Natchez National Historical Park

Absolutely stellar presentation by the guide, and the estate itself is a minor miracle, having been saved from the depradation of Yankees, time, and progress alive. Almost everything is intact -- all but the chicken coop.

Need to get here early so you have time to find parking and walk the streets. Don't forget about the parkway.

It was okay. When we went here it was so busy and hot that you really could not doo much. The people in the area was nice. Alot to do around the town. I'll try to go back later when there isn't too many people.

Extremely informative. Rangers went out of their way to explain the story of William Johnson and his diaries which told of his life as a freed mulatto barber.

Beautiful area with long sidewalks and overlooks of the Mississippi river.

Great informative guides who were dresed in period dress and clearly loved thier work/volentering. Beautiful house not to be missed🙂

No picnic tables. Parking at top of steep hill down to small, poorly maintained spot to view Mississippi River (peeling paint, rusty unsafe rail kids could fall through). Never saw the valet/bus advertised to take people down.

Visitor Center closed for renovations and the Natchez Visitor Center was also closed so I could get info on the Site.

I love that this house is owned and operated by the National Park Service. The tour of the house is amazing and very well maintained. The grounds are well maintained as well. They had decorated the inside of the house for Christmas, with time appropriate decorations. The gentleman who gave the tour was a wealth of information about the history. I would recommend this for anyone in the area.

This is such a great park to visit if you're in the area or passing through! The rangers were so friendly here and the lady who led the tour was very informative! The house is staged beautifully and really gives a sense of the history of the property. There were a few buildings to visit, and lots of great signs and displays to learn about the area, the property, and more. The tour is $11 and can be reserved ahead of time or booked online when you're there if spots are available (at a not busy time of year I booked my tour 15 minutes before). If you're looking to tour a house in the area, this is a beautiful one to see and in addition to supporting the national park service on this tour, the price is much cheaper than other houses in the area. This makes it a great way to do a tour if you're not looking to spend too much, especially if you're bringing a family or large group.

John was top-notch over the phone; he helped me and my family in planning our trip to Natchez. Thank you John!

Really great tour from Ranger Ben at the Melrose Mansion. We learned about old Natchez society and the nabods. Very interesting town. It's 2 years older than New Orleans.

Berry our NPS tour guide is a marvelous story teller! The home is not a plantation but listed as an estate of the wealthy family that owned it.

A beautiful place to visit. Bring your pet the outside is pet friendly and there is plenty to explore. Also want to thank Maggie the Ranger working that day for being so nice to us. We will visit again.

A do-it-yourself walking tour lets you feel nature while taking in historic architecture. Even the entrance has a small bayou with an overgrown tree overlooking it. It just feels like the estate of a wealthy historic figure. Highly recommended to get a feel of the area.

In the world of NPS sites, this one is very ordinary from a historical context perspective and execution. There are a few sites within the park. The downtown house has an interesting store to tell (life as a free black man pre civil war) but the execution is pretty poor and the actual house is nothing special (I.e., needs much better storytelling to bring story to life). The plantation house is done better but did not blow me away. I would stop by if in area but this is not a destination.

The ranger who conducts the tour is very knowledgeable and you feel both entertained and enlightened.

I loved this place! So much history and the guide was fabulous! We wanted to go to all of the homes but time and money constraints made us decide to just check out this one, which is run by the National Park Service. That was a huge plus for us, as we love our National Parks! I've heard it wasn't as ornate as some of the other places but I thought it was gorgeous! I loved the history and hearing all of the stories of the family. The park ranger was awesome; I wish I remembered his name. He was funny, yet informative, and made it all really come alive. The tour is only through the house. The grounds and outbuildings are all self-guided, so if you get there right as one tour is starting,you will have time to explore. Be aware, the parking lot can get muddy if there is recent rain (like there was the day before), and the mud is a crazy red/orange that stains. So don't wear any fancy white shoes! All in all, I loved this house and am so glad we chose this one as the one to tour. Hubby even liked it, and he's not usually a fan of historical homes, so that was a definite plus! I would for sure recommend this place!

Great place to take a look and step back and time. They have more than just the mansion preserved such as the slave cabin, barns, carriages, and more.

The guided tour lead by park ranger Barney Schoby made my entire trip worthwhile. I don't know if it is possible to have had a better tour experience with anyone else, anywhere else. Absolute best. Fantastic knowledge, fantastic rhetoric, he made learning memorable, he adroitly communicated it's significance, and made it fun.

We toured several homes during our Pilgrimage to Natchez, but this was the only one run by the National Park Service. Be that as it may, it was a great tour and our tour guide happened to be fluent in French, a help for one couple on the tour. The history of the house and the family that had lived there was quite interesting especially the way in which they connected to the families of some of the other antebellum homes we toured. I was struck by how detailed the floors had been made - and protected for us to see today. The painted fabric floors were quite detailed and fascinating to behold. The Live Oaks on the property were a treat to see - they were massive. Glad we decided to see this home. Be sure to include Melrose on your list when you come to Natchez.

What an amazing tour!!! Mr. Barney the park ranger was so entertaining! He made this history of this majestic home come to life. This is a Nationally protect park, you will feel the difference, upon your arrival. The preservation of this home has been kept immaculate. It is as it would have been at the period. Most furniture is original to the house. Don't forget to walk to the slave quarters, very well done.

My least favorite of the Natchez Plantation homes. Home lacked ornateness of the other homes. Plain inside and out. In addition tour guide was not very interesting and did not tell stories to bring the period to life. 2 stars because it is in good condition and a pretty structure.

Unless you want to hear how the "war between the states" ended the charming world of southern gentlemen and their "servants," skip the private home tours in town and visit Melrose. Park guides were experts in Natchez history and preservation, and the tour told the ENTIRE story of plantation life. Melrose is an amazing home, and the architecture and furnishings have been restored with more care and accuracy than the other Natchez mansions. The original slave quarters have also been preserved, with in-depth interpretation, as opposed to being torn down or converted into gift shops... If you see one historic home in Natchez, make it Melrose. You will not be disappointed!

This is a must see stop when visiting Natchez and the Natchez Trace area. Melissa, the resident National Park employee, was truly amazing. All visitors got a friendly greeting, she was knowledgeable about the area (birds included ;o), and was a great ambassador for the park! We opted to take the $10 tour of the Melrose Plantation house on the property and we're so glad we did. It gave us a great overview of the history of this area and how Melrose and it's inhabitants lived. The Parks volunteer docent was really knowledgeable. His passion about the subject was evident throughout the hour long tour. He's research of not only the home, but the era and area really helped to bring it alive. Delivered with a healthy dose of humor and seriousness, this tour was perfect. Wonderful job!

I so wish I had history-major Ranger Barney for a history teacher for my history-challenged mind. When he was telling an electrifying story about the people who lived there, you could have heard a pin drop. Not only that, this Ranger Barney showed up at the last tour of the day, and had pep in his step, full of energy. Uniquely, the tour was in the dark, we were told it was to protect against sunlight which could damage the furnishings. The relatively low price for this tour--compared to all the other antique homes in Natchez--makes it a great value!