1845 Greek Revival – Holly Springs, MS
Added to OHD on 12/21/18 - Last OHD Update: 4/12/20 -
SOLD / Archived Post
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National Register
154 W Gholson Ave, Holly Springs, MS 38635
Map: Street
$189,000- 2 Bed
- 2 Bath
- 2800 Sq Ft
- 0.45 Ac.
Dunvegan, circa 1845, an English cottage in the Greek Revival Architecture is on the National Historic Register. The cottage has two bedrooms and two baths upstairs.while kitchen, banquet size dining room and den are downstairs. Artist murals in the entry hall, down stairs hallway and bathrooms. The large double parlors have elegant silk draperies and exquisite wood moldings. Beautifully landscaped yard with summer house, artist studio, boxwoods, brick paths, two car carport. Large corner lot. Exceptional property.
Contact Information
Marty McClatchy, Crye-Leike(901) 757-2500
Links, Photos & Additional Info
State: Mississippi | Region: South (East South Central) | Associated Styles or Type: Greek Revival
Period & Associated Styles: Greek Revival (1825-1860), Romantic Era
Features: Neighborhood, Painted Wood | Misc: National Register, OHD Favs
Period & Associated Styles: Greek Revival (1825-1860), Romantic Era
Features: Neighborhood, Painted Wood | Misc: National Register, OHD Favs
35 Comments on 1845 Greek Revival – Holly Springs, MS
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Commenting means you've read and will abide by the comment rules.
Click here to read the comment rules, updated 1/12/20.
OHD does not represent this home. Price, status and other details must be independently verified. Do not contact the agent unless you are interested in the property.
Chestatee, GA
There’s a couple of extra photos on Zillow, linked up top. Check out the street view, it sits so nicely on it’s lot with the fence out front. Maybe I should write a new Christmas list to Santa this weekend.
Escondido, CA
Exquisite! And lovely photography too.
Oh my! The interior decor is certainly impressive, but I’ll take the bricked patio, pavilion, and statuary, please!
I want this house badly.
WOW, Gorgeous! I want!
If you go to Google Earth and look at this house both from the aerial and street level, you will see that it is just across the street diagonally from two similar historic houses – “Polk Place” and “Featherston Place.” Those two houses were in turn once part of the “Walter Place” mansion that is also advertised on this site. A former owner of Walter Place named Johnson attempted to turn his acreage into a park like setting with the two smaller houses as guest houses for the larger mansion. The aerial will make his plan clear.
I would be interested to know if this house has a name, and whether or not its history is related to Polk Place and Featherston Place, due to their similar style and close proximity. This house is a jewel for the price. I hope that the new owner will have the knowledge and resources to keep it appropriately furnished.
St. Louis architect Theodore C. Link remodeled all three with Georgian (Colonial/ Classical) Revival details according to the NRHP form for the district. He also worked on the interior of Walter Place.
Oops. I see it is called Dunvegan. I didn’t notice that when I originally shared the link to this house on the 12/14 Link Exchange. Check Wikapedia
Answered some of my own questions, once I knew the name of the house. This interesting link says that the exterior of the house was changed to the Greek Revival style at some point. I’m glad they did.
https://hillcountryhistory.org/2017/04/15/holly-springs-dunvegan-1845/
It’s unlikely the porch shown in the vintage photo was original to the 1845 house. Fanciful Carpenter Gothic decoration like that was popular in the 1865-1880 period. Probably the first porch had simple square columns and proportions similar to the 1903 replacement. The architect correctly returned the Greek Revival house to its original style with some Classical Revival elaboration, while removing the late Victorian porch. A job well done with a beautiful result!
The house was originally Greek. The Johnsons renovated and raised it in the early 20th century. See my comment below about Polk and Featherston. This was all part of the Walter Place estate. The main house is still here, and there is lots of documentation on the web about it.
Wow, so beautifully furnished & so elegant! Not too sure about what appears to be the cellar stairwell, but otherwise love the wall treatments. Just beautiful…
Been years since visiting Holly Springs but seeing a second great home in as many days makes me think I should pass through next Memphis in May. This home is lavishly decorated as its style demands on the interior. I would have thought this the parish priest’s home from the subdued exterior. Those thick heavy window and door surrounds are they type you see in a major mansion like Melrose in Natchez. The crown mouldings are very nice but subdued in order to draw attention to the and window and door surrounds. Great medallions make you realize ceiling height and great fireplaces makes this so appealing! The peacock staircase/catwalk makes me think there’s a henhouse/bedroom upstairs. I think whimsy should always be encouraged. It can add mystery and fun creative expression like this.
