NATCHEZ, Miss. – Plans for the city-owned Auburn call for its new custodians to preserve the historic mansion and attract more tourists to generate more revenues for the 211-year structure’s upkeep.
The Board of Aldermen on Tuesday approved the terms for leasing Auburn to the Historic Natchez Foundation, which is replacing the private organization that gave up maintaining the house last year after struggling to remain viable.
from www.auburnmuseum.org
HNF Executive Director Carter Burns said the foundation will strive to draw more visitors and keep Auburn open for tours and events on a regular basis.
Burns said he’s not sure what the costs and revenues have been for operating the tourist attraction, but he noted it’s had “very few visitors” the past couple of years and generated little income. “It was not much at all,” he said.
Built in 1812, Auburn is one of the earliest mansions constructed in Natchez and the first with classical architectural designs, according to the Historic Natchez Foundation. The Federal-style house with its Roman Ionic columns has been designated a National Historic Landmark (one of 11 in Natchez) by the federal government
The Duncan family that owned Auburn since the 1820s donated it to the city in 1910 along with the adjoining 203 acres that’s now Duncan Park. The gift stipulated the property be used by the city in perpetuity for recreation and other avocations.
A private group of custodians had operated Auburn as a tourist attraction for decades. It ceased in October as a dwindling number of tour guides and a decrease in visitors forced Auburn to close as it struggled to pay the bills.
In the agreement worked out since then with city officials, the Historic Natchez Foundation will keep 75 percent of whatever revenues Auburn generates from admission fees and events held there. The city gets the rest of the income. HNF employees, volunteers and possibly another group will collaborate to operate and maintain Auburn, Burns said.
The city will be insuring Auburn for $1.5 million, up from the $700,000 it was previously valued for, said Mayor Dan Gibson.
Preserving and restoring the house has been a constant and costly process. A recent project is for repairing the front columns and renovating the billiard hall next to the main house. This was funded earlier this year with about $300,000 from the city and the state Department of Archives & History.
Noting the city and HNF are in “uncharted territory” for managing Auburn, city attorney Bryan Callaway said the two-year lease includes an “escape clause” for its termination if it proves to be a flop.
Carter said HNF has completed an inventory of the fully furnished Auburn to determine which contents belong to the city and which are on loan.
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