NOTTOWAY TO SPEND THANKSGIVING

The next stop on our Mississippi Cruise was supposed to be Baton Rouge the capital of Louisiana State. However, because it was Thanksgiving Day Holiday the cruise itinerary was changed because everything in the city was closed for the holiday and there was very little to do or see. So instead we sailed past Baton Rouge and moored outside Nottoway Plantation Mansion, where we would enjoy a tour and Thanksgiving celebrations.
Here is my diary entry for that day.

27/11/14
Thanksgiving Day. We looked out of the cabin door to see that we were moored right outside the huge Nottoway Plantation Mansion. It was a beautiful sight. Everyone greeted each other with Happy Thanksgiving Day. As usual a delicious breakfast of Florentine Eggs. Then we walked ashore and joined our 9:30 tour group for a guided tour of the mansion by a local guide dressed in traditional period costume. Her dress was beautiful but I don't know how the women of those days could possibly be comfortable. The house was amazing with it's many rooms on three floors. The story of the house and it's owners was very interesting. Best of all we were allowed to photograph. It has been recently restored and a resort developed on the surrounding property. Funnily enough it is owned by an Australian. There is a little museum and gift shop there as well besides a cafe and posh restaurant.
There has been a huge bonfire built on the levee in front of the big house. This is for the celebrations tonight.

 From the boat we could see the bonfire on top of the river levee, which was hiding half of the Nottoway Mansion.

 We climbed up the levee on a zigzag path and then we could see all of this magnificent house.

Nottoway was completed in 1859 for John and Emily Randolph and their eleven children. John Randolph was originally a cotton farmer but he turned to sugar cane and bought the first steam powered sugar mill. The Greek Revival and  Italianate mansion was designed by Henry Howard. The ceilings are 15 ft high and the doors 11 ft.There are 64 rooms and six internal staircases as well as 165 doors and 200 windows. 

 The tour was included in the cruise. Two guides dressed in beautiful period dresses organised us into groups. It was very crowded with 400 passengers to get through in a day. We had times allotted to us.

 The most impressive room is the semi-circular white ballroom. John Randolph wanted it all white so that his daughter's dresses would not have any distractions and all eyes would be on them. We heard lots of wonderful stories about the family.

The dining room was yellow with the most beautiful chandelier but all my photos were overcrowded with people so you get the table setting instead.

 One of the many rooms I think it was where the ladies retired to after dinner.

 The furniture was exquisite but may not all be originals.

After touring 3 floors and many rooms we finished in a ground floor room which has been converted into a museum where we watched a very interesting video of the history of the house told by Mr Randolph to his grandson.

 Bill didn't come on the tour but in the afternoon he came for a walk around the grounds. This is the view of the side of the house .Today there is a very nice restaurant on the bottom floor behind the huge glass walls. Nottoway is now owned by an Australian, Paul Ramsay, owner of Ramsey Health, with 72 hospitals and Prime TV with 12 stations. In 2008, $14 m was invested into upgrading Nottoway estate. There is now a resort with Villa style accommodation, together with, conference/ballroom, spa, swimming pool etc.

We walked back to the boat.  Soon it was time for dinner. We expected a much bigger celebration for Thanksgiving but it was a special menu including turkey of course. Our waiters were very good.

After tea we opted to stay on board and watch the bonfire rather than stand in the cold evening air on shore. We felt the Thanksgiving Celebrations were a bit of a disappointment especially as the cruise was called "The Thanksgiving Cruise".