Been years since visiting Holly Springs but seeing a second great home in as many days makes me think I should pass through next Memphis in May. This home is lavishly decorated as its style demands on the interior. I would have thought the parish priest’s home from the subdued exterior. Those thick heavy window and door surrounds are they type you see in a major mansion like Melrose in Natchez. The crown mouldings are very nice but subdued in order to draw attention to the and window and door surrounds. Great medallions make you realize ceiling height and great fireplaces makes this so appealing! The peacock staircase/catwalk makes me think there’s a henhouse/bedroom upstairs. I think whimsy should always be encouraged. It can add mystery and fun creative expression like this.
Nashville, TN
This makes me wish I had the talent to paint a mural. The one in the front hall is gorgeous. I can’t even draw a decent stick figure! ?
My eyes widened at the entry-way mural, bugged at the chinoiserie sitting room, and distended with cartoon sound-effect upon the painted stairway. Incredibly, they got even bigger at the lattice-work portico. Room for room, this elegant Greek Revival is probably the most thrilling house I’ve ever seen on OHD. And given the wonders here, that is saying something!
Oh my! Heart stopping. I can imagine Aunt PittyPat fluttering about in this beauty. Just devine.
Drooled, oohed and aahed, feasted my eyes, coveted all, and then read the comments. Guess this house just inspires awe in everyone. Wish it was mine so I could swan about in a chiffon gown sipping champagne. Oh well, gotta go-floors to mop, laundry to fold, beds to make, reality to check.
Love it! You can dream while you mop!!!
That is an incredible amount of well appointed house behind the modest façade.
I live a few blocks away in an antebellum house and my wife wants to sell and move to this one. It was originally one of the three lodges of the Johnson estate (Polk and Feathersoton, mentioned above are the other two). The previous owner fit every definition of a fine southern lady, and she is dearly missed. At this price, this has to be one of the great house bargains in America.
I visited this house yesterday and the real estate agent said it was never part of the Johnson Estate. The house was lovely but has mold and mildew on the first floor. I hope someone rescues this beauty and brings that back yard back to its glory
This house is one CLASS ACT all the way through!!!
Can someone please tell me why this is so cheaply priced? Where I am in AZ this home in this size and quality of detail would cost at least 500K…
The answer: not many people move to rural Mississippi (or MS). It’s only about 40 min from Oxford which is a fun college town with great restaurants and (for the area) increasing home prices that wouldn’t surprise me if some faculty members bought this instead. We’ve created some really bad PR for MS, but in truth, there are many lovely things about living in MS. But this is an especially good deal.
I have to agree. My BF ‘s mother is from Port Gibson, and I was privileged enough to be invited along with her mom went back to deal with her step mothers estate a few times. We would borrow the Town Car and head to Natchez to tour all the old homes, bit for dinner, we would be expected at Aunties house for drinks starting at 4:30. By the time we got there at 5:30, aways running late, the ladies were gently sloshed and so much run! I think all those Southern ladies certainly know how to entertain well, and were so delightful to be around. Southern ladies have exquisite manners and are ever so graceful and generous people. Really lovely to have as friends.
I have to post one story about. Ms. Cochran, the former owner. Two years ago, my friend Tim was helping the local florist make deliveries for the Christmas holiday. Tim pulled into the driveway and gave her a call to tell her he was arriving. Ms Cochran explained to the dear boy (Tim is in his 50’s) that she was absolutely not dressed to receive him at the front door. He must go knock on the side door. There she received him infull makeup, earrings, fuzzy slippers, and a mink collared robe. I think she was about 90 then. This is the old south.
Nice story. I love reading about fine old homes and the often interesting folks that adopt them. Vadah Cochran was an English professor, and a talented artist who painted the murals here and at Wakefield. His wife Doris was a history teacher and shop owner for many years, and apparently a collector with impeccable taste. Both were natives of Holly Springs and together restored the house in the 1980’s, renaming it Dunvegan.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/185351929/doris-cochran
http://www.livingplaces.com/MS/Marshall_County/Holly_Springs_City/Southwest_Holly_Springs_Historic_District.html
Purely based on the exterior photo alone, I kept thinking, “it’s so much bigger than it looks” (the Whovian in me was smiling). All those murals make it so very special and Dave Z, thanks for sharing about the former owner. Wish we could know a tidbit about every old-house-owner!
There is something in the water here that lets women live gracefully in their homes well into advanced age. We have many matriarchs living in these fine old manses. As for their husbands – well not so much. Good for my wife, but….
The furnishings really make this home. It is beautiful. I wonder if you double the price, could you buy it fully furnished.
I looked at this house yesterday and the agent said the person buying this house had first choice to purchase the furniture with the exception of a couple chandeliers and one piece of furniture said not for sale. Great house.
Absolutely right! Part of the beauty and draw of the house are the magnificent furnishings. House wouldn’t be the same without them to me. I want it as is.
Interior design here rivals anything to be found. Elegance and comfort masterfully blended into a coherent statement of dynamic beauty and grace.
just curious. Many of you know better than I, but do the s=ceilings seem lower than expected?