Things to Do in Natchez

African House was built in 1800 was a slave-fort and provision house. The lower story is of baked brick and the upper story is made from thick hand-hewn cypress slabs with eaves that slope almost to the ground. The house has been called the only structure of Congo-like architecture on the North American continent dating back to colonial times.
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Directions: Melrose Plantation


	Beau Fort Plantation	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on May 11, 2003

Beau Fort Plantation is a beautiful 1790 Plantation home and also a B&B. It was built on the former site of Fort Charles in an early Creole-style. There is an 84ft gallery and covered rear patio. It is open year round for both accommodation and tours.
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There are lovely antiques and family heirlooms scattered within the home as well as “Steel Magnolias” memorabilia and artwork by Clementine Hunter. Exquisite gardens surround the property. It is open 1-4pm daily for tours.
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Address: 5487 Hwy 119, Natchez


	Clementine Hunter	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on October 9, 2002

Clementine Hunter

Clementine Hunter (Louisiana’s most famous folk artist and the daughter of a former slave) was born on Hidden Hill Plantation in Natchitoches, Louisiana. She was a self-taught artist and became internationally known for her images of life in the Cane River country. As a young girl, Hunter went to work for John Hampton Henry and his wife, known as Miss Cammie (1886-1988), on Melrose Plantation.
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	The Art of Clementine	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on October 9, 2002

Clementine Hunter's art

In the late 1930s New Orleans artist Alberta Kinsey, one of the many artists and writers invited to the Henry home, left behind paint brushes and tubes of paint. Miss Cammie found them and began painting. She described her painting process in the introduction to The Joyous Coast - A Fable - Cane River, Louisiana, which she illustrated:
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“I never have been much for navigating the highways. I spent all my free time at painting. I often would get up at nights and mark off a picture and paint it. Sometimes I would be asleep and see a picture cross my mind, then I would woken up, get out of bed and mark it off. Nobody ever taught me one thing about painting. I just worked it all out gradually by myself.” Since she could not always afford canvas, she often painted on nontraditional surfaces, including window shades, bottles, cardboard, and brown paper bags. There are many of her paintings exhibited through the Melrose Home.


	A Lover of Literature	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on October 9, 2002

Miss Cammie Henry was a great literary collector and writers came from everywhere for access to them. She was also a collector of newspaper clippings of anything she found interesting and the book shelves are lined with some of these collections. A lot was sold off by her descendants. She was also a patron of the arts and preservations of local artifacts.
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	Big House	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on May 11, 2003

The 'big house' is a West Indies Creole plantation house with early Greek Revival details. It was built in 1833 by slave labour under the direction of Louis Metoyer. The tree that you see from the back view of the house is 175 years old. The crosses that you see on the back lower level are actual grave markers.
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Address: Melrose Plantation


	Melrose Plantation	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on May 11, 2003

The story of origins begins with Marie Therese Coincoin who was born in 1742, a slave in the household of Louis Juchereau de St Denis. She became the Matriarch of 4 Black and 10 Franco-African children. Upon St Denis’ death she was sold to Thomas Pierre Metoyer and his wife who later freed her and gave her a number of land grants forming Melrose Plantation.

The Metoyers built the buildings on the plantation, clearing the land, building fences and roads as they went. At the turn of the century Melrose became the home of John Hampton and Cammie Garrett Henry. A black woman, Clementine Hunter was once the cook at Melrose, she went on to become one of Louisiana’s most celebrated primitive artists.
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Address: Hwy 119, off I-49 16 miles South of Natchitoches


	Yucca House	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on October 9, 2002

Yucca House was built in 1796 as the original colonial residence. This was the original main house at Melrose and was the most used residence of very notable American authors and historians in the south. They were invited by Marie Therese Metoyer to come and stay as long as they like as long as they produced work. The sills and uprights are of virgin cypress, the walls of mud mixed with moss and deer hair.
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Directions: Melrose Plantation


	Oakland Plantation	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on January 22, 2004

Oakland Plantation has been called 'The most beautiful plantation home in the Natchez area' by Sam Wilson who is a noted New Orleans architect. Set on 360 acres of rolling pasture and timberland, there are nature trails throughout this game preserve. The homes date back to 1785 and are surrounded by magnificent old Live Oak trees. There is a lot of history attached to Oakland as well as the slave who was born and raised at Oakland in 1880 who bought the plantation and prospered as a practicing doctor and surgeon, selling the best moonshine whiskey during Prohibition as well. Oakland is on the National Register of Historic Homes.

Address: 4386 Highway 494. Natchez


	Roaming the Grounds	Tip Rating:

Updated By keeweechic

on August 29, 2003

Roosters roam the grounds freely. It certainly gives a feel of the casual life on the plantations. Children of the slaves were expected to hoe the potatoes and feed the chickens.