Merrehope facts for kids
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Merrehope
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Merrehope in 2018
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 Location in Mississippi
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| Location | 905 31st Ave., Meridian, Mississippi |
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| Built | 1859 |
| Architect | Juriah Jackson; S.H. Floyd |
| Architectural style | Academic Revivalism |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000455 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 9, 1971 |
Merrehope is a large, beautiful 26-room house in Meridian, Mississippi. It was built in 1858 and looks like a grand Victorian mansion. Today, it's a historic house museum, which means people can visit it to learn about its past.
The house was first built by Richard McLemore for his daughter, Juriah Jackson. Over the years, it had many different owners. Each owner made small changes to the house. In 1904, S.H. Floyd bought Merrehope and gave it the look it has today.
Merrehope is special because it was one of the few buildings saved during the American Civil War. General William Tecumseh Sherman led a raid on Meridian, but Merrehope was spared. Throughout its history, the house has been many things. It was a family home, a safe place for Union officers, and even a headquarters for a Confederate General. Later, it became an apartment building and a boarding house.
Merrehope is recognized as an important historical site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. Later, in 1995, it was named a Mississippi Landmark.
Contents
The History of Merrehope Mansion
Richard McLemore was one of the first people to settle in Meridian. In 1858, he gave the land where Merrehope stands to his daughter, Juriah Jackson. Juriah and her husband, W. H. Jackson, built a small house there. This original building was later changed a lot to become the large mansion we see today.
Merrehope During the Civil War
In 1863, the house was sold to General Joseph E. Johnson. He made some changes to the building's design. During the American Civil War, Merrehope was used as a headquarters for Confederate General Leonidas Polk.
When Union General William T. Sherman attacked Meridian, some of his officers stayed in the house. Merrehope is one of only six homes in Meridian that were not destroyed after Sherman's raid.
Changes and Renovations Over Time
After the war, John H. and Eliza Gary lived in the house. They sold it to J. C. Lloyd in 1881. The Garys had built the main part of the house. The original small structure became an "ell," which is a wing shaped like the letter L.
The house got its current look in 1904 when S. H. Floyd bought it. He remodeled the house in a style called Academic Revival. The ell was moved back about 20 feet. A second floor was added to the ell, with two rooms for servants, bathrooms, and a hallway.
On the first floor of the main house, a dining room, a main staircase area, a bathroom, and a guest room were added to the back. Two rooms on the north side became large double parlors. The rooms on the south side were turned into a library. Upstairs, two bedroom suites were built on either side of the new hallway. Above the new back addition, there were two more bedrooms, a bathroom, and another stairwell.
Adding the Grand Portico
A huge portico was added to the east and south sides of the building. A portico is a porch with columns. These two-story Ionic columns stand on six-foot tall bases called plinths. A wall connected these plinths along the porticos. Three more plinths were added to the north side of the house, but without columns. A fourth plinth supports a one-story column under the second floor of the ell. This column is all that is left of an old "porte-cochère," which was a covered entrance for carriages. When the new portico was built, the old front porch was removed. However, the balcony above it stayed, supported by smaller columns attached to the new portico's ceiling.
Merrehope's Later Life
In the 1930s, the large home was divided into eight separate apartments. After that, it was used as a boarding house until the 1960s.
In 1968, the Meridian Restorations Foundation bought the building. They named it Merrehope. This name is a mix of "Meridian Restorations" and "hope." It showed their wish to restore the building after many years of not being cared for. The foundation even convinced the Mississippi Legislature to pass a special law. This law allowed the city of Meridian to help the group pay for the restoration.
The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, while it was still being restored. It was later named a Mississippi Landmark in 1995.
Mysteries and Legends at Merrehope
After the house was restored, some people said they saw ghosts there.
The Story of Eugenia
One of the former owners, John Gary, had a daughter named Eugenia. John Gary added many rooms to the house. Eugenia died as a teenager, but she never lived in the house herself. John Gary, who lived in the house for many years, had his funeral service there. Many people have claimed to see Eugenia's spirit walking through the halls of Merrehope. The first person to report seeing her was a former hostess. She recognized the apparition from a painting in the museum room. Since then, several people have said they have seen or heard her spirit.
The Periwinkle Room Ghost
Eugenia is one of two spirits believed to be in the building. The other spirit is said to be in the Periwinkle room. Donna White, Merrehope's current hostess, said she once walked into the room and saw the shape of a body on the bed. She quickly checked the house for anyone, but found no one there. This spirit also reportedly makes loud crashing and banging noises from the room. However, when the room is checked, nothing is ever found broken.
