Waverley (West Point, Mississippi) facts for kids
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Waverley
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Waverley in 1975
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 Location in Mississippi
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | West Point, Mississippi |
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| Built | 1840 |
| Architect | Multiple |
| Architectural style | Octagon Mode |
| NRHP reference No. | 73001004 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 20, 1973 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
Waverley is an amazing old mansion in Clay County, Mississippi. It used to be the main house on a large plantation. Today, it's a historic house museum where you can learn about its history. What makes Waverley special is its huge, eight-sided tower called an octagonal cupola. This unique design makes it stand out from other old homes in Mississippi. Because of its importance, Waverley was named a National Historic Landmark in 1973.
What Waverley Looks Like
Waverley Mansion is located between West Point, Mississippi and Columbus, Mississippi. It sits on a small part of its original land, looking out over the Tombigbee River. The main house has two stories and is shaped a bit like the letter "H".
From its roof, a very large, eight-sided tower rises up another two stories. This tower is called an octagonal cupola. The house also has features from the Greek Revival architecture style. These include tall, flat columns on the corners and a fancy, tooth-like border under the roof.
Inside, the house is very grand. On each floor, four rooms open up into a central, eight-sided space. Hanging from the middle of the big cupola is the original chandelier. This chandelier used to burn gas for light!
The Story of Waverley
The Waverley home was built before the American Civil War. It was first owned by George Hampton Young, a colonel from Georgia. Young named his new home after a famous book by Walter Scott called Waverley.
By 1852, the Waverley Plantation was like its own small town. It had everything it needed to run itself. There were gardens and orchards for food. They also raised their own livestock.
The plantation had special buildings for different tasks. It had a place to make bricks and a machine to separate cotton fibers. There was even an ice house to keep things cold. They also had a swimming pool with a bathhouse!
Gas for the chandeliers inside the mansion was made right there. They burned pine knots in a special container to create the gas. Later, Waverley also had its own lumber mill to cut wood. They even had a leather tannery and a place to make hats.
It's believed that the very first saddle blankets made in America came from Waverley. Also, the first fox hunt club was started in the mansion's library in 1893.
After the Young family line ended in 1913, the mansion started to fall apart. But in 1962, the Robert Snow family began to restore it. They worked hard to bring Waverley back to its original beauty.
Visiting Waverley
You can visit Waverley Mansion and take a tour!
- Sundays: 1 pm to 5 pm
- Tuesday to Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm
