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Auburn is an
antebellum
Antebellum, Latin for "before war", may refer to:
United States history
* Antebellum South, the pre-American Civil War period in the Southern United States
** Antebellum Georgia
** Antebellum South Carolina
** Antebellum Virginia
* Antebellum ar ...
mansion in Duncan Park in Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez ( ) is the county seat of and only city in Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Natchez has a total population of 14,520 (as of the 2020 census). Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, ...
. It was designed and constructed by Levi Weeks
Levi Weeks (1776–1819) was the accused in the infamous Manhattan Well Murder trial of 1800, the first murder trial in the United States for which there is a recorded transcript.* . Refer to the first chapter, "The Trial of LEVI WEEKS for the M ...
in 1812, and was the first building to exhibit Greek Revival
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but a ...
order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
* Heterarchy, a system of organization wherein the elements have the potential to be ranked a number of ...
in the town. Its prominent two-story Greek portico served as a model for the subsequent architectural development of local mansions. It was declared a National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places liste ...
in 1974 and and a Mississippi Landmark in 1984.
Description
Auburn is a two-story brick building, with a central core and flanking symmetrical wings. A four-column temple front adorns the center of the block, with modified Ionic columns supporting an entablature and fully pedimented gable. The gable has modillioned cornices and an oval window at its center. The main entrance is set in a segmented-arch opening along with flanking sidelight windows and a transom window above. Sheltered by the temple portico is a second floor balcony, which is accessed via a doorway that is only slightly less elaborate than the main entry.History
In 1811, Lyman Harding, the firstAttorney General of Mississippi
The Attorney General of Mississippi is the chief legal officer of the state and serves as the state's lawyer. Only the Attorney General can bring or defend a lawsuit on behalf of the state.
The Attorney General is elected statewide for a four-yea ...
, hired Levi Weeks
Levi Weeks (1776–1819) was the accused in the infamous Manhattan Well Murder trial of 1800, the first murder trial in the United States for which there is a recorded transcript.* . Refer to the first chapter, "The Trial of LEVI WEEKS for the M ...
, a young architect, to design and build the mansion. The original building was by with a two-story portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cul ...
supported by four columns and includes an unusual floating spiral staircase between the first and second floors. Levi Weeks designed the house to be, in his words, the "most magnificent building in the state."
After Harding died in 1820, the building was bought by Dr. Stephen Duncan, who expanded the house to include two symmetrical wings, greatly expanding interior space. Duncan later abandoned the building amidst growing secession
Secession is the withdrawal of a group from a larger entity, especially a political entity, but also from any organization, union or military alliance. Some of the most famous and significant secessions have been: the former Soviet republics l ...
tensions just before the American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and t ...
, and the house was placed in the care of his descendants.
The building and was sold by the family to the city of Natchez in 1911 and is now a historic house museum
A historic house museum is a house of historic significance that has been transformed into a museum. Historic furnishings may be displayed in a way that reflects their original placement and usage in a home. Historic house museums are held to a ...
in a public park. The grounds were converted by the City of Natchez into Duncan Park.
See also
*List of National Historic Landmarks in Mississippi
This is a List of National Historic Landmarks in Mississippi. It includes current National Historic Landmarks (NHLs), and also National Park Service areas in Mississippi that overlap.
National Historic Landmarks in Mississippi
There are 40 Nati ...
*National Register of Historic Places listings in Adams County, Mississippi
__NOTOC__
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Adams County, Mississippi.
This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Adams County, Miss ...
References
External links
* * {{National Register of Historic Places Historic house museums in Mississippi Museums in Natchez, Mississippi National Historic Landmarks in Mississippi Houses in Natchez, Mississippi Houses completed in 1812 Antebellum architecture Greek Revival houses in Mississippi Mississippi Landmarks Historic American Buildings Survey in Mississippi National Register of Historic Places in Natchez, Mississippi