Date: January 13, 2017
Contact: Kathleen Bond, 601-431-8052
In commemoration of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day federal holiday, the public is invited to tour the Melrose mansion free of charge on Monday, January 16, 2017. Melrose is one of the historic sites of Natchez National Historical Park.
Considered by many to be one of the finest homes in the Natchez region, Melrose interprets the wealthy planter class through the lives of John and Mary Louisa McMurran, its first owners, and the enslaved people of African descent who lived and worked at the estate. Today Melrose represents one of the most completely preserved antebellum estates in Natchez with many original furnishings and outbuildings as well as acres of lovely gardens and orchard.
Visitors to Melrose also learn about the lives of enslaved people of African descent whose forced labor on plantations created the wealth that built places like Melrose, and how their talents were utilized at these estates. In addition to the tours of the big house, their important contributions are recognized through slave cabin exhibits showing a furnished living space and interpreting slavery in this area.
In preparation for spring visitors, Natchez National Historical Park will close the Melrose site for the next three days, from January 17-19, 2017. During this time, park staff will be engaged in training and will work as a team to carry out annual housekeeping tasks in the furnished exhibit rooms of the mansion and slave cabin exhibit. Melrose will reopen for normal operations on Friday, January 20th. The William Johnson House and Fort Rosalie sites will remain open for normal operations all week.
Melrose, located at 1 Melrose-Montebello Parkway, normally offers house tours at 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. The William Johnson House, located at 210 State Street, is a free site open from 9am to 5pm daily. The Fort Rosalie site on South Canal Street is open daily from sunup to sundown.
For other activities and events at Natchez National Historical Park, please call 601-446-8601 or visit www.nps.gov/natc.
