History and Architecture of The Oaks
Early Construction and Design
The Boyd House, later known as The Oaks, builders constructed around 1853 as a five-room cottage. The design featured a deep porch with a colonnade of square wooden columns across the front. A simple gabled roof runs along the length of the structure, parallel to the street, which defines its elegant and unadorned appearance.
The exterior follows the popular Greek Revival style of the time. For instance, large six-over-six windows, set in plain cypress frames, adorn the house. More windows surround the cypress front door. Over the years, the house has received several coats of paint, with the earliest layer appearing to be a creamy white. The house has a tapered wood siding, and the trim remains minimal, which suits the simple Greek Revival design.
Renovations and Additions
In the 1880s, The Oaks underwent its first major renovation. At that time, Mary Boyd McGill and her husband, Richard F. McGill, moved into the house with Eliza Boyd, the widow of James Hervey Boyd. During this period, the McGills made many improvements, as detailed in receipts and invoices that now rest in the Library of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. These documents show repairs and additions, such as indoor plumbing, a cook stove, and electricity.
The McGills expanded the back of the house and added a kitchen ell. They also likely constructed the rear porch, which is now enclosed. Furthermore, they added graceful wooden arches to the front porch, a feature that early photographs still highlight.
Modern Conservation Efforts
In the 1960s, the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America in the State of Mississippi acquired The Oaks. The society opened the house as a museum and established it as their state headquarters.
Currently, the Oaks House Museum Corporation leads new conservation efforts. These efforts receive partial funding from Mississippi Landmark grants provided by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Experts have thoroughly analyzed the archaeological, architectural, landscape, and interior aspects of The Oaks. Based on their findings, they recommend restoring and re-creating the house to reflect its 1853–1863 period.
