The Anchuca Historic Mansion

Anchuca

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

Anchuca, a Choctaw Indian word meaning "happy home," is one of the most significant antebellum homes and the first historical Bed & Breakfast in Vicksburg, Mississippi.





Anchuca, also known as the Victor Wilson House, is a historic Greek Revival house. 
The house was built in 1830 in the Federal style with humble beginnings as a wood framed pioneer home by J. W. Mauldin, a local politician,  In 1840 a local merchant, Victor Wilson, bought the house. He and his wife Jane, added a two-story portico to the front of the house in 1847 to reflect the Greek Revival style.

Despite its proximity to the Confederate lines and to the Yazoo and Mississippi Rivers, the house survived the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863. The house was used as a hospital after the battle.

Joseph Emory Davis, Jefferson Davis' older brother and mentor, and a granddaughter lived in the house from 1868 until his death on 18 September 1870. He had regained possession of his plantations at Davis Bend after the war, but the peninsula was cut off from the mainland in 1867 when the Mississippi changed its course, and agriculture became unprofitable because of transportation costs.

Jefferson Davis made one of his last public addresses to the people of Vicksburg in 1869 from the front balcony of the house.

When the house was surveyed during the Great Depression by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1936, it was owned by Mrs. William Joseph Vollor.  As of 2008 it serves as a bed and breakfast inn, with suites in the main house, servant's quarters, and carriage house.
This Greek revival landmark is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

 

Upon entering you encounter this beautiful double staircase.

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

 Above the landing half way up the stairs is this lovely hand carved arch.

Photo by Jan

I fell 'in love' with chandeliers in Paris where they are in abundance.  But the chandelier in this home with its hand carved medallion is equally elegant. 

Photo by Jan

A stately parlor

Photo by Jan

 

Dining room with space for 8 to 10 guests.

Photo by Jan

The china and crystal are lovely. Note that the china has hand painted Fabrege' Eggs on them!

Photo by Jan

Photo by Jan

Parlor from a different perspective.

Photo by Jan

The Master Bedroom

Photo by Jan

 

Since this house is also a Bed and Breakfast, we were limited to the rooms that we could tour.  Of those we say it was easy to see how beautiful this house was back in the 1800's and that it has had great care given to it.

More soon :)