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photo by Hannah Reel
The antebellum house Brandon Hall was recently donated to the Historic Natchez Foundation.
Historic house donated to Foundation
Published Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Editor's note: Some information regarding the Historic Natchez Foundation's plans for the house has been clarified below.
NATCHEZ — The Historic Natchez Foundation is now the owner of one of Adams County’s grandest historic homes, Executive Director Mimi Miller said.
“We’ll probably never get another donation like this in the history of the organization,” Miller said. “I’m still pinching myself.”
Brandon Hall, a Greek Revival house built in 1856 and located off the Natchez Trace 10 miles from downtown Natchez, was donated to the foundation by its owners.
Photo by Hannah Reel
The dining room is one of the highlight of Brandon Hall, the antebellum house recently donated to the Historic Natchez Foundation.
The house was acquired in 1983 by Stanley and Elke Diefenthal of New Orleans, who restored the home. Three years later, they created the Brandon Hall Foundation to ensure the preservation of the home and its property.
After the death of Stanley and Elke, their sons Edward L. and James R. Diefenthal, both of New Orleans, have been directing the Brandon Hall Foundation for the past 20 years.
“The Diefenthal family has always been good to the Natchez community,” Miller said. “One of the remarkable things is they could have just as easily donated the property to an organization in New Orleans where they’re from.
“We’re very appreciative they decided to make the donation to an organization in Natchez.”
She said this is one of the greatest donations the foundation has ever received, “because the house itself is so valuable.
“It is one of the grandest houses in scale built in Adams County. It has 48 beautiful landscaped acres. It has a driveway that is entered from the Natchez Trace Parkway. And it came fully furnished.”
Pat Biglane, incoming president of the HNF board, said the donation shows that the Diefenthal family recognizes the foundation’s mission to preserve, restore and promote the historic resources of Natchez.
He said it’s an embodiment of all the foundation has been working on for the past 35 years, and he credits Miller with her hard work at the foundation since her husband, Ron, left.
“She did a great job in taking care of the foundation … and helped secure Brandon Hall,” he said.
Miller said the house and the 48-acres surrounding it are in good condition and Biglane echoed that statement.
“It’s a beautiful place — just gorgeous,” he said.
She said the foundations long-term plans for the house do include selling it.
“If we were to hold on to the building, the value of the donation would decrease each year as we maintained it, and we don’t want to do that,” she said. “It’s a beautiful building and of course anyone would want to keep it.”
Biglane said he agrees the sale of the property would be better, and said one genesis of that decision is the foundation does not have the resources required for long-term upkeep of Brandon Hall. The foundation can and will handle preservation of the building in the meantime and work to place easements on the property that will protect its historic nature under the hands of any future owners.
Miller said funds from the sale of Brandon Hall will go toward the foundation’s endowment and also the establishment of the Natchez Institute.
The Natchez Institute will be a museum at the foundation building, and has always been part of the foundation’s long-term plan, Miller said.
"Historic preservation in Natchez will benefit more from the proceeds of the sale than from the ownership of the property," Miller said. "The funds derived will support the foundation’s mission to preserve, restore and promote the historic resources of Natchez.”
The museum and archives division of the Historic Natchez Foundation will be named the Diefenthal Center for Natchez History in recognition of the family’s contribution to Natchez, a HNF press release states.
Comments
Posted by stateofnatchez (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 2:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"She said the foundation plans on putting the house on the market."
-->Typical no brainer. A historic pawn shop of sorts.
"She said it will tell the story of business in Natchez."
-->You got that right!!! Irony is once again wasted on the stupid.
Posted by natchez1 (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 2:28 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow - lovely donation - Thanks Ned. Its a beautiful house and the contributions from the sale should help to insure the work of the foundation can continue.
This is just the latest in a string of important donations to the foundation.
Despite the naysayers the NHF has been vital to the survival of the fabric of Natchez. Like any group they are not perfect but Ron and Mimi have worked tirelessly to support the Foundation often for a meager salary.
This donation shows that people who support and love Historic Preservation understand how important the NHF is.
Posted by humorme (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 7:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WOW!
Posted by eawprops (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I do not understand this.
If this generous family donated this property to NHF to insure its preservation then how can NHF be so quick to sell. If this is what the family wanted and NHF only wanted money then the morally proper thing to do would have been to reject the donation or tell the truth and say you only wanted it for its value! Can't NHF run it is a tour, wedding, b&b, etc house. Proceeds would pay for the maintenance.
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 9:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
thugs gonna strip it out there
Posted by Hardcorps (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thugs will have it stripped within a week now that they know about it.
Posted by olderthandirt (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 10:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I have been told there is a fulltime caretaker on the premises...and an alarm system.
Posted by dixiepix (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Great, now go save Arlington. If Natchez is about historic homes we should be ashamed to let a good one just rot away. If you can stop people painting their house blue you ought to be able to stop allowing one to fall down! Its our history and revenue stream!
At least pay for an alarm system to keep vandals out. Surely the owner wouldn't mind that.
Posted by NoWireHangers (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 11:40 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well Done! Congratulations to the Historic Natchez Foundation! Well deserved! I wish everyone could know and understand all of the great work that you do and the sacrafices you make.
Posted by Natchezbear (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 2:56 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe when they sell it they will have enough money to paint the peeling windows on NHF building on Commerce. Preservation starts at home.
Posted by bellesouth (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 5:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by eawprops (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 9:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I do not understand this.
If this generous family donated this property to NHF to insure its preservation then how can NHF be so quick to sell. If this is what the family wanted and NHF only wanted money then the morally proper thing to do would have been to reject the donation or tell the truth and say you only wanted it for its value! Can't NHF run it is a tour, wedding, b&b, etc house. Proceeds would pay for the maintenance.
I completely agree! It doesn't make a lick of sense.
Posted by Natchezbear (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 6:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who is benefiting from all these donations to NHF? Where does the money go?
Posted by wordonthestreet2 (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 9:42 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Im happy to say the donated property is wonderful for NHF and Brandon Hall does have the most updated alarm system and very good caretakers someone is always there to over see that nothing happens to this beautiful house!
Posted by steve_o (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 10:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Posted by Natchezbear (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 6:18 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who is benefiting from all these donations to NHF? Where does the money go?
Excellent question!
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2009...
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2001...
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/2002...
http://www.natchezdemocrat.com/news/1999...
Posted by powerstrokiller (anonymous) on July 29, 2009 at 10:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think it is great that the Diefenthal's donated the property to the NHF, instead of someone out of state. But it is a crying shame that such a beautiful home is going to such money hungry people. I know for a fact that there is a state of the art security system in the home with a very watchful eye looking over the home at all times, for anyone that wants a free ride to the local jail!!! It's also a shame that the Democrat screwed up the article as usual.
To quote the great Charlie Daniels: "For anyone who breaks in my house, I got a 12 guage shotgun waiting on the other side."
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