Our first home to tour during our stay in Natchez was Dunleith.
We also had dinner there later that evening at The Castle Restaurant, which was located in the old carriage house on the property. I have never said this before, but it was the best meal we have ever had! It was long and leisurely, which was so enjoyable, but the food itself was tremendous! It is worth the drive to Natchez just to eat here! [Note: Get the Jumbo Crab Cake and the Asian Glazed Grilled Salmon.]
The original house structure was built by Job Routh and his wife Ann Miller. Their daughter, Mary Routh Ellis, was a young widow who took Charles Dahlgren as her second husband when she was 15 (!!!). Together they inherited the home, which burned to the ground in 1855 after lightning struck. They rebuilt the home in 1856. Three years later, Mary Routh died, and her husband sold the home to settle the estate.
Alfred Vidal David purchased the home for $30,000 in 1859, and he changed the name to Dunleith, a Scottish name. In 1886, Joseph Carpenter, a prominent local banker, purchased Dunleith. It remained in the Carpenter family for 90 years.
During their ownership, Dunleith played host to some of the most lavish social gatherings in Natchez, if not in the South. The Carpenter's presence is still evident today, as daughters etched their names in the window panes. The custom was to make such etchings with the engagement diamond.
Dunleith was purchased by William F. Heins in 1976, and he turned it into a bed and breakfast. In 1999, the Worley family purchased the home, and did an extensive renovation and restoration. They are the present owners today. The house sits on 40 acres in the heart of Natchez. Dunleith is the last example of a fully colonnaded house (columns all around) standing in Mississippi.
We loved looking around the property and imagining what it was like at its prime. Can you imagine the parties!?
The greenhouse:
I could just imagine the ladies sitting on the porch in the breeze, minding their babies and chatting about local gossip. It was so realistic, I could almost hear them! So eerie, beautiful, and thought-provoking.
To see the rest of The South Series, click here or the button in my right-hand column.
