Come on a HISTORIC HOME TOUR with us today! Today, we'll explore the amazing Cedar Grove in Vicksburg Mississippi! This historic, ante-bellum home is filled with fine antiques, history, and maybe more than one or two ghosts... will we see them today?

Cedar Grove Mansion was built by a jeweler, banker, and landowner John Alexander Klein, for his bride Elizabeth in 1840. During construction John and Elizabeth traveled to Europe for two years to furnish their home. The impressive Greek Revival mansion was completed in 1852 to become one of the largest and most beautiful estates in Vicksburg. Over the next years, John and Elizabeth have ten children and add first a South wing and then a North wing onto Cedar Grove Mansion. Then in 1863, during the siege of Vicksburg, Civil War brought an attack on the city and house by cannon fire. The home survives with a few war-torn scars that you can still see today.

Cedar Grove survives possibly because Elizabeth Klein was a cousin to William Tecumseh Sherman, who used the grounds as a field camp and later a military hospital. Although John Klein suffers financial set back from the war, he builds four more mansions in the neighborhood for his children; “The Corners” for Susan, “Bellevue” for George, “Floweree” for John Jr., and “Annabelle” for Madison. Three of these mansions still survive. The area makes up the Historic Garden District with shared gardens from the mansions down to the Mississippi River.

John Klein passes away in 1884, and Elizabeth in 1909. The Kleins keep the house in the family until 1919. The Tonnar’s live in the house for 17 years, then the Podesta’s who were married into the Klein family reside there for another 14 years. Then in 1960, the Vicksburg Theater Guild with the World Record for the longest-running show “Gold in the Hills” saves the Mansion from demolition. They offer tours of the home and use the ballroom for “Gold…” performances.

In 1981 the house is sold again but becomes a resort hotel owned first by the Kinsmans, then the Mackeys. The Small Family purchased the property in 2003 and eventually donate it in 2018. Cedar Grove remains open as a small hotel until 2020. The current owners, Harley Caldwell, and Steven and Kendra Reed purchased the estate in early 2022 and set out to save this important, historic icon of Vicksburg. After a lot of renovation and community encouragement, the mansion reopens to the public in late 2022. Now, better than ever The Inn at Cedar Grove welcomes you back to be part of our history. Listed on the National Historic Register, the Inn at Cedar Grove truly is the crown jewel of Vicksburg if not the South.

Cedar Grove Website: https://www.cedargrovemansion.com/

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