Natchez National Historical Park is located in Natchez, Mississippi, near the intersection of US 61 and US 65/84.
European settlement of Natchez began with a French trading post in 1714. Control passed to Spain in 1779 and to the United States in 1798. In the decades before the Civil War, Natchez became a commercial, cultural, and social center of the South’s “cotton belt.” The city today represents one of the best preserved concentrations of significant antebellum properties in the United States. Within the park are Melrose, an excellent example of a planter’s home, and the home of William Johnson, a free African-American businessman, whose diary tells the story of everyday life in antebellum Natchez.
Park visitors can enjoy guided tours of the Melrose mansion and self-guided tours of grounds. Walking tours and living history events are also scheduled throughout the year.
The Natchez Visitor Reception Center is open Monday through Saturday from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Sunday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. Melrose is open daily from 8:30am to 5:00pm. Guided tours are offered on the hour from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The William Johnson House is open Thursday through Sunday from 9:00am until 5:00pm.
