House on Ellicott's Hill

The House on Ellicott's Hill is a residence featuring a raised brick basement, two-story front, and a central gable with shed roofs attached at the top. The building combines these structural elements to create the oldest surviving territorial-period structure in Natchez.

Major Andrew Ellicott raised the first American flag at this location in 1797, marking the end of Spanish control over the Mississippi Territory. This moment made the site a symbolic location for the transition to American rule in the region.

The Federal architectural details, such as vaulted ceilings and fanlighted doorways, reflect the design preferences of wealthy merchants in early Natchez. These style choices were typical of homes built by the earliest American settlers in the region.

The building underwent extensive restoration in 1934 and is the oldest surviving structure from the early American period in Natchez. Visitors should expect to see how settlers lived and built during the frontier era.

The house uses bousillage construction in its upper-story walls, a mixture of mud and Spanish moss similar to French Louisiana building methods. This rare technique shows the blending of French and early American building styles in Mississippi.

Location: Natchez

Inception: 1800

Floors above the ground: 2

Part of: Natchez Historic District, Natchez On-Top-of-the-Hill Historic District

Address: 215 North Canal Street

GPS coordinates: 31.56249,-91.40361

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:25