hope farm in good hands

 

The beautiful Southern Belle pictured above received us at Hope Farm on our last day in Natchez for the Spring Pilgrimage 2013. I am Ethel Green Banta, she introduced herself. "And this is my home."
She explained to us, there on her porch, that a friend of hers contacted her about purchasing Hope Farm lock, stock and barrel. Hope Farm is beautiful, historical and very closely connected to the pilgrimage, it being the former home of the woman who started it all.
The genteel proprietess of Hope Farm occupies its newer portion.  She brought just two things to Hope Farm when she moved in, twin Adam gold-leaf mirrors dating back to around 1750, according to an article in a special section of the Natchez Democrat and Mrs. Green's friend Gail, who received us into the dining room where the mirrors are hung.
 She also allowed us to inspect up close the Dorothy Doughty porcelain birds on the dining room table. What she did not do was fit the saw tooth crystal bowl to its lid not tap it with a silver spoon to display its beautiful tone. "Ethel says I should but I wouldn't risk it," she told us to explain her deference to the fine things at Hope Farm.
The older portion of Hope Farm is known to have been standing in 1775. It's historic furnishings are museum worthy as are its lore.


Guides in that section of the house were kind enough to share many of them with us.