356 A BICENTENNIAL HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI PHOTO COURTESY OF THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, HISTORIC AMERICAN BUILDINGS SURVEY/HISTORIC AMERICAN ENGINEERING RECORD/HISTORIC AMERICAN LANDSCAPES SURVEY OLD WAVERLY STAIRCASE The Waverly house cupola on the crown of the roof not only provided a way for residents to view the surrounding countryside, but also creatively allows natural light into ground floor. PHOTO BY GREG CAMPBELL OLD WAVERLY Built in 1852, Waverly was the center of a large cotton plantation. The plantation survived the Civil War even after being host to a Confederate general and Confederate soldiers. Unique in architecture, Waverly was abandoned for nearly fifty years in the 1900s before being restored. The mansion and grounds are now open year-round for visitors. The Young family moved from Georgia to build their plantation near West Point. The Waverly plantation was named after a character in one of Sir Walter Scott’s novels, and was completely self-sustaining when the plantation was at its height. Today the home is open for viewing, and an award-winning golf course lies nearby.