Judge Porter House - Natchitoches, LA - Recommended Accommodation on Waymarking.com

Generally ranked high, and sometimes highest, among Natchitoches Bed and Breakfasts, the Judge Porter features four private rooms with their own baths -- two with whirlpool tubs -- along with a guest house. Each has wifi, TV with cable and DVD player, and phone, and breakfast is served every morning in the dining room at 8:30 AM.

Their website provides some history, and each room has a copy of the short version: (visit link)

Built in 1912 by "Judge" Thomas Fitzgerald Porter and his wife Wilhelmina, the home was located on property that once stretched from Second Street to Bayou Amulet. The Blunt Lodge Hall, an existing building already located on the property, was carefully dismantled piece by piece so that materials could be used for the construction of the house which took only 3 months to build at a total cost of $1,500.

Judge Porter died in 1928 leaving the house to his wife, Wilhelmina, who died in 1935. She passed the house on to her daughter Louisa Elizabeth "Betty" Porter, who lived here until her death in 1962. Betty's two brothers and a sister sold the house the following year to the Charles E. Kirsh family. It remained in that family for two generations before it was purchased in 1987 by the Rachals. In 1987, Mark and Sharon Rachal began a monumental restoration project on the house and in 1994 the current owner totally redecorated the interior and landscaped the grounds. In 1995 the house was opened to the public for the first time on the Natchitoches Historic Foundation's annual Fall Pilgrimage.

In June of 1996 the house was opened as the "Judge" Porter House Bed and Breakfast. The Bed and Breakfast features four bedrooms with two parlors and a Guest House.

The architectural style of the house is eclectic, using styles common for the Turn of the Century. The two story gallery which wraps around two sides of the house suggests a Queen Anne influence, while the colossal columns Judge Porter House as it appears today resting on brick pillars suggest Colonial Revival.

Located in the heart of the National Historic District, the house is embraced with lofty live oak trees planted by the original owner, Judge Porter.

Just over 3,000 square feet, there are 33 windows in this house with 15 over 8 feet in height. These windows were commonly used as passageways onto the gallery. The ceilings are 11.5 feet and there are 5 fire places. The floors, which are all original to the house, are heart pine.

Price category: Expensive Target Market is Budget Traveller: no Target Market is Tourist/Resort: yes Target Market is Business Traveller: no Target Market is Luxury: no Noteworthy facilities/attractions: Natchitoches is the seat of Natchitoches Parish, and it boasts one of the official foods of the State of Louisiana in the form of the Natchitoches Meat Pie, a turnover-like meat pie with ground beef, sausage, onions, and peppers. It's hard to resist the call of the sign in front of Lasyone's restaurant, advertising their meat pies. Besides the Judge Porter, there are over twenty additional bed and breakfasts, along with plenty of hotels to handle the tourist industry. Natchitoches has the Cane River National Heritage Area which includes a river walk, plantations and other historic homes, a historic downtown district, the Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site, museums, parks, and other interesting sites that make this city worthy of more than a day trip. The historic American Cemetery is just down the street from the Judge Porter. It dates to about 1737 -- one American Revolution veteran is buried there -- and was used in "Steel Magnolias." Judge Porter and his wife are buried there, too. Justification for Recommendation: The hosts are absolutely wonderful here, and you'll have your own key to come and go as you please. During the off-season, you might even have the whole place to yourself to enjoy. A great breakfast awaits, along with the bold coffee for which Louisiana is known, and you might even make a friend or two across the dining room table. This is a beautiful historic mansion, and a nice place to use as "home base" when exploring historic Natchitoches. Address of the Establishment: 321 Second St Natchitoches, LA USA 71457 Web site of the establishment: [Web Link]

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