Mississippi’s grand historic mansions are artifacts of a complex, layered history where wealth, ambition, and Southern charm meet. These estates, many built before the Civil War, showcase Greek Revival, Italianate, and Georgian styles, designed to flaunt prosperity in columns, sweeping staircases, and sprawling porches built for long, hot summers. Take Longwood in Natchez: a Byzantine octagon left unfinished in 1861 when war halted construction. Then there’s Dunleith, with its white-columned porticos that look as if they’re holding court under the Mississippi sun. Built in 1855, it has a grand ballroom where Natchez elites once gathered, under crystal chandeliers imported straight from Europe. Monmouth Plantation goes for the Greek Revival gold, with a stunning series of Doric columns and gardens sprawling with live oaks draped in Spanish moss. In Vicksburg, Cedar Grove boasts a cannonball lodged in its walls—a relic from the Siege of Vicksburg during the Civil War.
15. Ammadelle (Oxford)
Ammadelle Mansion in Oxford, Mississippi, is a slice of Italianate opulence dropped into the Southern landscape. Built in 1859 for Thomas R. Isom and designed by Calvert Vaux — the same architect behind Central Park — Ammadelle is a marriage of Italian Renaissance and Southern elegance. The mansion’s symmetrical façade, arched windows, and deep eaves suggest an Tuscan villa, but its grand size and sprawling porch remind you it’s very much a Mississippi original. The high ceilings and spacious rooms are designed to handle Mississippi’s steamy climate. Ornate fireplaces, rich woodwork, and wide archways lead into parlors and dining rooms. The centerpiece is a grand staircase spiraling up like it’s going somewhere important. Ammadelle has survived Civil War skirmishes, economic crashes, and the steady creep of modernity, holding onto its 19th-century grandeur.
14. Anchuca (Vicksburg)
Anchuca Mansion in Vicksburg, Mississippi, is a Greek Revival gem with a history as textured as its Corinthian columns. Built in the late 1830s, Anchuca began as a modest townhouse but transformed into one of Vicksburg’s most iconic estates after a mid-19th century renovation added sweeping balconies and neoclassical flair. The mansion’s name, Anchuca — meaning “happy home” in Choctaw — sets the tone, though its history carries an edge. General John C. Pemberton gave his final address to Confederate troops from its balcony after Vicksburg’s fall. Step through the tall double doors, and you’re greeted by mahogany furnishings, ornate chandeliers, and portraits that stare back. High ceilings and spacious rooms are dressed in antebellum elegance, but there’s an inviting warmth to Anchuca that softens its grandeur. Anchuca’s gardens sprawl with Southern charm, as oaks and azaleas frame brick paths leading around the historic grounds. Today, Anchuca stands as both a bed and breakfast and a museum, inviting guests to experience its layers of history, from Civil War haunt to a restored slice of Mississippi’s golden age.
13. Merrehope (Meridian)
Built in 1858, Merrehope mixes Greek Revival grandeur with a touch of Italianate drama, complete with Corinthian columns and intricate scrollwork that give it a sense of delicate refinement. The structure withstood Union troops during the Civil War, narrowly escaping destruction as they torched much of Meridian around it. High ceilings and grand archways create an atmosphere that’s both spacious and intimate, while intricate woodwork and crystal chandeliers bring in the elegance. The rooms are lined with antique furnishings and portraits from a bygone era. Merrehope’s gardens, shaded by sprawling oaks and filled with lush greenery, lend an old-world charm that complements the home’s historic architecture. Saved from demolition many times, Merrehope now stands as a museum, offering a look into Mississippi’s past.
12. Mississippi Governor’s Mansion (Jackson)
The Mississippi Governor’s Mansion, nestled in downtown Jackson, is a Greek Revival showstopper. Built in 1842, it’s the second-oldest continuously occupied governor’s residence in the United States, and it doesn’t skimp on old-world elegance. Architect William Nichols designed the mansion with a bold columned portico, balanced by a symmetrical façade. From its grand staircase to high ceilings dripping with crystal chandeliers, every room is crafted with meticulous detail. The interiors blend antique furnishings with neoclassical accents that make each space feel both stately and lived-in. The parlor rooms, with their silk draperies and ornate mirrors, are a throwback to an era when politics and socializing went hand in hand over tea and bourbon. The gardens, lush with magnolias and azaleas, extend this grandeur outside.
11. Lenoir Plantation (Monroe County)
Built in the 1840s by William Lenoir, a cotton planter with big ambitions, Lenoir mansion was crafted in the Greek Revival style that Mississippi aristocrats seemed to adore. Tall windows flood the rooms with soft, natural light, illuminating ornate chandeliers, intricate plasterwork, and hardwood floors. Parlors and sitting rooms are arranged with plush period furnishings. Rows of ancient oaks form a natural cathedral over pathways.
10. Cedar Grove Mansion (Vicksburg)
Cedar Grove Mansion in Vicksburg carries its history right in its walls — literally. Built in 1840 by planter John Klein, this Greek Revival mansion boasts elegant columns, sprawling porches, and a ballroom. But it’s the cannonball lodged in its parlor wall, a relic from the Siege of Vicksburg during the Civil War, that makes Cedar Grove one of the most storied homes in Mississippi. Klein’s own Confederate leanings didn’t save his home from the Union bombardment, leaving a wartime scar that doubles as historical intrigue. The rooms are decorated with original furniture, crystal chandeliers, and gilded mirrors, each piece preserving a story of pre-war grandeur. The parlor, with its wood paneling and velvet-draped windows, feels made for late-night poker games. Outside, the grounds are meticulously kept, with brick pathways winding through blooming azaleas and moss-draped oaks.
