Discover Eutaw: Historic Homes and Festivals

If you’re looking for a destination with a distinctive architectural history and recurring cultural events for your hotel stay, Eutaw offers a range of points of interest. Historic homes, a tree-shaded square, craft traditions, and festival food each have their own appeal. You can plan your trip around whether you’re especially interested in architecture, local craftsmanship, or events.

Historic Buildings and a Range of Styles

More than 47 historic homes and buildings still stand in Eutaw today. The Greene County Courthouse Square District is visually defined by a mid-19th-century courthouse and a tree-shaded square. The First Presbyterian Church of Eutaw also stands out for its architecture: it is a two-story timber-frame building in the Greek Revival style. Comparing these structures shows how different historic forms can be discovered within a single town.

Another architectural stop is Kirkwood, a historic plantation house in Eutaw. The house combines the Greek Revival style with Italianate influences and was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 17, 1976, for its architectural significance. The Historic Greene County Courthouse offers another architectural history to trace: after the building was destroyed by fire in 1868, it was rebuilt and completed in 1869. The original plans were retained; additions included a substantially taller second story and tripartite windows. Wider Italianate eaves and brackets were also among the changes.

Smaller architectural details also distinguish the historic homes. The Asa-White-McGiffert-Colson House has a two-story covered gallery, prominent woodwork, and a staircase that winds up to the third floor. The Elliott-Banks House is described as having a finished attic and a brick cellar. The differences therefore lie not only in the age of the buildings, but also in their design and interior layout.

Homes with Their Own Histories

The Dew-Abrams House was built around 1832; the Beckham-Dye-Palmer House was built later, between 1899 and 1909, in several stages. Both have a clear visitor restriction: they are private homes and can only be viewed while driving by. It is also reported that the Beckham-Dye-Palmer House was the first home in Greene County to have electricity. This remains a reported attribution, not an unqualified certainty.

Art and public buildings are also part of Eutaw’s historic character. The Eutaw Post Office houses “The Countryside,” a New Deal mural by Robert Gwathmey. The Treasury Section of Fine Arts commissioned the work, which was completed in 1941. Alongside the history of homes and buildings, the mural offers another historical point of interest: a work created through New Deal arts funding.

Festival Dates and Local Traditions

The Black Belt Folk Roots Festival is held annually on the third weekend in August at Historic Thomas E. Gilmore Square in downtown Eutaw. Craft traditions practiced there include quilting, basket weaving, caning chair seats, doll making, wood carving, and clay painting. The festival brings together a variety of craft practices rather than focusing on just one art form. Check the specific event dates before your trip.

Food culture is also part of the occasion: the festival features traditional home-style fare such as soul food, barbecue, and homemade ice cream. The Greene County Historical Society holds the Eutaw Pilgrimage every October. On this occasion, many historic privately owned homes are opened to the public. Since the dates vary from year to year, it’s a good idea to check them before your trip. The two events have different focuses: in August, crafts and festival food take center stage; in October, visitors can tour the historic homes that are open to the public.

Planning Your Trip

Eutaw is directly accessible via two Interstate exits. Downtown has several antique shops, another point of interest for travelers interested in historic objects. Together with the buildings and events, these offer a range of themes to consider when planning your trip: you can focus on architectural history, plan around a festival date, or make the historic homes your priority. Keep in mind the limited viewing access for the two private homes and confirm the event dates.

For the broader travel overview: Greene County.