Exploring Natchez on Monday, March 20

One of the bedrooms upstairs in the William Johnson
home in Natchez. It might have been a bedroom/playroom
for some of the children.

We had a day to explore Natchez, which obviously isn't nearly enough time to see everything. We checked at the Visitor's Center to see what they recommended for the limited time we had. First, we decided to visit the William Johnson house, now a museum owned by the National Park Service. William Johnson was a free man of color. Settled in Natchez, he began as an apprentice to a barber, and later purchased the barber shop where he studied. A successful businessman and prominent citizen of the community, he was known as the Barber of Natchez. He taught other free young blacks the trade.

For 16 years of his life, from 1835 to 1851, Mr. Johnson kept a diary. Today, his diary is an important resource for the study of free blacks, African–American history and American history in general. Several pages of the diary are incorporated into the museum in Natchez. The bottom floor of the house was his barbershop and the upper floor was the family dwelling, where Johnson, his wife, and their 11 children lived.

Melrose, elegant plantation home of John McMurran
and family.

Natchez during the early to mid 1800s was home to a number of the richest men in the United States. We had hoped to get to tour one of the mansions of these wealthy families. Rather than participating in the Natchez Spring Pilgrimage, we elected to visit Melrose, a cotton kingdom estate now owned and managed by the National Park Service. It was built in the mid-1800s by John McMurran as the family home for himself, his wife and two children.

Barney Schoby, park ranger, shows us
the dining room at Melrose.

We thought we were only going to be able to tour the grounds, but when we arrived, the last tour was in progress. Barney Schoby, park ranger and tour guide at Melrose, was gracious enough to allow us to join his tour in progress. What a gift that was! Barney brought the house and its rich history to life with his animated tales as he walked us through the house. Barney engaged each person in the tour group in his story; that small gesture helped us all feel what it was like to live at Melrose in the 1800s. This experience at Melrose is one we will remember for a long time!

The parlor at Melrose, with its 14-carat gold trim. No expense was
spared in the building and furnishing of this mansion.

As we were driving through Nachez, one house really stood out to us. If you decide to make your home special by adding "yard art," here is one in Natchez that will give you some stiff competition. If you want to see a larger version, just click the photo.

Yard art extraordinaire!

Our trailer at River View Campground, night view.

After dinner at the Butt Hut Bar-B-Que, we returned to River View Campground for one last night in Vidalia.

--Shann