The Southeastern United States is home to some of the most diverse styles of architecture—including Art Deco, Neoclassical, and more—as a result of the region’s history, climate, and early cultural influences. Touring these unique landmarks offers groups an engaging educational experience that brings history to life and enables them to feel a deeper connection to the past.
Built in the early 1820s, Rosalie Mansion and Gardens is a pre-Civil War brick structure that was originally built as a wealthy cotton broker’s home on a portion of the Fort Rosalie site in Natchez, Mississippi. It’s where the Natchez Native Americans revolted against the French in 1729. The elegant estate’s design served as inspiration for many of the area’s Greek Revival homes, and was used as the U.S. Army headquarters during the Civil War following the Union victory at the Siege of Vicksburg. In 1989, it was designated a National Historic Landmark and is now a well-preserved house museum that is owned, maintained, and operated by the Mississippi State Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Regular guided tours are offered of the property and its scenic gardens.
“With its intriguing history and beauty, the Rosalie Mansion stands majestically on the Natchez Bluff, overlooking the mighty Mississippi River, from where cruise ships, local shops, tourists, and colorful sunsets are seen,” says Roscoe Barnes, cultural heritage tourism manager at Visit Natchez and president of the Mississippi Historical Society. “Visitors enjoy the aesthetics of the building’s architecture as well as the mansion’s original furniture, among other period pieces.”
Credit: Visit Natchez
One of Charleston, South Carolina’s best-known landmarks, Rainbow Row is a stretch of 13 colorful Georgian row houses along East Bay Street. Once the site of a busy port, they were built in the 1700s as mixed-use buildings and merchant shops. After falling into disrepair when the port moved farther up the peninsula, they were restored in the 1930s and painted in vibrant colors by preservationist Susan Pringle and her friends.
“One of Susan’s friends, Dorothy Legge, credited a suggestion by her handyman to paint the house a bright color, and the other women followed suit, creating the colorful row we know and love today,” says Tyler Friedman, founder and certified tour guide at Walk & Talk Charleston. “Besides its picturesque appeal, Rainbow Row also represents so much of Charleston’s attitude toward its historic architecture: a respect for tradition, a history of mixed and adaptive use, and a culture of approaching the preservation of history with a little contemporary fun.”
Less than a five-minute drive from Rainbow Row is St. Philip’s, a historic church that is home to some of the city’s oldest ironwork and a beautifully detailed interior. The wrought-iron gate to the West Cemetery is one of only two examples of pre-Revolution ironwork in Charleston. The large, elegant building was modeled after some of the finest churches in London, such as St. Martin-in-the-Fields on Trafalgar Square.
“St. Philip’s really set the bar for the style and opulence of architecture in Charleston,” says Friedman. “The current building is a near-exact replica of the 1720s church building, which was built as rice was becoming a major cash crop and cementing Charleston’s status as the wealthiest city in Colonial America. The magnificent steeple was added in the 1850s and remains a striking landmark on our skyline today.”
The former winter retreat of circus magnate John Ringling and his wife Mable, Ca’ d’Zan is a 36,000-square-foot Mediterranean Revival mansion on Sarasota Bay in Florida. Built in 1926, the 56-room property was designed by renowned architect Dwight James Baum with elements such as exterior stucco walls, a barrel tile roof, asymmetrical facade, arches above doors and principal windows, colored glass panes throughout the windows, and a 13,000-square-foot bayside terrace made of colorful marble in a chevron pattern. Pointed arches and green marble quatrefoils along the facade pay tribute to Venetian Gothic influences. The newly designed “Ringling Legacy Tour,” exploring the remarkable life and legacy of the Ringlings, includes admission to the Museum of Art, Circus Museum, and Bayfront Gardens.
Located in Miami Beach, Florida, the Art Deco District is known for its colorful historic buildings with unique and notable architectural lines, curves, and fountains. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979, the district has around 800 designated historic buildings that represent various modern architectural styles from different eras. Those interested in learning more can visit the Art Deco Museum and Welcome Center and go on a walking tour through the neighborhood, led by the Miami Design Preservation League. Tours last about two hours and include the opportunity to step inside several of the buildings to see design details up close.
“The Art Deco District in Miami Beach is more than a neighborhood—it’s a living museum under the sun,” says Mark Gordon, general manager of the Miami Design Preservation League. “Every block tells a story of creativity, resilience, and the spirit that shaped modern Miami. Visitors don’t just see history here; they feel it. If you want to experience Miami Beach at its most authentic and unforgettable, start with our Art Deco District.”
By Kamala Kirk
Main Image: Rainbow Row, Charleston, South Carolina; Credit: South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
