Merrehope: Pre-Civil War Home Dresses Up for the Holidays

Larger than life: Art that inspires us through the ages

While the original 1858 Greek Revival cottage exterior is now part of the backside of Merrehope, the front exterior became Italianate in architectural style due to two stories added in 1868. Other Italianate distinguishing factors are the decorative corbels (projections that support or decorate a structure) under the wide roof molding, the imposing columns, and the ruby-red, main-door side-lights (glass). Neoclassical style was added as part of the 1904 wrap-around porch and a cantilevered upper porch. Courtesy of Jeff Homan

What started as a wedding gift in 1858 of a small cottage and 160 acres from one of Meridian’s first settlers to his daughter has grown in square footage and height over the past 164 years. Originally designed by Juriah Jackson, the home was remodeled in the Neoclassical Revival style by S.H. Floyd when he purchased it in 1903. The home’s architectural style has been added to through the years to transform it from quaint Greek Revival to ornate Italianate to grand Neoclassical.

Located in Meridian, Mississippi, the home has witnessed not only its own architectural evolution, but that of history’s impact on the area as well. Union Gen. William T. Sherman famously marched with 10,000 troops on the Confederate-loyal town in February 1864, and although he burned much of Meridian, the antebellum mansion was spared—perhaps because of its aesthetic beauty, though no one knows for certain.

The estate was purchased by Meridian Restorations Foundation in 1968, and it was named “Merrehope.” The mansion sports 24 rooms and 13 coal-burning fireplaces. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and as an official Mississippi Landmark, the property has been showcased lavishly for 54 Christmases through a regional event spotlighting elaborately themed trees, some with handmade ornaments. Visitors from around the United States and many countries admire this restored home of Southern beauty.

Second-floor wide hallways in imposing historic homes allowed storage in the form of immense, solid-wood armoires, such as the stately mahogany piece at Merrehope (not shown). Anytime other than the holiday season, when the upper-room hallway is adorned with festive trees and decorations, the tall and wide antique armoire, as well as the marble-topped, scroll-leg table, are the focal points. Courtesy of Jeff Homan

For playing games, studying, reading, and more, the adjacent sitting room next to the children’s room is displayed with damask upholstery and an empire-style desk. Double and triple moldings define many of Merrehope’s wide door frames, and historic-print wallpapers run from floor to ceiling in most rooms. Courtesy of Jeff Homan

The children’s room is apportioned with less-ornate furnishings, yet the room’s main element is a decorative turned-leg, four-poster bed. Adding to the décor is a practical, fancifully designed bed step, a side table with glass knobs, and a burl-faced dresser with carved, shell-like pulls. Courtesy of Jeff Homan

Libraries have often doubled as music rooms in grand homes. Merrehope sports a baby grand piano in its library, with a themed Christmas tree this season that is accented in black to coordinate with the piano’s finish. An authentic Persian rug is the main artistic focal point in this spacious room, which, instead of having massive doors, is open and distinguished by a set of columns and arches. Courtesy of Jeff Homan

Arches and columns throughout Merrehope’s interior, most prominent in the main library, are carry-throughs of the early 20th-century focus on neoclassical elements. Elegant, brass lighting fixtures descending from detailed, molded ceiling roses define some of the rooms at Merrehope, as do heavily carved Victorian furnishings such as the wood and upholstery settees and the clawfoot grand table. Books in 19th-century homes were often stored in glass-front armoires, such as the one in this library. Courtesy of Jeff Homan

Volunteers for Merrehope’s annual Trees of Christmas event attempt to zero in on each room’s historic wallpaper design to establish tree vignettes and color schemes. Bold golds and dusty blues, which were popular Victorian-era interior colors, are accentuated by the elaborate tree’s feathers and bows. Courtesy of Jeff Homan

A double parlor is essentially two adjacent main living spaces, and one end of Merrehope’s spacious room magnifies its oriel-style (bay window that protrudes from the wall but doesn't reach the floor) window with decorative moldings and heavy gold drapes to marry the gold velvet in the hand-carved, Victorian queen chair. Courtesy of Jeff Homan