Historical Timeline
If only this eight-sided house could talk, we could all learn a lot about some of our early history in northern Mississippi and the Memphis, Tennessee areas. This website will highlight some of the incidents, actions and activities of those who once lived here. Life in the 1800’s, slavery, the Civil War, Yellow Fever…the good, the bad and the ugly are all part of our history.
In 1817, Mississippi would become the 20th state admitted to the Union. Indians still populated this area in the early 1800's; DeSoto County would not become incorporated until 1836. The home you see before you "Mon Amour" was built in 1844 and is the oldest Octagon Home in the state of Mississippi; it is privately owned.
The only other Octagon Home in Mississippi resides in Natchez and was begun in 1860 but was never completed on the inside due to the onset of the Civil War. The Longwood Octagon Home in Natchez is the largest Octagon House in the United States and is open for tours.
Information presented in this website would not have been possible without the help, assistance and materials referenced here:
Our Heritage - DeSoto County Mississippi - Pam McPhail Ivy - 1975; Tales of Old Whitehaven -Anna Leigh (Raines) McCorkle - 1967; Whitehaven and Levi - Ann McDonald Meeks - 1984; Memphis 1800-1900 - Vol III - Years of Courage 1870-1900; War of the Rebellion - Records of the Union and Confederate Armies - Series I, Vol XVII - Part II Correspondence, etc. - 1887; Obituaries from Tennessee Newspapers - Jill L. Garrett - 1980; www.ancestry.com; www.findagrave.com; www.thomaslegion.net; www.Historic-Memphis.com (Gene Gill); www.msgw.org (Tim Harrison); www.octagon.bobanna.com (Robert Kline); You Tube; Wikipedia; Google; American Battlefield Trust - Civil War Causalities; William Ballard - First Regional Library System DeSoto County; Robert L. Long - DeSoto County Museum - Hernando, MS; Memphis Pink Palace Museum - Yellow Fever Exhibit; Henry Bailey - Octagon House article; Lee Ashcraft - New Bethlehem Cemetery Association; Funeral Home Record Books; Memphis-Shelby County Benjamin Hooks Library; DeSoto County Courthouse Records - Hernando, MS; Shelby County Register of Deeds; Online Book - History of Yellow Fever Epidemic - 1878, etc.