Arlington (Natchez, Mississippi) facts for kids
|
Arlington
|
|
Arlington in 2009
|
|
 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Main St., Natchez, Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Area | 55 acres (22 ha) |
| Built | 1819–20 |
| Architectural style | Colonial, Southern colonial |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000999 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1973 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
Arlington is a beautiful old house and its surrounding buildings located in Natchez, Mississippi. It's built in the Federal style, which was popular in the United States from about 1780 to 1830. The property covers about 55 acres and includes three important historic buildings.
Arlington was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it's a special place worth protecting. In 1974, it was even named a National Historic Landmark, which is an even higher honor! Sadly, a big fire damaged the main house in 2002. Because of this, it was listed as one of Mississippi's most endangered historic places in 2009.
History of Arlington House
People believe that Arlington was built by John Hampton White and his wife, Jane Surget White. They were from Elizabethtown, New Jersey. It's thought that construction on the house started around 1819 or 1820.
We don't know for sure who designed Arlington. Some people think John Hampton White was the architect, but there are no old papers to prove it. We do know that a rich planter named Lewis Evans bought the land in 1806. He started a large farm, called a plantation, and built a house there.
In 1814, Lewis Evans sold part of his land, including his house, to Jonathan Thompson. Thompson then sold the Arlington property to Jane Surget White in December 1818. Jane White's father, Pierre Surget, was a French immigrant who led one of Natchez's most important families. John Hampton White passed away in October 1819, and Jane White died in July 1825.
Arlington's Architecture
Experts in old buildings consider Arlington to be very important. It's seen as one of the first "Federal Style villas" that set the look for many other grand houses built later in Natchez. The house is made of red brick and stands on a small hill. It has two full floors above a low basement. The main part of the house is about 64 feet wide and 87 feet long.
.jpg)
The front of the house has five sections, called "bays." The middle three sections have a large porch, called a "portico." This portico has four tall, round columns in the Doric style. The front doors on both floors have special brick designs above them, with carved marble blocks and a central "keystone." The doorways also have two narrow windows on the sides, called "sidelights," and a fan-shaped window above the door, called a "fanlight." All the windows have carved marble sills and tops.
Inside, both main floors are set up with a long hallway down the middle. There are two rooms on each side of this hallway. On the east side, there's a staircase hall that connects to the main hall through a doorway with a fanlight. The wooden decorations inside are very fancy and detailed, especially the carved panels above the doors.
Behind the main house are the service buildings. On the southeast side of the main house, there's a one-story brick wing with a porch. Next to this wing, there's a separate two-story brick building. This building was used as the kitchen and living quarters for the cook. Attached to the back of this building is a one-story brick carriage house. About 150 feet west of the back yard, there's a two-story barn, separated by a neat garden made of boxwood bushes.
In the mid-1800s, a large porch was added to the back of the house. It has Doric columns, just like the front porch. At this time, a metal porch was also added over a central doorway on the east side of the house, and the attached wing was updated.
Fire and What Happened After
Arlington had a terrible fire on September 17, 2002. The fire destroyed the main roof and a lot of the second floor. Soon after the fire, a new roof was built thanks to the Historic Natchez Foundation. However, after that, people broke many windows and damaged a lot of the wood inside and outside the house.
Because the owner wasn't taking care of the historic house, a group called the Natchez Preservation Commission took them to court. In December 2009, the owner was fined for "demolition by neglect." This means they were found responsible for letting the historic building fall apart because they didn't maintain it.
See Also
- National Register of Historic Places nomination photos from 1973
