Tombigbee Tales

The Playboy Photoshoot at White Arches and Southern Womanhood

...And in 1981 her daughter, a college student at one of the finer institutions of the South became one of the Girls of the Southeastern Conference part 1 in Playboy's September issue at a photoshoot held in White Arches in Columbus, Mississippi. 
Yep, in all their glory lovely ladies from all over the SEC converged on Columbus, Mississippi to show as my daddy would say, “their name, address, and phone number” in various provocative poses at White Arches. Playboy photographers David Chan and Arny Freytag posed the girls in various stages of undress on the verandah, the front parlor, the library, on wicker chairs, and on leather wingbacks. The high beds and antique lamps never looked prettier set off by the coquettish co-eds. Why does the wholesome nursing student leaning on the porch rails look like the girl next door partially wearing some man’s oversized button-down falling off her shoulders? And Miss Alabama looks fit to be “tide” on the back verandah. 
I wonder where they are now? Would they come back and tell of their experience with Playboy?

Twelve Gables and the First Decoration Day in Columbus, MS

The legacy of Twelve Gables and Miss Matt Morton, like the holiday it helped inspire, has become a cherished part of American heritage—a testament to the power of compassion to heal even the deepest of wounds. It stood not just as a beautiful example of antebellum architecture but as a monument to the human spirit's capacity for forgiveness and the enduring strength of a nation united in remembrance.

James O. Banks Jr. Naval Engineer

James Banks was born on July 27, 1900, in Columbus, Mississippi, at Bent Oaks Plantation. He came from a family with military history - his grandfather was Colonel James O. Banks who fought in the Confederate Army. As a young man, Banks attended Franklin Academy and Stephen D. Lee High School in his hometown while living at the Banks Harris Home (White Arches). He then went on to study at the Tennessee Military Academy before graduating from Annapolis in 1925.

White Arches and Col. James O. Banks

*Columbus, Mississippi - November 10, 1904*
The morning fog hung heavy over Columbus as news spread through the town - Colonel James O. Banks, one of Mississippi's most respected citizens, had drawn his final breath at 5 o'clock that morning. The mournful tolling of church bells echoed through the streets as black crepe appeared on doorways. At Merchant's Bank, the American flag flew at half-mast. As townspeople gathered in hushed groups outside the Banks family home on College Street, sharing stories of the man they'd known, a remarkable life story began to unfold.

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.

The Ghost at White Arches in Columbus, MS

White Arches stands as one of the most distinguished homes in Columbus, its gleaming white columns and deep porches a testament to 19th-century Southern Italianate architecture. The towering three-story structure is crowned by an octagonal cupola that offers panoramic views of the neighborhood and the river and became young Sarah Miller's sanctuary during her frequent visits in the summer of 1974. That is...until she met a ghost who objected to her reading habits...

A Confederate Captain's Story: William Washington Humphries

After Appomattox, Humphries returned to a dramatically changed Columbus. Like many Confederate veterans, he took the requisite oath of allegiance to the Union and worked to rebuild his law practice eventually entering the political arena. He specialized in helping fellow veterans navigate the complex legal landscape of Reconstruction. He was a prominent member of the local Columbus Chapter of the Ku Klux Klan under the leadership of former CSA General Jacob Sharp, S. D. Lee, and Jeptha Vining Harris and other former CSA leaders. Humpries also served on the City Council from 1872-1876. 

John Gilmer - Champion of Mississippi Women's Property Laws 1839

What made Colonel Gilmer truly remarkable was his forward-thinking approach to women's rights. In 1839, he authored and championed what became known as the "Woman's Law" in Mississippi. This groundbreaking legislation was revolutionary for its time - it allowed married women to own property separately from their husbands. Under this law, a wife's property couldn't be seized for her husband's debts or sold without her consent.
John Gilmer's groundbreaking analysis of the Mississippi Married Women's Property Act of 1839 transformed our understanding of this landmark legislation.
 

Charles McLaran First Owner of Riverview Mansion

By 1847, McLaran had established himself as a respected businessman in Columbus, Mississippi. His greatest achievement during this period was co-founding what would later become the First National Bank of Columbus, investing $25,000 of his capital. As its first president, he Introduced innovative lending practices for small farmers and established the first mortgage department in the region.

Riverview - A Greek Revival Masterpiece of the Old South

In the warm spring of 1847, Colonel Charles McLaran stood on a hill overlooking the bustling river town of Columbus, Mississippi. The successful cotton planter and businessman had a vision - to build the grandest home north of Natchez. As steamboats churned past on the Tombigbee River below, McLaran could already see in his mind the majestic columns and sweeping verandas of his future mansion.
McLaran spared no expense in creating his masterpiece. He hired James S. Lull, a talented architect from Vermont known for his classical designs. Lull had studied the latest architectural pattern books and even traveled to see ancient Greek and Roman temples.