  Arlington Where Natchez’ Main street ends, the great wide gates of Arlington open. Live oaks with pendant gray moss line the driveway, which winds through beds of vari-colored irises to one of the most distinctively attractive ante-bellum homes in the South. Of Southern Colonial type, constructed of red brick with stately white Tuscan columns supporting the upper story gallery, Arlington today, more than a century old, presents a magnificent appearance. The great carved entrance door leading to the spacious hall is crowned with intricately wrought fanlights, and the broad veranda is approached by wide steps of concrete. Arlington was built for Mrs. Jane White, eldest daughter of Pierre Surget, who came from France in the early days of Natchez. The house was completed about 1820 but on the very first night of her residence in the home of her heart’s desire Mrs. White passed away suddenly. Many tales have been told of a mysterious death but none has been verified. At her death Mrs. White left Arlington and all its treasures to her sister, Mrs. Bingaman. HALL IMPOSING COLUMNED DOORWAY LEADING FROM HALL (unlabelled) Five generations of the Pierre Surget family occupied Arlington. Each in turn contributed to its wealth of rare treasures. The original furniture was imported from France. Across the broad hallway which is hung with rare paintings by old-world masters such as Vernet, Baroccio, Carlo Dolci, and Coccanari, is the Music Room which contains a spinet more than three hundred years old. There are family portraits in this room—some of musicians in the family—by such renowned artists as Sully, Audubon, Albani, Fidanza, and Maratti. The Library holds some five thousand books. Mrs. Hubert Barnum, the present owner of Arlington, comes from a long line of Natchez aristocracy. Arlington was given her as a wedding gift from her husband, who recently passed away. Mrs. Barnum while keeping the home atmosphere of Arlington has made it, also, a veritable private museum, rich in beauty, in rare books, and antiques. (unlabelled) |
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