Mississippi Governor's Mansion, Official residence in Jackson, United States.
The Mississippi Governor's Mansion is a two-story white masonry residence on East Capitol Street in Jackson, basically rectangular in plan. Its five-bay front is articulated by pilasters with scrolled capitals, and the larger center bay carries a two-story half-round portico on four columns. A full entablature ends in a dentillated cornice, and the main entrance opens into an octagonal vestibule.
Designed by state architect William Nichols, who was simultaneously supervising construction of the Old Mississippi State Capitol, the mansion was begun in 1839 and completed in 1841; its first occupant, Governor Tilghman Tucker, moved in during 1842. Gas lighting was fitted in the 1860s, damaging woodwork and plasterwork and leading to marble replacements for some wooden fireplace surrounds. A two-story rear addition followed in 1908–09, and in the 1970s that addition was replaced with a steel-frame one while the main block's interior was restored toward its early 19th-century appearance.
The building displays furnishings from different periods that reflect how governors and their families have lived there over generations. Visitors can see how the rooms were arranged and used for both daily life and official state functions.
Free guided tours run most Tuesday through Friday mornings, but they are cancelled when official functions or other scheduled uses take over the building. Check the day's schedule before setting out, since the residence stays in active use by the governor. Some educational non-profit organizations may also hold events here for a fee.
Only Virginia's governor's residence has been in use longer; Mississippi's is the second-oldest in active service in the nation. The 1908-09 rear addition was later demolished because its support was inadequate, replaced in the 1970s by a larger steel-frame wing.
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