Mississippi Governor's Mansion facts for kids
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Mississippi Governor's Mansion
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Location | 300 East Capitol Street, Jackson, Mississippi |
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| Area | 2.4 acres (0.97 ha) |
| Built | 1839 |
| Architect | William Nichols, William S. Hull |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Part of | Smith Park Architectural District (ID76001097) |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000085 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 25, 1969 |
| Designated NHL | April 24, 1975 |
| Designated CP | April 23, 1976 |
The Mississippi Governor's Mansion is the official home for the governor of Mississippi. The current governor, Tate Reeves, lives here. This important building is in downtown Jackson, Mississippi. It is just south of the Mississippi State Capitol building.
The mansion was finished in 1841. It was designed by a state architect named William Nichols. This makes it the second-oldest governor's home in the United States that is still being used today. It is a great example of Greek Revival architecture, which is a building style that looks like ancient Greek temples. Because of its history and design, it became a National Historic Landmark in 1975. It was also named a Mississippi Landmark in 1985.
Contents
What the Mansion Looks Like
The Mississippi Governor's Mansion is about three blocks south of the State Capitol. It sits on a large piece of land, about 2.4 acres, which covers a whole city block. The main entrance faces south toward East Capitol Street. There is also another entrance that faces north toward Smith Park. Smith Park is the oldest public park in Jackson.
The mansion is a two-story building made of white stone. It has a rectangular shape. The front of the building has five sections, each with tall, flat columns called pilasters. The middle section is larger and has a round, two-story porch. This porch is supported by four large columns. A decorative border, called an entablature, goes all around the building. It ends with a fancy edge under the roof. The back entrance has a smaller, one-story porch with four columns.
Inside the Mansion
Many parts of the mansion's original inside are still there. However, some parts have been rebuilt to look like they did when the house was first built. This happened after some changes were made to the building in the 1800s and 1900s that did not fit the original style.
When you enter the main door, you step into an eight-sided room. This room has special spots for statues in its walls. From here, you can go into living rooms on the sides or find the main staircase at the back. A newer part of the house, added later, provides modern living spaces for the governor's family.
History of the Governor's Home
The mansion was designed by William Nichols. At the same time, he was also in charge of building what is now called the Old Mississippi State Capitol. Construction on the mansion started in 1839 and was finished in 1841. The first governor to live there was Tilghman Tucker in 1842.
The mansion has been used as the governor's home ever since, except when it was being fixed up. The only other governor's home that has been used longer is the one in Virginia.
Changes Over Time
In the 1860s, gas lights were put into the building. This caused some damage to the wood and plaster inside. Some of the wooden fireplace decorations were replaced with marble ones. In the early 1900s, people thought about replacing the mansion entirely. But instead, the state decided to fix it up and make it bigger.
A two-story addition was built at the back of the house between 1908 and 1909. New plumbing was added to the main part of the house. The main staircase was also rebuilt to connect to the new addition. In the 1970s, the mansion needed a lot of repair work again. The 1908 addition was not built strongly enough. So, it was taken down, and a new, larger addition was built using a steel frame. The inside of the main part of the house was also restored. Workers removed visible pipes and added modern things like air conditioning. This helped bring it back to its original look from the early 1800s.
Visiting the Mansion
You can take free guided tours of the mansion most Tuesday through Friday mornings. However, tours might not be available if there are official events or other uses for the building. Some educational groups can also hold events at the mansion, but there is a fee for this.
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