In 1858, Frederick Stanton built the home of his dreams for his family on his new property - an entire city block of Natchez, Mississippi. The city block cost about $1,550. The house cost over $83,000 before it was even furnished. Carrera Marble, mahogany doors 2 1/2 inches thick, candeliers from France, and Italian statuary appointed the interior. Huge Corinthian columns and granite steps adorned the facade.
Stanton came to America with his brothers in 1815. He made a fortune as a cotton broker, then as owner of more than 16,000 acres of cotton plantations. Ironically, he lived only one month after his dream home was finished.
Stanton Hall housed a college for young ladies for a short time, then fell into dissarray to some extent before the Pilgrimage Garden Club renewed the antebellum mansion to much of its former glory. It stands today, filled with original and like antique furnishings as Frederick originally created it, a showcase for the world to see.
Daily tours are given of the home, and during Spring and Fall Pilgrimages hostesses dress in antebellum costume to greet the throngs of visitors. After the tour, many stop to have lunch at the adjacent Carriage House Restaurant, which is nationally famous for its fine Southern cuisine.
Stanton Hall is listed as an official National Historic Landmark.
In 1932 there were 40-odd fine old homes in some state of repair or restoration. Even in the midst of Depression, these ladies found that visitors were still willing to pay a fee to see them. Today Pilgrimage is a bustling tourism destination, thanks to these enterprising women of vision. Stanton Hall stands as a monument to that vision, and is headquarters for the Pilgrimage Garden Club.
Famous for its Southern Cuisine, the Carriage House Restaurant has been the scene of memorable weddings and events since 1946. Housed in the ‘1890's’ building on the grounds of Stanton Hall, The Carriage House, now run by renowned chef Bingo Starr, offers a Blue Plate Special each day. The restaurant also customizes menus for weddings, receptions, and other special events.