Kontan Jou

A beautiful plantation home in Natchez, MS. Longwood Plantation was the elaborate dream of Haller and Julia Nutt. They are also associated with Winter Quarters where they rode out part of the Civil War until it was unsafe to remain. My students watched a video about Longwood today. I do not often show videos but Longwood is a strong representation of the impact of the Civil War on the plantation South.

Haller and Julia were sympathizers. They owned slaves, but they did not believe secession was the answer for the South. In an attempt to preserve his holdings Dr. Haller Nutt made a deal with the Union that he would treat Union soldiers when they were in the area if they would not destroy his homes and farm land. He treated many, but by war’s end the deal was broken by the Union. Haller also did not survive the war. Julia was forced to maintain her home and her family alone.

Longwood was their dream.

You walk in to the ground floor, the basement, of Longwood and you are awed by the beauty of it’s furnishings. They had such grand plans for their home! During the war they lived in the basement, all 10 Thousand square feet! After you tour the basement you walk upstairs. Oh what could the upstairs hold you wonder? As you look up there is shock at the sites to behold. Dust. Scaffolding. Paint cans. Tools. The upper portions of Longwood remain unfinished. It is unbelievable. When the war erupted the northern laborers dropped their tools and returned home. A roofer remained behind to seal the top. It is because of this that the Longwood we know today even exists.

In essence, the Longwood we see today is exactly as it was in the 1860s. I use the video of Longwood to introduce Reconstruction to my students. Southern planters were devastated by the war. Their livelihood had been destroyed, as was their way of life. I am not advocating slavery, not by any stretch. But it was a period of our nation’s history and I have a responsibility to teach all sides of it. Longwood is an excellent example of the rebuilding of the South. It represents an end of an era. It is simplistic, catching the attention of students, and making them think.

If you ever have the opportunity to swing through Natchez, MS, make a stop at Longwood. You will not be disappointed.