.
We stayed in a small inn across a pond from the main house. Our key was left in a box by the office door so we could let ourselves in. Since we went during the week, we had the entire place to ourselves.
If you plan to stay here, get an upstairs room. They have back porches and rocking chairs looking over the pond to the main house.
The Main House has been featured in lots of movies. You can see why.
A guided tour of the house and out buildings is included with your stay.
During your stay, you’re welcome to explore the grounds.
That evening we headed back into town for what turned out to be a wonderful meal at The Francis Southern Table and Bar.
And of course, Bread Pudding.
After we stuffed ourselves, we got a bottle of Champagne and headed back to the inn. Where we sat in our rockers on the porch, enjoyed our view and the sounds of frogs and crickets.
The charming owner, who gave us the tour asked what time we’d like breakfast the next morning. We said 7:30 would be fine and after a very quiet night’s sleep, we got ready and sat in our rockers before breakfast. We watched some deer in the yard before going inside for a nice breakfast. There we had a delightful visit with the owners and the sweet lady who takes care of the rooms.
We had gotten up early so we could make two home tours before going towards home.
Our first stop was the infamous Myrtles Plantation. It’s claim to fame is being one of the most haunted places in America.
We purchased admission in the gift shop and explored the pretty garden.
Below is where The Myrtles most famous ghost, Chloe, is most often photographed. Read Chloe’s story here.
The bravest of adventurers can book a stay inside the main house, while the more timid can stay in one of their cabins.
LeAnn chose a third option.
I’ll have to say, the first room we entered was kinda creepy looking.
They say that people often photograph faces or handprints in this mirror. We took several photos.
I may have captured something in the photo below.
The rest of the tour was really cool, but no interactions with the former residents.
Our next stop was Rosedown Plantation who’s draw for me was the 660 foot Oak lined driveway.
We paid admission, and went over to the drive and walked all the way down to the house.
The trees are HUGE!!
I really didn’t think it was possible for LeAnn to look any smaller.
Before our guided tour, which happened to be given to us by the daughter of the lady who served us breakfast that morning, (y’gotta love small towns) we explored some of the 18 acre formal gardens.
The tour of the home was amazing!!!
From the top front porch.
After the tour, we explored more of the gardens on our way back to the truck.
Back on the road, we decided we had time to stop by one one the most notorious prisons in the country where I’d heard they had a really cool museum…Angola
Among the many exhibits, the museum includes artifacts that inmates used for escape attempts and weapons.
The inmates make lots of crafts including the coffins for those buried there. Many of their crafts are sold at their annual rodeo, staring the inmates themselves, which is a very popular draw for people from all over the surrounding states.
We bought some inmate made hot sauce and cane syrup in the gift shop, headed toward Natchez, being sidetracked by a terribly hilly hiking trail, which we were not prepared for, especially in the extreme heat.
We also squeezed in one last antique store before closing time.
Our last stop was King’s Tavern in Natchez, a restaurant located in the oldest standing building in the Mississippi Territory. Circa 1789.
The inside was brimming with character from hand hewn beams to the brick walls.
I ordered the Braised Brisket Flatbread and LeAnn, the Madeline Flatbread. They were bigger than we expected, and they were absolutely incredible!!!
Before leaving for home, we went upstairs with the owner where LeAnn got a bottle of Golden Rum that they make themselves. He also told us of his own spooky encounters in the building.
It was a great two day getaway and doing it on weekdays made it so much better than during a weekend.
Thanks so much for stopping by and having a read. If you’ve any recommendations for things to do in Natchez, Mississippi, please comment below, we want to explore it next time.
See y’later
monte
*We were not paid, reimbursed, or comped anything mentioned in this post. All photos were taken by me. *
Cedar Creek Woodworks 