Magnolia Hall

Magnolia Hall

Also known as the Henderson-Britton House. This stunning plantation is located in Natchez, Mississippi. It was constructed in 1858 for Thomas Henderson, a Scottish immigrant. Who became a wealthy planter, cotton broker and merchant. It was designed by Massachusetts architect and engineer J. Edwards Smith.

Magnolia Hall is one of the finest examples in Natchez of the Greek Revival style of architecture. But also note the Fleur-de-lis motif in the ironwork around the porches. A nod to the French influence in the region.

The Armstrong Family gifted the home to the Natchez Garden Club (NGC) who commissioned a preservation study to determine how to restore Magnolia Hall back to it's 19th Century glory. That professional study determined that the original color of Magnolia Hall was a chocolate brown with a sandstone color for the trim. Preservationists believed that Henderson may have wanted a "brownstone" appearance, which was popular at the time the house was constructed. As a result of that preservation study the Garden Club restored Magnolia Hall to its original color. Magnolia Hall was indeed white for a short time during the 1960’s when it housed the Trinity Episcopal Day School. This is before the Armstrong Family bestowed the Natchez Garden Club with the house and grounds. The downstairs has since been filled with period antiques. The second floor houses Natchez's only costume collection. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 9, 1978 and remains open for tours.

Bill Bates

https://natchezgardenclub.org/