The Wigwam Post

The Wigwam Announces
Its Signature Afternoon Tea

A Blend Inspired by Tradition. Made for Today.

We are pleased to announce the release of our Signature Afternoon Tea, a delicate blend created exclusively for The Wigwam. Carefully selected by our Stewards and master blenders at Ahmad Tea London, this tea is a graceful combination of fine black tea, rose petals, lemon peel, and a hint of vanilla—an elegant reflection of the refinement and hospitality once found in the finest homes of the Old South.

Afternoon tea was more than a tradition—it was a moment set aside for conversation, friendship, and grace. We invite you to savor this custom as generations before us have done.

❧ Available exclusively
at The Wigwam Gift Shop.

Poetic Reflection

✦ ✦ ✦

Where live oaks whisper,
where the river bends,
There time slows softly,
and heritage mends.

Within these walls of
aged and storied grace,
We honor yesterday
in everything we place.

A cup of tea, a measured pause,
A moment steeped
in life’s simple laws.

At The Wigwam,
the past feels near—
And every guest
becomes a part of here.

— JoAnne Harris

Featured This Month
in the Gift Shop

Old Fashioned Base A Southern Tradition
In Every Bottle.

Just add your favorite bourbon or rye, stir over ice, and enjoy.

Available in 8 oz and 3.5 oz
Refrigerate after opening.

Inside Today

From the ArchivesB-1
Curator’s NotebookB-2
Garden JournalB-3
Afternoon Tea EtiquetteC-1
Mrs. Rivers’ RecipeC-2
Tea Pairing of the MonthC-3
Mercantile NoticesD-1
Happenings at The WigwamD-2

A Note from the Editor

The Wigwam has stood for more than two centuries. With each passing year, we are reminded that history is not just found in archives—it lives in the stories we share, the traditions we keep, and the beauty we preserve.

Thank you for being a part of our story.

JoAnne

Present Steward & Curator

Today in Natchez

The weather is fair and warm, with a soft breeze from the river. Perfect for an afternoon on the porch with a good book and a fine cup of tea.

Society Note

The Ladies’ Tea next month will feature Miss Rosalie’s Strawberry Cake. Reservations are recommended.

History & Society

Section B • Page B-1

From the Archives: The Mystery of Eliza Rivers

A Steward’s Research Note

While examining deeds at the Adams County Courthouse this past month, a curious notation appeared in the 1858 transfer that first placed The Wigwam in the hands of Douglas and Eliza Rivers. The document refers to the property not only by its street address but by an earlier name—“Riverview”—suggesting the house once commanded an unobstructed vista of the Mississippi before the city’s growth closed the view.

Eliza Griffen Little Rivers, adopted daughter of Peter and Eliza Little of Rosalie, left behind more than a name. Her careful inventories of china, silver, and household linens survive in family papers and continue to guide our understanding of domestic life at The Wigwam in the years just before the war.

Curator’s Notebook

Observations from the House

The original wooden shingles of the 1790s cottage remain visible beneath the 1836 dormer—a quiet reminder that The Wigwam has always been a house of layers. Each generation has added, altered, and preserved. Our work today is simply the latest chapter in that long conversation with the past.

Garden Journal

Rosemary & Restored Borders

The east border has been returned to its historic proportions. Old photographs guided the placement of boxwood and the reintroduction of heirloom roses once noted in Mrs. Rivers’ own garden lists. The rosemary, now flourishing near the kitchen door, will be ready for the holiday kitchen later this year.

Local Notice

Local Constable Praised for Swift Action

Two gentlemen were apprehended while attempting to abscond with a bottle of Wigwam Old Fashioned Base. The bottle was promptly returned to the Central City Public House amid enthusiastic applause from the assembled patrons.

❧ ✦ ❧

Tea & Kitchen

Section C • Page C-1

Afternoon Tea Etiquette at The Wigwam

A Gentle Guide

One does not simply drink tea at The Wigwam—one keeps company with it. The pot is warmed, the leaves measured with care, and the first infusion allowed its full five minutes. Cups are never filled to the brim; conversation, like the tea, is meant to breathe.

Milk, if desired, is added after the tea. Lemon is offered on a small dish, never left floating. And the spoon, once used, rests quietly on the saucer—never left in the cup.

Mrs. Rivers’ Recipe

From the Kitchen of 1859

Among the papers of Eliza Rivers is a brief but elegant receipt for “Strawberry Cake as Served at Rosalie.” We have adapted it only slightly for modern kitchens. The result is light, fragrant, and entirely worthy of a ladies’ tea.

Tea Pairing of the Month

Signature Afternoon Tea & Lemon Shortbread

Our Signature blend—black tea, rose, lemon peel, and vanilla—finds its perfect companion in a simple lemon shortbread dusted with powdered sugar. The citrus notes echo one another while the rose softens the finish. Available by the tin and by the cup in the Gift Shop.

Featured China

This month we are displaying a partial set of mid-nineteenth-century transferware discovered in the attic during restoration. The pattern, a delicate blue willow variation, appears in an 1860 inventory of the house.

The Mercantile

Section D • Page D-1

From the Gift Shop

New Arrivals & Enduring Favorites

Our Signature Afternoon Tea is now available in both loose-leaf tins and elegant gift sachets. The Old Fashioned Base continues to be a favorite among those who appreciate a properly made cocktail with Southern roots. Limited quantities of the rosemary-infused honey and the house-blend spice rub will appear later this month.

Collectibles & Keepsakes

Hand-finished note cards bearing the Wigwam engraving, small porcelain demitasse cups, and a selection of antique-style ribbon bookmarks are now on the shelf near the front door. Each purchase supports the ongoing care of the house.

Happenings at The Wigwam

June & July

Guided tours continue Tuesday through Saturday. The next Ladies’ Tea will be held on the second Thursday of July and will feature Miss Rosalie’s Strawberry Cake. Private group visits may be arranged by writing to the Steward.

Holiday planning is already underway. Those wishing to reserve a place at the Victorian Christmas lectures are encouraged to inquire early.

Mercantile Notice

Visitors are reminded that the Gift Shop closes promptly at four o’clock so that the house may settle into its evening quiet. Those seeking a final cup of tea are welcome to linger on the porch until the last light leaves the river.