A Visit to Longwood Estate

Feb 14, 2024

We really enjoyed our time at Longwood Estate. It is the largest octagonal house in the United States. Construction was started in 1860 but never completed because of the Civil War.

Longwood Estate Landscape — The beautiful octagonal mansion, largest in the United States

The basement is the only part of the house that was fully completed. The house was constructed for Haller Nutt who was a wealthy cotton baron. Sadly Nutt died of pneumonia in 1864. During the Civil War the confederates burned up all their cotton to prevent the union from confiscating it. His widowed wife Julia and children lived in the unfinished house for three decades after the war ended. In all they had 11 children, 8 of which survived to adulthood.

Main Floor Landscape — The unfinished main floor of the house.

Family Landscape — Family picture on the back patio

Inside Steeple Portrait — The unfinished dome from the inside view

Inside Steeple Inner Portrait — The original plan was to put mirrors in the dome to direct sunlight down through the rest of the house.

Entry Room Landscape — One of the finished rooms in the basement. They had several original large mirrors.

Fanny Grave Portrait — The largest tombstone in the estate graveyard was dedicated to Fanny who was only 2 years old when she died in 1848.

Heffe on Bed Portrait — Heffe enjoyed resting on the bed during the tour