Discovering The Historic Waverly Mansion

By Peter Powell


There is a historic plantation near West Point, Mississippi now open to visitors. As Mississippi is one of the original slave states, this historic location has a rather bleak history as it pertains to the establishment of the country. For, construction only began on the Waverly mansion in the 1840s. After which, the project was not complete until 1852.

Construction on the mansion began in the early 1840s and took up until 1852 to complete. After which, the rotunda with an octagon shape, an open cupola on the ceiling and unique stairway were favorite aspects of the design. Built in the Jefferson tradition, the home combines early American architecture with ornamental beauty, history, technology and other elements.

The unique staircase, cupola and hallway are often the first things visitors notice after proceeding through the rotunda. These features, many of which have been restored all reflect the original aspects of the mansion. Robert Snow, who purchased the property in 1962 is responsible for remodeling and restoring the property to its original glory. After which, the property became eligible for listing on the national historic register.

In the late 1800s, the original owner George Hampton Young, a colonel from Georgia passed down the property to descendants. During early days at the mansion, the plantation was self sufficient. At that time, the owners grew or made everything which was considered necessary. Some of which included energy, textiles, meat, produce and other items such as clothing and home decor.

Now, nearly 150 to 200 years later, some local plantations are still operating. Whereas, there are also a number of modern families living in the area. As such, many now visit West Point, Mississippi, eight miles to the east for all these necessities and more. For those traveling with children, it can often be good to explain the past and present history of the area before arrival.

The city of West Point, Mississippi provides the area with necessities. As the city offers a number of job opportunities, schools and colleges, these outlying areas have recently become more popular with families. As such, while the population is still quite small, current real estate trends suggest that it will continue to grow over time.

As with all areas, the town and surrounding area have good and bad elements when it comes to history. Though, as Mississippi is one of the original slave states, there is often more dark than light when it comes to this area. As such, those traveling with children may want to share some stories of past and present before visiting the plantation. For older students, watching films like Roots and 12 Years A Slave can often provide a great deal of insight into what many call, the darkest hours of American history.

The Prairie Arts festival also boasts amusement park rides, music and shopping. As a result, it is one of the favorite family friendly events held each in the state. For the more adventurous, there is also a 5K mile run along with a car show. While not exactly as big or as exciting as a county or State fair, the festival still draws a large crowd each year. When visiting the area during this time of year, it is often good to bring insect repellent, sunscreen, a hat and plan on wearing long sleeves when venturing near any accumulated or stagnant water sources.




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