Restoration comes to Waverly Mansion

CLAY COUNTY,Miss. (WCBI) – Columbus’ Spring Pilgrimage starts Thursday and the home tours draw visitors from all across the country.

This year’s pilgrimage branches out of town a little bit to include a home that hasn’t been featured for several years.

Waverley Mansion in Clay County plays hosts to visitors year-round.

This year it’s back on the Columbus Pilgrimage, and guests can expect to see a few changes coming to this historic home.

Tour guide Jimmy Denning said each year more than 300 people visit the Waverley Mansion.

“Been spending the last few weeks ‘lemoning oiling’ all the furniture inside and wiping some of the mildews from the walls, it it’s takes a little bit usually a month I start in advance,” said Denning.

Charlie and Dana Stephenson are the new owners of Waverley Manson.

The couple purchased the house three months ago.

The Stephenson’s are planning to restore parts of the historic home.

Denning has worked at the Waverley for 13 years.

“If I go in in an old closet I see some of the back parts and it’s neat looking at the construction of the house and recently ,of course, architects have come in through here inspecting the house and they point out new things about the architecture I didn’t see before,” said Denning.

Denning said he’s excited about the planned renovations.

“It’s going to be fascinating watching him restore the house it does, it has some issues and it does need to be fully restored it’s going to look beautiful.”.

The new buyers are planning to restore the roof and update the kitchen.

Since 1852, Waverley has changed owners only four times.

“It’s fascinating hearing the stories of how the Young’s built it and the Snow’s came in and restored it and now a new page is being turned ,the Stephenson’s are coming in to fully restore it back to her historic glory,” said Denning.

The Waverley Mansion can be found on the Orange Tour.

Tours for Waverley Mansion are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5p.m.

There are no tours on Monday.