11/18/2023
Glen Auburn has always been a favorite home of mine in Natchez, MS.
Like most Southern belles of any consequence, Glen Auburn in Natchez, Mississippi understands the art of stopping traffic while appearing not to care. Then again, (and also like most Southern belles of any consequence), there was that one time when she briefly lost her mind. We'll go there in a minute.
Simply put, the house is, hands down, the finest example of French Second Empire architecture in the entire state of Mississippi. She was built in 1875 for a man named Christian Schwartz. From the very beginning, she has been a standout in a town full of such.
There have been many successive owners, including a talented couple who ran it as a top-drawer B&B, and the present owners who have tastefully and thoughtfully restored the house back to the original with period-correct interiors and soft colors.
And that has pretty much been her story, except for the episode with Miss Teeny and her boys. Ann "Teeny" Stevens Potter Hamilton Hunt Spalding enjoyed being a bride. As evidenced by her numerous surnames, she availed herself of that opportunity at every turn. Along the way, she gave birth to three boys - Bill, George, and David.
While Bill and David may not ring any bells with you, her middle son, George, most certainly will. He is the actor George Hamilton, also known as one of Hollywood's most famous (or infamous) playboys. Given his mother's fondness for romance, we shouldn't be surprised.
As a result of George's success, the family came calling in Natchez for a while, purchasing several of the town's most historic houses. Miss Teeny and her oldest son, Bill, a designer, moved into Glen Auburn, following which Bill went to work making changes.
Among other things, he painted the place purple. Reviews at the time - and since - were mixed. Natchez is, after all, known for her white-clad-and-green-shuttered elegance.
No harm was done, however. These days, Glen Auburn has once again settled into the landscape with a quiet pride in a life well-lived - that brief fling with the movie star only serving to add to her mystique. Every girl deserves a good fling at least once in her life.
Photo and description by Beth Yarbrough.
