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Windsor . . . .Leoder-Call, Laurel, Miss., Fri., Sept. 25, 19817Columns Give ClueTo Splendid TimePORT GIBSON, Miss lt;AP — The haunting columns stand like silent sentinals in the soybean field near Port Gibson, a romantic scene that conjures up dreams of life at the Windsor plantation a century ago.The towering Corinthian columns, crowned with cast-iron capitals, at first appear out of place as they spring into view along the narrow road that twists to the Mississippi River.But a closer inspection shows the brick and stucco towers are in their element, once supporting what was perhaps one of tne most grand countgry houses ever built on a working plantationIn the years since its late 1850s construction, the three story. 23-room house built for planter Smith Coffee Daniel II has attracted more attention in ruins than when it was the heart of Daniel’s plantationDaniel lived onlv one vearrafter the house was completed The structure survived the Civil War onlv to bevreduced to charred ruins by a careless smoker in October1890It remains as one of America's best known and well-loved ruins,” said Bill Allen, chief architectural historian for the state Department of Archives and History. There's something about those lonely columns that stir the imagination ”Allen said tourists from around the world had visited the ruins and reported their romantic appealHe said the site's popularityhad increased after the ruins were included in the filming years ago of Raintree County.” a popular movie starringElizabeth Tavlor%Joe Kerley, a Jackson attorney whose hobbv is resear-Cuba RapsU.S. PlansTo BroadcastWASHINGTON lt;AP AReagan administration plan to beam anti-communist broad casts into Cuba could trigger anti-Castro violence and retaliatory measures againstthe I'mted States a ton Cubanching old homes in the Claiborne-Jefferson county area, said the Windsor was possibly the most lavish Greek Revival expression in the South.”Kerley said Stanton Hall, a structure from about the same period as Windsor and considered to be the most palatial in historic Natchez, was built for about half the costNewspaper accounts from the time and family reports indicate the fire occurred after a party, apparently when someone carelessly discarded a cigarette while leaving the observatory on top of the house.Flames raced through the wooden heart of the house, leaving only the columns and some ironwork. Years later, the cast iron front steps were moved to nearby Alcorn State University, where they still lead to the school’s chapelKerley said that whileworking with the governor’s office a few years ago, he came across a letter from a Harvard history professor who had visited Windsor and compared its importance to the social and cultural history of mid-19th Centuarv Americawto what the Parthanon was to ancient Greece.”This professor said it was of utmost importance that the ruins be preserved, basically as a lasting statement of the architecture of our people.” “Architecturally', the remains show a very large house” Allen said “It was in two sections, with the main section three rooms deep with a center hall That was very typical of the time except Win dsor was one room deeper than most country houses.”He said the house also had a dining room wing that could be reached from the main sec tion through a gallery The columns surrounded both sectionsIt had a very large dining room, two large fire places and a warming kitchen below the main level,” he said. Also on the ground level were storage rooms, offices and school rooms ”Allen said the major task facing his department was finding a way to protect the columns from water damageAll That Remains Of Windsor Main House Are ColumnsWe have problems with form of ram. he said We nlfci the .imr mm.mtumoisture coming up from the hope to solve this so the rums traction to luture geneiatground and from the top in the of Windsor will be around to that it dot's bu u-todavSTOP SMOKINGHOURSPeter AscanwHEART CONDITION?EMPHYSEMA?SAVE YOUR LIFE
Newspaper Details
Laurel Leader Call
Laurel, Mississippi, US
Fri, Sep 25, 1981
Page 8
Full Page
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USA 20 May 2020
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