Dunleith facts for kids
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Dunleith
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | 84 Homochitto Street, Natchez, Mississippi |
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| Area | 40 acres (16 ha) |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000684 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 14, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | December 2, 1974 |
Dunleith is a grand old house, also known as a mansion, located in Natchez, Mississippi. It was built around 1855, which means it's an antebellum home – a term used for buildings made before the American Civil War. Dunleith is special because it's the only plantation house in Mississippi that still has columns all the way around it, in the style of ancient Greek buildings.
Today, Dunleith is a place where people can stay, like a hotel, and also a meeting center. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974, which means it's a very important historical site in the United States. The old horse stable on the property is now a restaurant with an English-style pub downstairs.
Contents
What Does Dunleith Look Like?
The main house at Dunleith has 12 rooms and sits on about 40 acres of land. There are also several other buildings on the property. These include a carriage house (where carriages were kept), a dairy barn, and a poultry house (for chickens). There's also a three-story brick building that used to hold the kitchen, laundry, and living areas for enslaved people.
The main house is built in the Greek Revival style. This means it looks like ancient Greek temples. It has 26 large columns made of brick and stucco that go all the way around the building. There are also porches with fancy iron railings on both the first and second floors. Some windows on the first floor are special because they can roll up to become doorways, similar to those found in Monticello.
The Story of Dunleith
Early Days and New Beginnings
Before Dunleith, there was another house on this land called Routhland. It was built in the 1790s by Job Routh. His daughter, Mary Routh, inherited it. Sadly, in 1855, Routhland was hit by lightning and burned down.
Mary Routh's husband, General Charles G. Dahlgren, decided to rebuild. He created the beautiful house we see today. In 1858, the house was sold for $30,000 to Alfred Vidal Davis. He was the one who gave it the name Dunleith.
Dunleith in Movies and TV
Dunleith has been a popular spot for filming! Parts of the 1957 movie, Raintree County, were filmed there. Also, some scenes from the 1974 movie version of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn by Columbia Pictures were shot at Dunleith. In 1998, an episode of the TV show Promised Land for CBS television was filmed there too.
Dunleith as an Inn and Event Venue
Since 1976, Dunleith has been a historic house museum where people could take tours. It also operated as a historic inn, offering rooms for guests. It was used as a hotel, restaurant, and a place for events like weddings and conferences. The inn had 22 guest rooms located in the main house, the courtyard building, and the dairy barn. The Castle Restaurant & Pub, which was in the old carriage house (built around 1790), served meals.
In early 2019, Dunleith was sold because of financial difficulties. A bank took ownership of the property.
A Notable Person Connected to Dunleith
One important person linked to Dunleith was John Roy Lynch. He was born into slavery on a different plantation in Louisiana. He taught himself to read and write. Lynch went on to achieve amazing things. He became the first African-American Speaker of the House of Representatives in the Mississippi State Legislature. He was also one of the first African-American U.S. Congressmen.
John Roy Lynch studied law and wrote several articles and books. He served in many important political and military roles throughout his long life. He passed away in Chicago in 1939 at the age of 92. He was buried with military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, recognizing his service as a Congressman and military officer.
See also
In Spanish: Dunleith para niños
