The Duff Green Mansion is a historic property located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. The establishment was built in 1856 by Duff Green to be his family's home. Over time, the building has had many uses, such as a hospital during the Civil War, the headquarters of the Salvation Army, and a boy's orphanage. Today, the bed and breakfast has nine guest rooms that are available year-round. The rooms are located on the bottom floor of the house and the top floor; the middle level has the dining room, parlor, kitchen, and Victorian game room. Some of the rooms are pet friendly for an additional nightly fee, and each room has a television, free Wi-Fi, and places for guests to store their clothing and personal items during their stay. The grounds of the mansion feature a swimming pool, rose garden, and a courtyard that patrons can utilize.
The Duff Green Mansion features a three-story building with nine guest rooms available year-round. Five bedrooms are located on the ground floor of the historic building, and three are on the top floor. Additionally, there is a room located in the courtyard that patrons can occupy. The second floor of the establishment features the parlor, dining room, kitchen, and Victorian game room. In the parlor and the game room, there are no televisions; however, there are sitting areas and playing cards. When describing the interior design of the mansion, Harley, one of the owners, said, "it's all Victorian." Each of the bedrooms features private bathrooms, televisions, free Wi-Fi, and places for guests to put their clothes during their stay.
The exterior of the home features "Antebellum-style architecture," according to Harley. Painted cream color bricks adorn the outside walls, with ironwork porches on all three levels allowing those staying at the property places to sit outside, depending on the room. In hopes of providing guests the opportunity to swim and relax, there is a pool behind the house. There is also a rose garden that patrons can walk through and a courtyard between the home and the additional guestroom.
Each morning, breakfast is served in the dining room for those staying at the property. At 8:30 AM, guests can eat their meal before a tour of the historic home, which is given at 9:00 AM. Each meal features three courses which include an entrée and a dessert every day. While the menu changes daily, typical meals include entrees such as pancakes, French toast, or waffles. If guests notify the staff in advance, accommodations for food restrictions can be made.
Harley, one of the owners, says that the mansion "is a very historic house." She hopes that those staying at the property can explore the history of the home as well as the surrounding area. Once a day, generally after breakfast at 9:00 AM, patrons of the establishment are given a complimentary tour of the building and the history of the home. Those in the area can also come for a tour, however, there is a fee for those not staying at the mansion. At the Duff Green Mansion, there is a concierge service with the hope of being able to help guests see the museums and other attractions in the area. There are over 20 museums in the surrounding area such as the Old Depot Museum, the Old Courthouse Museum, the USS Cairo Naval Museum National Park, and the Vicksburg Civil War Museum. The staff at the establishment can also recommend places to eat in the area such as Anchuca, Walnut Hill, and Rusty's on Washington Street.
While the mansion does not throw any events for the community, guests to the property are welcome to host events on the grounds. According to Harley, the establishment can accommodate wedding parties, class reunions, and other events. The bed and breakfast can serve up to 500 people for standup events and 150 in multiple rooms for seated events. The owner of the property hopes that the property will someday host blues events on the grounds.
Harley and the other staff at the Duff Green Mansion hope that they are able to provide a "relaxing place" for those staying at the property. The owner says that she "[tries] for it to be a hassle-free stay," by having self-check-ins for guests as well as striving to provide for their needs during their stay. Many who have stayed in the past have commented on the history of the home, as well as the complimentary tours of the property and the hospitality of the staff. One patron said, "The home is beautiful and full of history. Each morning they give a tour and tell about the home and the family that lived there. The staff was very kind and the breakfast was delicious."
For those staying at the Duff Green Mansion, there are policies in place in hopes to keep the historic edifice clean and hospitable for other guests. There is no smoking allowed inside the property and there are designated smoking areas on the main floor front porch and in the courtyard. Additionally, there are some pet-friendly rooms at the mansion, however, there is an additional $20 fee per pet per night for those rooms. If children will be staying at the establishment, the owners ask that they be "well behaved" so as to not disturb other patrons.
Originally, the historic building was built by Duff Green, the namesake of the inn today, in 1856. Duff and his family lived there until 1863, when fighting from the Civil War reached the town. As the war came closer to their home, Duff converted the building from the family residence into a hospital for soldiers from both the Union and the Confederacy armies. After the war concluded, the edifice was used as a residential home again until it became a boy's orphanage for a few years. The Salvation Army then purchased the building, and it was their headquarters for over 50 years.
In the mid-1980s, Gary and Elizabeth Sharp purchased the building and renovated it into a house again, similar to how it looked when it was first built. It was then that the property was converted into the bed and breakfast it is today. In 2015, Harley and Rick Caldwell purchased the business from the Sharps. Harley wanted to own the business because of the long history of the building in the town. The couple has done multiple renovations over the years, most recently updating all of the bathrooms in the home. In the future, they plan on continuing to update the establishment as necessary. Harley says, "what we enjoy most about our job is just making other people happy," by sharing the history of the building with them and giving them a place to stay.
1114 First East Street
Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180
United States
Bed and Breakfast
Harley and Rick Caldwell
Gary and Elizabeth Sharp
