The gift wasn’t wrapped, and it didn’t have a bow on top, but Ron and Mimi Miller didn’t care. It was still incredibly special to them – and to the future of Natchez.

&uot;It&uot; is the donation of the antebellum house Cherokee to the Historic Natchez Foundation to create a trust that will help the group for years to come.

The Millers, who serve as executive director and assistant director of the Foundation, say they were stunned by the generosity of James and Elizabeth Whatley, the current owners of the house.

The Whatleys recently decided that while they loved Natchez they were getting tired of driving from their Texas home to stay at the house. So rather than selling the house, the Whatleys chose to do something special – something that made history, in fact.

They gave it away.

The gift, which was appraised at $1.3 million, is the largest non-government gift to historic preservation in Mississippi’s history.

The gift is special not only because of its size, but also because of its timing. As lower than expected tax revenues hit the city, county and state, funding for historic preservation becomes extremely tight. For a city such as ours that feeds off our history, this could be devastating.

But fortunately wonderful, generous people such as the Whatleys and the late Floyce Masterson – who donated the Van Court Townhouse to the foundation three years ago – are filling the gaps left by a lack of government help.

Such gifts are crucial to historic preservation in Natchez and as such deserve our gratitude.