Natchez Trace Parkway National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Natchez Trace Parkway

Kaintucks to Cotton

Grandma Polly

Mount Locust is one of the oldest structures still standing in an area known for historic 

homes. John Blommart began what would become Mount Locust by 1780, but his stay 

was short. After leading a failed rebellion against the Spanish, he was jailed, forfeiting his 

fortune and Mount Locust. Blommart’s former business associate, William Ferguson, and 

his wife Paulina purchased Mount Locust in 1784 and operated the farm until William’s 

death in 1801. A short time later Paulina married James Chamberlain, an overseer at 

Mount Locust, and they continued to build the growing farm. Mount Locust was home 

to five generations of Chamberlains, with the last leaving in 1944. The National Park 

Service began restoration in 1954, returning the historic home to its 1820 appearance.

A Call for Preservation

From Homestead to Inn By 1785, an increasing number of boatmen 

known as “Kaintucks” were floating flatboats 

down the Mississippi River to sell their goods 

at the markets in Natchez and New Orleans. 

Without an efficient way to navigate up the 

Mississippi River, the boatmen walked north on 

the Natchez Trace to make their way home. A 

day’s walk from Natchez brought the Kaintucks 

and their gold to Mount Locust. The growing 

number of travelers compelled the Fergusons 

to turn their home into a “stand,” which was 

In an era when women were typically 

shunned from business, Paulina proved to be 

extraordinary. Despite losing two husbands 

and raising 11 children, seven with William and 

four with James, Paulina kept Mount Locust 

bustling. 

Sometime after 1810, James was gone, leaving 

her and the children to raise the family and run 

the farm and inn, which provided a comfortable 

living for the family. By the mid-1820s the 

steamboat and other roads all but brought an 

end to the Natchez Trace. 

After 1825 the inn no longer catered to travelers 

but instead to Natchez residents who sought 

the rural solitude of Mount Locust. During 

her life, Paulina oversaw a small corn farm that 

became a thriving cotton plantation. Pauline 

Chamberlain died in 1849 at the age of 80. The 

Civil War (1861-1865) brought an end to the 

plantation system and Mount Locust began a 

slow decline. In a testimony to her spirit and 

the lasting impression she made on her family, 

her descendants still refer to her as “Grandma 

Polly.” 

Mount Locust Inn at Milepost 15.5 of the Natchez Trace Parkway. NPS/© Marc Muench

nothing more than a crude inn. A staple corn 

crop enabled the family to offer a meal of corn 

mush and milk with sleeping arrangements 

on the porches and grounds. As business 

prospered, a four-room, two-story annex 

was erected behind the house and became 

known as Sleepy Hollow. The simple structure 

was a luxury not readily found on the Old 

Natchez Trace. What could a weary traveler 

expect to pay for the much needed food and 

accommodations? The price was 25 cents.

NPS/© Marc Muench

NPS Image
Slavery

Pathway to Parkway

Mount Locust Site Map

There were a small number of enslaved families 

at Mount Locust prior to the “flush” times of 

King Cotton. The 1820 census lists 26 enslaved 

people at Mount Locust, and by the middle of 

the 19th century, the number had reached 51. 

In 1834 the average prices for enslaved men 

and women who worked in the cotton fields 

were $800 and $600 respectively. Archeologists 

believe 12 to 16 slave cabins once stood on the 

property, with four to five people occupying 

each dwelling. On the west side of Mount 

Locust, a cemetery holds the remains of 43 

enslaved workers. A marker lists the names of 

Visitors are encouraged to tour the grounds 

of Mount Locust. A short walk behind the 

house will take you to the slave cemetery, the 

Ferguson-Chamberlain cemetery, and the 

brick kiln site, where slaves made the bricks 

to build parts of the Ferguson-Chamberlain 

home. Take a moment to reflect on the many 

people seeking food, shelter, and rest at Mount 

Locust. Visualize American Indians, boatmen, 

postriders, preachers, soldiers, explorers, and 

slaves traveling by foot or horseback on the 

Natchez Trace. Just like visitors today, they 

were from all walks of life.

Mount Locust is located at Milepost 15.5 

along the Natchez Trace Parkway. The site is 

Groups and schools are encouraged to 

make reservations by calling (601) 445-4211. 

Restrooms, exhibits, an information center, and 

bookstore are on site and wheelchair accessible. 

For Parkway Information:

Natchez Trace Parkway

2680 Natchez Trace Parkway

Tupelo, MS 38804

(800) 305-7417

www.nps.gov/natr

Your Visit

By 1905 the Mississippi Daughters of the 

American Revolution (DAR) realized the 

history of the Natchez Trace was being lost. 

From 1908 to 1933 they erected monuments in 

every Mississippi county through which the Old 

Trace passed. Dedicating the 15 monuments 

created opportunities for speech making that 

were extensively reported by the press. The 

coverage generated widespread interest in the 

Old Natchez Trace. 

... Bear in mind that a 

fine crop, consists, first, 

in an increase in the 

number, and a marked 

improvement in the 

condition and the value 

of the negros...

Ledger and account Book 

Elliscliffe Plantation, Adams 

County, Mississippi-1858

open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, except 

for Christmas Day. Admission is free and 

interpretive programs are given daily. 

some who may be buried there, and a single 

headstone marks the area. The FergusonChamberlain family burial area sits on the 

southwest corner of the grounds.

In 1938 Congress passed legislation creating 

the Natchez Trace Parkway as a unit of 

the National Park Service. The 444-mile 

Parkway commemorates the Natchez Trace by 

preserving portions of the old path, adjoining 

structures, and landmarks. There are signs and 

literature along the way that enable visitors to 

understand and appreciate thousands of years 

of history on this historic travel route. 

NPS/© Marc Muench

NPS Image

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