Surrounded by stately live oaks in the heart of city founder Newitt Vick’s original town plat, Anchuca was built in the 1830s and is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places and also lies within a National Register Historic District.
A view of the home’s exterior, a mixture of wood and brick, offers clues to its construction history. Anchuca, named for the Choctaw word meaning “happy home,” began as a two-story wood frame cottage built circa 1830 by local politician J. W. Mauldin. The overall Greek revival-style structure seen today was added during the 1840s and early 1850s and is attributed to Jane and Victor Wilson — Vicksburg’s most influential citizens of their time. Mr. Wilson was one of the town’s most successful merchants, establishing coal and ice businesses only blocks away from Anchuca. The Wilsons and their seven children (six girls and one boy) survived the horrific 47-day siege of the city only to succumb to family tragedy just weeks after Vicksburg’s surrender to Union forces on July 4, 1863. Their only son and infant daughter died due to the unsanitary conditions and malnutrition that families endured during the siege. With the death of Mr. Wilson in 1865, Mrs. Wilson, overwrought with emotions and economic ruin, sold the property.
Joseph Emory Davis, patriarchal brother to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, the owner of Hurricane Plantation in Warren County, Mississippi and a great American pioneer in his own right, lived here until his death on September 18, 1870, at the age of 87. Jefferson Davis was reunited with his brother (and father figure) at the home in January of 1869. The town’s legend testifies that it was during this stay that Jefferson Davis spoke to friends and neighbors from Anchuca’s front balcony, marking this site for many historians and Southerners alike as one of the last public addresses to the people of Vicksburg by Jefferson Davis.
The mansion at 1010 First East Street became known by its name Anchuca in 1955, as the first “home of historic significance” to open its doors “for public inspection” (The Sunday Post-Herald,” November 27, 1955).
As one of Mississippi’s finest bed and breakfast inns that survived the horrors of the American Civil War, this grand 1830s antebellum mansion offers luxurious comfort in a relaxed setting and is home to Vicksburg’s #1 restaurant!
Complete with 10 upscale overnight guest rooms, a gorgeous swimming pool, and nearly one-acre of beautifully manicured grounds in the heart of Vicksburg’s earliest commercial and residential area, Anchuca offers its guests a hearty dose of Southern hospitality and happiness that will leave you counting the days until you return!
Today, Anchuca is privately owned by Anna Kate and Sam Andrews of Vicksburg. Anna Kate is a 9th generation Vicksburg native and descendant of the family that first bottled Coca-Cola in Vicksburg while Sam is a 6th generation Vicksburg native and descendant of the first civilian killed during the Civil War in Vicksburg. The couple purchased the business in 2022 from longtime owner and Vicksburg native Tom Pharr through a financing agreement between Pharr and Delta Bank of Vicksburg.
Additionally, Anna Kate owns and operates Macarons by AK — a specialty baking business she founded in 2020 that features custom macarons and cakes. Anna Kate previously served as the Director of Development and Alumni Affairs at Vicksburg Catholic School, the school from where both Anna Kate and Sam graduated. Sam serves as a Senior Advisor in the Mississippi Governor’s Office and previously served as Chief of Staff in the Vicksburg Mayor’s Office.
Together, Anna Kate and Sam have continued the legacy of Tom Pharr, the previous owner, in preserving and enhancing Anchuca and its surrounding neighborhood. Their dedication to historic preservation and community development has helped maintain Anchuca’s reputation as a cherished landmark and popular destination in Vicksburg.