Magnolia Hall
Introduction
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Magnolia House was built in 1858 and remains one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in Natchez.
Backstory and Context
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Thomas Henderson bought the property on which Magnolia Hall now stands in 1858. Other family members had actually owned the property since 1815. By the late 1850s, Henderson was a wealthy man, having become a successful cotton planter and broker. He ran his business in a building at the intersection of Main and Broadway Streets. He was also an active member of the First Presbyterian Church. As alluded to above, the Brittons acquired the house in 1870. A.C. Britton was the president and co-founder of a bank called Britton & Koontz Bank, which continues to operate today, making it the oldest bank in the city.
Other families owned the house after the Brittons. Trinity Episcopal Church also owned it as well, from 1963-1974, using it as an elementary school and nursery. The sister organization to the Garden Club, the Preservation Society of Ellicott Hill, acquired Magnolia Hill in 1976. Both organizations maintain and operate the old house.
Sources
"A Visit to House on Ellicott's Hill." Natchez Garden Club. Accessed November 24, 2020. https://natchezgardenclub.org/blog-2.
Wilson Jr., Samuel et al. "Henderson-Britton House." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. June 9, 1978. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/4ad20ee2-1b5a-4ec7-bae4-35e1ae6f5d29.
Natchez Garden Club