Charles McLaran House facts for kids
|
Riverview
|
|
.jpg)
Charles McLaran House
|
|
 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 514 Second Street South, Columbus, Mississippi |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1847 |
| Architect | James Lull |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76001102 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
|
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
| Designated NHL | January 3, 2001 |
The Charles McLaran House, also called Riverview, is a grand old mansion in Columbus, Mississippi. It was built in 1847 for a very important local landowner. This house is a special and well-kept example of Greek Revival architecture. Because of its history and beauty, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 2001.
Contents
Discovering Riverview: A Historic Home
Riverview sits on about 1 acre (0.4 hectares) of land. This is a smaller piece of land than it used to be. Originally, the property took up a whole city block! It was once a small estate with many smaller buildings around the main house. Today, only one of those original buildings is still standing. The yard still has old trees and plants that might have been there from the very beginning.
What Does the House Look Like?
The main house is made of brick and is mostly square. It has 2 and a half stories, with a basement that is partly above ground. The roof is low and flat, and in the middle, there's a large square cupola. A cupola is a small, dome-like structure on top of a roof.
The house has two main fronts. One faces east toward Second Street, and the other faces west toward the Tombigbee River. Both of these fronts are five sections wide. The middle three sections on each side have huge, two-story Greek temple fronts. These grand porches have square pillars that reach up to a fancy decorated edge.
Inside the Mansion
The inside of the house is even more amazing than the outside. It has very detailed plasterwork and beautiful wooden designs. The main hallway features a grand spiral staircase. This staircase winds all the way up to the cupola at the top of the house. Some of the designs in the living rooms were copied directly from a famous architecture book. This book was called The Beauties of Modern Architecture and was written by Minard Lafever in 1835.
Who Built Riverview?
The Charles McLaran House was built in 1847 for Charles McLaran. He was originally from Alabama. At that time, he was one of the biggest landowners in the county. The design of the house is thought to be by James Lull. James Lull was from Vermont and moved to Columbus in 1837. Charles McLaran only lived in the house for a few years, until 1856. After that, he moved to St. Louis, Missouri.