9. Rosalie Mansion (Natchez)
Overlooking the Mississippi River, Rosalie Mansion was built in 1823 and offers one of the finest examples of Federal-style architecture in the state. Its classic, symmetrical design, with white columns and pale pink walls, is a beautiful contrast to the lush green landscape around it. Rosalie’s rooms are filled with period pieces, original carpets, and detailed woodwork, providing a peek into the lives of Mississippi’s 19th-century elite. This mansion manages to be grand without feeling overbearing — a true Natchez gem.
8. Montrose (Holly Springs)
Montrose Mansion in Holly Springs, Mississippi, wears its elegance with just the right mix of grandeur and restraint. Built in 1858, Montrose is Greek Revival at its finest, with a two-story portico and stately Ionic columns that give the house an almost theatrical presence. This is a mansion that knows how to make an entrance — especially for guests arriving in horse-drawn carriages over gravel driveways flanked by magnolias and oak trees. The grand hallway opens into high-ceilinged rooms decorated with intricate moldings, marble mantels, and heavy velvet drapes that seem to capture the sunlight just right. The dining room features gleaming wood floors and a long banquet table. During its early years, the mansion hosted countless parties, offering guests a taste of the South’s gracious lifestyle.
7. Auburn Mansion (Natchez)
Auburn Mansion in Natchez, Mississippi, features a freestanding spiral staircase that rises like a piece of sculpture in the heart of the house. Built in 1812 for Lyman Harding, a wealthy attorney from New England, Auburn is the oldest mansion in Natchez, blending Federal and Greek Revival styles with the kind of elegance that’s more timeless than trendy. The house is all symmetry and balance, with a columned portico that commands attention as it stands poised against a backdrop of ancient oaks. Inside, is a treasure trove of early 19th-century craftsmanship with high ceilings, wide hallways, and airy rooms.
6. Longwood (Natchez)
Longwood Mansion in Natchez, Mississippi, is what happens when antebellum dreams meet Civil War realities. Designed in 1859 by Philadelphia architect Samuel Sloan, Longwood was meant to be a Byzantine palace in the Deep South, with a massive octagonal design and a towering onion dome. Haller Nutt, a wealthy cotton planter, spared no expense on this 30,000-square-foot estate, imagining it as a Mississippi marvel that would turn heads for centuries. But Nutt’s vision was cut short. When the Civil War broke out, workers packed up their tools and left, leaving Longwood’s upper floors unfinished with raw wood beams and unpainted walls.
5. Monmouth Plantation (Natchez)
Monmouth Plantation in Natchez, Mississippi, is a classic Southern escape, where Greek Revival elegance meets a landscape draped in Spanish moss and shaded by live oaks. Built in 1818 by General John Anthony Quitman, a Mexican-American War hero, the mansion is a study in architectural balance, with a colonnaded front porch. The grand entrance hall, with its sweeping staircase, sets the tone for a tour through rooms decked in period furniture, heavy draperies, and polished wood floors. The parlor and dining room are pure Southern elegance, with marble fireplaces and antique mirrors. Manicured gardens lead to small ponds and shaded alcoves.
4. Burris House (Natchez)
Built in the mid-1800s, this home might not boast the towering columns or sprawling acreage of some other Natchez estates, but it has an elegance that’s more subtle — a restrained Greek Revival with classic lines and balanced proportions. High ceilings and tall windows allow the Mississippi light to play off wide-planked wood floors and fireplaces that anchor each room. The grounds, shaded by ancient oaks and softened by ivy, make Burris House feel more like a hidden gem than a showpiece. Though it’s modest compared to some of its neighbors, Burris House stands as a reminder of Natchez’s architectural variety.
3. Melrose Estate (Natchez)
Built in 1845 for wealthy lawyer John McMurran, Melrose was designed to make an impression without being ostentatious. The Greek Revival mansion’s white columns and green shutters strike a balanced harmony with the sprawling lawns and live oaks. The high-ceilinged rooms feature mahogany furniture, original 19th-century wallpaper, and marble fireplaces. Outside, the estate sprawls across manicured grounds, complete with formal gardens and a stable.
2. Waverley Mansion (West Point)
Waverley Mansion in West Point, Mississippi, is an architectural gem. Built in the 1850s by Colonel George Hampton Young, the mansion combines Greek Revival and Italianate styles. Its four-story octagonal rotunda, crowned by a glass-domed cupola, lets natural light cascade down through the center, bathing every floor. The interiors are rich with detail, from hand-carved moldings to imported marble fireplaces. Waverley’s grand central staircase and high-ceilinged rooms make it one of Mississippi’s most visually stunning mansions.
1. Dunleith (Natchez)
Built in 1855, this Greek Revival mansion is surrounded by Doric columns, making it one of the rare full-circle colonnade designs in the South. Dunleith feels both grand and grounded. Original mahogany and rosewood furnishings, heavy velvet drapes, and 19th-century art fill the rooms. The dining room features towering fireplace and oversized mirrors. The grounds are manicured to perfection, from magnolia-lined walkways to ancient oaks dripping with Spanish moss. The old carriage house has been converted into a guest cottage with the stables adding to Dunleith’s charm.
