1902-8 Stained Glass Manor-Oak Hall

1902-8 Stained Glass Manor-Oak Hall is a turn of the century mansion built as the home of Fannie Vick Willis Johnson, Vicksburg's greatest individual philanthropist, and owner of the famous Panther Burn Plantation. (She is a direct descendant of Burwell Vick-the first Vick to Vicksburg-1812.) The home is over 10,000 square feet in a stable neighborhood of restored Victorian and upscale homes right in the heart of town near everything you came to see. It is furnished in antique and period style pieces for your comfort. Parking is off street.

The home is reputed to have been designed by George Washington Maher, an early teacher of Frank Lloyd Wright, and one of the brilliant architects of the Chicago School. Thirty-six of the art (stained) glass windows have been authenticated as the work of Louis J. Millet, the first Dean of Architecture in Chicago and head of the Art Institute. One of his subcontractors was Louis Comfort Tiffany. The contemporary panels were done by LaMantia of New Orleans.

You enter into the Oak Hall (16 feet wide 40 feet deep) and get a glimpse of the Grand Staircase and a formidable oak fireplace in the North Hall (a foot wider), parlor with hand-crafted Ante Bellum furniture, library with coffered ceiling and intricate woodwork, and a sumptuous dining room. The ground floor also contains baths, butler's pantry, kitchen, porches, and terraces facing over an acre and a half of grounds including a separate carriage house apartment.

The bedrooms in the main house: The Washington room has a custom king-sized rice canopy bed, desk and chest of drawers that belonged to my grandmother, a Civil War chest, three stained glass windows, access to a sleeping porch, a romantic working fireplace, and a private bath with the original clawfoot tub and pedestal sink. The Adams room is similarly furnished in a burgundy decor. The morning light through the east windows in these rooms make awakening dazzling and sumptuous. The baths have rose panel stained glass windows. The Jefferson room is Victorian in Navy blue and gold with a fireplace. As it is the largest bedroom, it bears the name of our greatest President. These first three rooms are bigger than most suites elsewhere. The Madison room with a fireplace is not available at present as it is our granddaughter's room. The Jackson room is French Provincial with a complimenting stained glass hanging panel and a fireplace. We occasionally allow this room to be occupied under special conditions. The Polk room is a whimsical room with two sitting areas, bookcases, a double bed, two twin beds, and a private bath, named for the last President when our combatants of the Civil War last fought side by side. The Carriage house, a separate structure, has a small kitchen and bath, sitting and dining areas, and a large bedroom.

If you are looking for a family-oriented home away from home or an authentic historic memory of Vicksburg or a romantic escape with a loved one, come let thousands of board-feet of luxuriant paneling warm you in the dispersed light from 38 dazzling stained glass windows.

DISTINCTIVE FEATURES:

• Stable Neighborhood
• National Register of Historic Places
• The Last Major Vick Home in Vicksburg
• 36 Art Glass Panels by Louis J. Millet
• Enormous Rooms
• "New Orleans" Breakfast
• Off Street parking
• Near Everything