“ Melrose ” 
Quaint Houses of the South—I 
COLONIAL HOMES OF NATCHEZ 
By E. E. RONIM 
S URROUNDING the town of Natchez, set high 
above the “Great River,” in the wooded 
hills of Mississippi, are many Colonial houses, 
most beautiful in situation and architectural detail, 
which are attractive alike in picturesque beauty and 
in historic interest, woven in romance and “tradi¬ 
tion, the elder sister of history.” 
Settled in 1700 the Chevalier Du Ponti founded 
this “City of the Bluffs.” There ensued years of 
conflict with the Indians of the Natchez tribe, sun- 
worshipers, vigorous and well equipped. The 
ruins of old Fort Rosalie, in the peace of to-day, 
crumble and fall to the “Father of Waters,” gurgling 
and eddying at its base, giving no sign of the fearful 
massacre from which so few of the white settlers 
escaped. As time 
passed the country 
was occupied by 
the French and 
Spanish govern¬ 
ments alternately, 
and this locality 
began to develop 
and to assume a 
social and ethical 
character that dis¬ 
tinguished it in 
early days and left 
its imprint upon 
the homes that 
followed and still 
exist. 
In 1789 the 
“CONCORD” 
Spanish governor, Grand Pre, built the first man¬ 
sion of the locality as the post of government, 
signifying [by its name, “Concord,” the kindly 
feeling existing between the citizens and the offi¬ 
cials; but showing by its feudal plan that the 
possibilities of attack had been considered, all 
possessions being placed under one roof to make 
them invulnerable to the enemy, the stables being 
on the ground floor, while the government and 
domestic apartments were above. As necessity for 
such a stronghold passed, the succeeding governors 
made additions to the massive structure. Circular 
flights of stone steps were erected leading to the 
second floor, colonnades supported the addition of 
a wide overhanging roof and gallery—the new style 
of architecture in¬ 
troduced from the 
colonies and 
well adaptedNo 
this climate. 
Afew years later 
the house known 
as “The Forest” 
was built and fol¬ 
lowing in rapid 
succession there 
grew in the now 
prosperous coun¬ 
try a circlet of 
beautiful homes 
immediately out¬ 
side the town¬ 
ship of Natchez, 
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