The Guest House was originally a one-and-a-half story, Greek Revival townhouse probably built for Samuel and Jane Newman in the mid-1840s. They purchased the property in February 1844 for $1,000. As originally built and documented in historic photographs, the Guest House resembled the nearby John Smith House, a smaller brick cottage at the corner of North Pearl and Jefferson streets. Samuel B. Newman was the grandson of Samuel Brooks, the first mayor of Natchez. Newman was a Natchez Merchant who founded the business establishment of Stockman and Newman. He also served as sheriff of Adams County before relocating to New Orleans in 1853. That same year, Newman sold his brick house to Matilda A. Metcalf for $9,000. Metcalf owned the house until 1871, when she sold it to Jacob Ullman for $8,000. In 1884, Jacob Ullmans heirs sold the property to Bettie Jacobs for $7,250. In 1900, Bettie Jacobs sold the property to the Natchez Elks Lodge for an undisclosed amount. Not long after acquiring the property, the Natchez Lodge hired local builder William Stientenroth to enlarge the building. During the 1902-1903 renovation, Stientenroth added a full second floor to the original half story. This explains why the windows differ on the second floor from those on the first. Since the 1902 renovation occurred during the Victorian Era, many architectural features were changed. Fireplace mantels and door moldings were modernized into the Victorian style and the front pediment and four massive columns added. The enlarged and remodeled building also featured a swimming pool at the rear where the courtyard exists today. In 1981, an extensive renovation was under way at the Eola Hotel across the street. Poole Investments Ltd. purchased the building from the Elks to provide a place with larger suites for their V.I.P. guests. This renovation provides 17 guest rooms that boast period and antique furniture with exquisite draperies and wall treatments. The owners purchased most of the antiques from local shops in the surrounding area. The garden courtyard, which houses a full service restaurant, received several architectural awards for its blend of antebellum architecture and modern convenience. The house sold separately from the Eola Hotel in 1989. In February 1998, a tornado came over the bluff and caused extensive damage to several of the antebellum structures. Two of the large columns at the house collapsed leaving the portico in a precarious position. The tornado severely damaged the slate roof and 48 of the 50 windows were shattered. The hotel closed seven months for renovation. Luckily, the antiques were strong and made it through the tornado with only a few scratches. natchezguesthouse/history.htm
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 02:33:48 +0000
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