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Afternoon Tours 2 – 5 pm
Price: $40 adult; $30 student
Temple Heights – SPECIALTY TOUR EXPERIENCE
515 9th St N
Circa 1837
Walk with Dr. Bridget Pieschel, MUW Professor Emeritus, as she guides small groups though one of the state’s best examples of period restoration. The focus is on the history of the strong women who lived at Temple Heights during the past 186 years, including Jane Fontaine, one of the founders of Decoration Day. This unique Mississippi Landmark property, built with enslaved labor, features the original slave cabin, out kitchen, hardware, and a grouping of 20 ft solid wood columns. Temple Heights has been featured in the magazine Antiques, on HGTV’s Old Homes Restored.
Home of Dr. & Mrs. Mark Novotny / National Register / Mississippi Landmark
Aldan Hall
901 7th Ave N
Circa 1840
Built by lawyer John Shelby Topp, the house originally was a Federal structure of two rooms over two with a central stair hall. The transom and sidelights around the double front doors upstairs and down could be removed easily to facilitate air circulation. Planter James Sykes bought the house in 1854, enlarged it, and added the Greek Revival portico with two fluted octagonal columns. The tour features a Civil War diary and a Brilliant Period Cut Glass collection of distinction. The home was lovingly restored in the 1980s by the late Allen Wayne Bryan and updated in 2020 by his wife Betty.
Home of Mrs. Betty S. Bryan
The Stone Hotel
224 5th St S
Circa 1905
Originally two hotels in downtown Columbus, The Stone and The Arcade, the buildings were sold in the 1940s to the grandfather of Columbus businesswoman Susan Mackay. The property has been used since for retail businesses and apartments. Purchased by de la Tour Holdings of New Orleans and renovated by Columbian Chris Chain in 2022, the buildings now house retail spaces and 18 luxury residences. The Stone Hotel with its grand foyer and staircase joins the 180 apartments already located in downtown Columbus, creating a vibrant rejuvenation for the entire area.