Look for a grand brown brick mansion with four enormous white Corinthian columns along the front-it's hard to miss behind the wrought-iron fence, right in front of you!
Now that you’ve found the Mayes-Hutton House, picture yourself in 1854, when Samuel Mayes decided to wager his future on bricks and dreams instead of cotton and chains. He had a hunch that the era of slavery was ending, so he sold his enslaved people, wound up his business, and set out to build this monumental house-a risky move that definitely called for some nerves of steel and perhaps a dash of hope. Those massive 54-by-58-foot walls, resting on a sturdy limestone foundation, might look a bit intimidating, but let’s be honest-Mayes was probably thinking, “Go big or go home.” The front is all about the wow-factor with its four towering Corinthian columns, elaborate pediment, and a balcony for gazing dramatically at visitors… or just checking the weather. Step inside and it’s a different story: a tastefully simple central hall, an elegant free-standing staircase, and none of the bragging you get from the outside. The place became an official superstar in 1970, landing a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. If these columns could blush, they would!
