Rosewood Manor (aka Sykes-Leigh House)

Date: 1838 [unknown]
Location: Columbus, Lowndes County, Mississippi
Surnames/tags: Sykes Moody Leigh

Rosewood Manor was built in 1838 for Richard Sykes, a local planter. His son, Captain E. T. Sykes, who was born in the house, was a prominent attorney and legislator.

In 1847, the property was sold to John M. Moody of Northampton County, Virginia (Lowndes Co., Miss., Deed Book 22, Page 625). He is listed in the 1850 Census as 37 years old and owning 1,110 acres of farm land. Moody sold the house and grounds in 1860 to Mary Jane Crump Leigh, wife of Frank Mecanthlon Leigh to whom title was conveyed in 1874 (Lowndes Co., Miss., Deed Book 32, Page 618). The Leigh family bought the property now known as Leighcrest and located diagonally to the Northeast in 1876. The Leighs sold Rosewood Manor in 1895 to M. W. O'Neill (Lowndes Co., Miss., Deed Book 72, Page 610).

The property has changed ownership frequently since 1895, being purchased by the present owners in 1978. Rosewood Manor is one of the oldest brick houses in Columbus and is especially significant as an early example of Greek Revival architecture in Columbus. Also of significance is the consistency of detailing with that of Leighcrest which was built three years later in 1841 and the common association with the Leigh family. Extensive gardens and walks have been restored and several outbuildings survive on the property.

Rosewood Manor is a two story, brick, Greek Revival residence with gabled ends. The five bay northern facade is fronted by a two story, single bay pedimented portico with plain Doric columns and a second floor balcony with support brackets. Window sash are twelve over twelve light single hung sash topped by wood lintels with bullseye end moldings, matching the interior door and window trim. The first floor entrance and second floorbalcony entrance have pairs of six panel wood doors with transoms. The entrance door has four light side-lights and the present bullseye moldings match other moldings throughout the house. Photographic and physical evidence point to an engaged-column enframement defining the sidelights. Original shutters survive on all exterior windows of the original structure. The rear facade of the house is similar to the front except for an enclosed one story single bay porch. A single story wing with basement was added to the west side of the house circa 1940. The interior is a double pile plan with central hallway, two rooms in depth. Interior moldings are grooved jamb and head trim with bulls-eye corner molding and plain base. Trim is of two sizes, generally smaller on the second floor. Most rooms have simple corner moldings. Mantelpieces survive at the first floor level. The straight run stairway, located in the central hall has turned newel posts, thin rectangular balusters and ornamental stringers. The original pine flooring survives throughout the house. In the late 19th century, the original pedimented porch was modified to incorporate a one story porch at the north and east facades and the columns were replaced with Gothic Revival posts and brackets. These porch roofs were removed in the 1930's and Doric columns re-installed. A fire during renovation work in the early 1970's necessitated the reconstruction of some door moldings at the second floor.

Source

• National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form, Sykes-Leigh House, Lowndes County, Mississippi. United States Department of the Interior National Park Service. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset?assetID=5f27c25b-eb5a-4c62-916c-111b18046d6e