Natchez National Historical Park

1 Melrose Montebello Parkway
Natchez, MS 39120

Phone
Visitor Information
(601) 446-5790
Melrose
(601) 446-7970

WELCOME to Natchez National Historical Park

The park consists of three distinct parts. Fort Rosalie is the site of a fortification from the 1700s, built by the French, and later controlled by the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States. 

The William Johnson House is the home of William Johnson, a free African American barber and resident of Natchez whose diary has been published. Melrose is the estate of John T. McMurran, a lawyer and state senator who was a planter in Natchez from 1830 until the Civil War.

The fort is not open to the public. The other two units of the park include displays related to life in antebellum Natchez.

The collection at Melrose's two-story Greek Revival main house and its slave quarters includes painted floor cloths, mahogany punkah, a set of Rococo Revival parlor furniture, a set of Gothic Revival dining room chairs, and bookcases with books dating to the 1700s. 

These were collected from Natchez families including the McMurran family. The collection in the Johnson house includes furnishings from his life and family. Archaeological objects found in the park are also on display.

The City on the Bluff

Throughout its history, Natchez has always been a place of opportunity. This is evident throughout Natchez National Historical Park. From the magnificent antebellum estate of John McMurran, to the downtown home of African-American barber and diarist William Johnson, to the French Fort Rosalie, this diverse Mississippi River town has lent itself to opportunity for hundreds of years.

Mr. McMurran of Melrose

Born in Pennsylvania in 1801, John T. McMurran was a man of ambition. Drawn to Natchez by the prospect of wealth, Mr. McMurran married, established himself as a successful lawyer, and commissioned the construction of his elegant Melrose estate.

The Barber of Natchez

Born enslaved, William Johnson was freed at the age of eleven and later became a very successful barber and entrepreneur in the city of Natchez. From 1835-1851, Johnson kept a diary about daily activities in the city. His home, located on State Street, is part of Natchez National Historical Park.

Historic Homes

The Melrose estate, home of the John T. McMurran family, is one of two National Park Service units currently open to the public in Natchez.

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