Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-03-11
By Jacques FutreIIe
The Stor's Truvel Editor

1dI CIlci SOutIl dIlu Ou tIlC 4SlC-
Aux-Oies River.
These tours also embrace the
gardens and ante bellum homes of
Natchez. The annual pilgrimage
to that historic Mississippi city.
where the Old South lives again"
opened March 3. About 80 homes,
gardens and plantations, some
dating back to the late 18th cen
fury. are receiving visitors from
many States and foreign coun-
tries.
Included are Gloucester, built
IN 1903, home of Winthrop Sar-
gent. first territorial Governor of
Mississippi; Stanton Hall, most
palatial house in Natchez, built in
1851 by Frederick Stanton at the
peak of the Golden Age" of cot
ton; the Briers, home of Miss
Varina Howell. who was wed there
in 1845 to Jefferson Davis, Presi-
dent of the Confederacy.
Also Ravenna, built in 1886,
surrounded by bayous which
were used during the War Be-
tween the States to smuggle food
to the hard-pressed Confederate
Army; Connelly's Tavern on Eli
colts Hill, where in 1897 Andrew
Ellicott raised the first American
flag in the lower Mississippi VAL
ley; Melrose. 1845, with original
furnishings. any outstanding ex-
ample of the wealthy Victorian
period; Twin Oaks. Arlington,
Linden, Airlie, Elgin Plantation.
Hope Farm. Rosalie and Dunleith.
The brilliant Confederate pag-
cant is an outstanding feature
Of entertainment. 1t depicts
scenes in tableaSl of the roman
tic period of the Old South. Many
descendants of the first families
participate in this colorful per-
Torrance A second feature is
the presentation of the Negro
spirituals, Highway to Heaven"
directed and acted by an all-Negro
cast.
Charleston's Homes - Within.
easier motoring distance of Wash
ington. similar event will open
on Monday of next week. The
Historic Charleston Foundation is
to hold it's fourth annual tour of
lovely South Carolina private
houses from March 10 through
April H. Twenty of the old city's
most distinguished homes will
receive the public in series of
tours.
Homes will be open on Mondays
through Fridays, both morning
and afternoon. On some evenings,
the houses will be shown by can
delight and, for the first time.
there will be a tour each Sunday
afternoon. Latest among the
homes to be displayed was con-
structed about 1885. Others carry
visitors back into the early part
Of the 18th century.
2 Charleston's famous gardens
Magnolia. Middleton and Cypress
will be open throughout the
historic home-tour period. Word
received last week from Benjamin
Kittredge, jr., owner of Cypress
Gardens, reported that the spec
tacular Towering of azaleas there
is expected to begin late this week.
Height of the blooming period is
forecast for the last of March
and the first part of April.
X X x x
AZalea Festival-Farther up the
coast, an elaborate azalea festival
will be held. Wilmington. N. c.,
is completing plans for a four-day
fete, March 20 through April l..
More than / million azalea plants
in and around Wilmington pro-
duce each spring a great mass of
multicolored blossoms.
Events will include a historical
pageant. to be staged at night on
the banks of the broad Cape Fear
River, and massive musical fes-
tival. This feature of the cele-
bration, with 1900 singers, must
clans and ballet dancers partici-
pating, has proved one of the
more popular events in a festival
that has been developed over a
period of four years.