The Harris Family's Last Ball - Mary Oliver Harris

In the twilight of the antebellum era, White Arches stood as one of Columbus, Mississippi's most impressive mansions. Built in 1857, its distinctive octagonal tower, ornate cast-iron balconies, and sweeping verandas epitomized the grandeur of Southern architecture. The mansion boasted fifteen-foot ceilings, imported crystal chandeliers, and hand-carved mahogany staircases that spiraled gracefully between its three stories.

 

On that fateful January evening in 1861, as tensions between North and South reached their breaking point, White Arches hosted what would become a legendary social event.