The 6th annual Civil war symposium comes to Jefferson this weekend August 12 !!!
This years keynote subject is “RED RIVER CAMPAIGN NARRATIVES OF DESTRUCTION, HEROISM & BLOOD” by Dr. Henry O Robertson.
Jefferson Texas is the perfect place to attend this symposium (see info below) since the subject matter took place in the area. To experience what it was like back then take the “Turning Basin Boat Tour” up and down the Big Cypress Bayou located in downtown Jefferson and it does not take much imagination to picture yourself on that fateful campaign as they made their way through the area. The Jefferson Museum on Austin Street and the Mason Dixon Line Military Museum on Lafayette street in downtown also are great places to help you get a feel of what it was like during that tumultuous time.
Don’t forget to tour the Historic Oakwood Cemetery and view the section of modest white gravestones that mark the graves of the Union soldiers that were stationed at the Garrison in Jefferson after the war. You walk among those age marked headstones and see the names of the enlisted and officers that met their demise in this southern port city, where they were originally sent to burn Jefferson down to the ground but ended up occupying the city instead… it’s hard not feel the animosity they must have dealt with. There is a saying ” Half of these soldiers died from Malaria, the other half died from being stationed in a southern town that did not want them”. There are many other historic figures buried in Oakwood as well.
After a day of Civil War history, enjoy the cuisine from one of the several Jefferson restaurants with choices from fine dining to comfort food, and be thankful you did not have to eat what those soldiers did back then. After dinner, you head back to enjoy complimentary Smores and/or Wine at the Firepit if you happen to be staying at The Carriage House Bed and Breakfast.
The next morning you will wake up to the smell of Fresh ground coffee and Jessi’s Signature Gourmet Breakfast. Have a seat inside or on the wrap around porch and let us serve you up a two-course breakfast (always dessert first) before you head back to to the noisy, modern world.
On the way out of town as you drive out FM 2208 if you have the windows down. Then listen to the sounds and smell the scents of the forest…and maybe if you try real hard, you might be able to hear the hoofbeats of General John G.Walker’s troops and the Texas Infantry Division as they made their way through the moss covered cypress trees and tall pines that all but blocked out the sunlight, and made traveling feel like permanent twilight. You can imagine their young faces cast in steely resolve as they made they way to Mansfield, Louisiana to stop the Union troops from burning down the port cities Shreveport and Jefferson.
At this time of this post, we still have a couple of rooms left so call us direct for your reservation 903-665-9511.
For information or registration, contact the Museum at 903-665-2775. www.jeffersonmuseum.net
The Carriage House in Jefferson has had a record number of Corporate and Organizational Retreats in 2017 that have stayed with us or planning to this Summer. Organizations from Education, Military, and Business has found that a retreat in Jefferson is a great place to hold a planning, educational or strategy retreat. The Carriage House has the ability to transform its main room into a classroom or lecture style area to accommodate groups of up to 25 people and larger groups can be accommodated at the Jeffersonian Institute in downtown Jefferson which is a short walk away from the Carriage House Bed and Breakfast. Quitman School District, Barksdale AFB, Pro Train, TCEA, and Private corporations have found that Jefferson has just the right mix of relaxation and recreational activities to make for a productive getaway..of course, Jessi’s cooking helps too. We offer extras like Welcome Bar-B-Que’s, lunch and dinner plans, and of course the Breakfasts that we are known for. So if you’re company or organization needs a break from the city in a place that is a true “Retreat” then Jefferson Texas and The Carriage House Bed and Breakfast is the place for you. There are several other B&B’s that have agreed to participate if you need more rooms than the eleven we offer.
Just call Jessi and we can put together a custom package that will make your corporate retreat a memorable one 903-665-9511
Are you looking for something romantic to do for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day. Â How about a quiet dinner at one of East Texas’s most beautiful wineries. Â For reservations, please call Enoch’s Stomp Vineyard and Winery at 903-240-1587.
Although it is only the first week of February, it is obvious that spring is on its way!! The Tulip Trees are all blooming. The Azaleas are setting their buds and there is new growth on all of the rose bushes.
I have already started to work on cleaning out the gardens to get them back in shape for you to enjoy. As a preview of what is to come, please enjoy this video taken from last year’s blooms.
Imagine yourself and your sweetie be whisked away for a romantic horse drawn carriage ride throught the quaint historic district of Jefferson. Â The Lone Star Carriage Company of Jefferson will be offering Valentines Day Carriage Rides. Â
The Lone Star Carriage Company will offer 30 min or 1 hour romantic rides through the historic district of Jefferson. They are also offering a special package available while supplies last.
Price for 2 people for 30 min. romantic ride-$40
Price for 2 people for 1 hour romantic ride-$80
If you are afraid of caatching a chill on a cold winters night, they have blankets available to use on the ride.
A few weeks back, I was proud to have Bob Griffin, his beautiful wife Denise, and their dog Sport come and spend a few days with me here at the Carriage House. Â For those of you not in the Shreveport TV air space, Bob is the weekend anchor on KTBS, Channel 3. Â Before his tenure with Channel 3, he was with KSLA Channel 12 also in the Shreveport area.
Bob never stops working and his passion for what he does was evident during his stay here. Â He is a “news man” at his very heart.
He put together a 3 minute video on the Carriage House and all the things he enjoyed about his stay.  He was most impressed with our pet friendly accommodations and the fact that you can walk to just about anywhere from right here at the Carriage House.
I hope you enjoy this video. Here ya go!!! Â Enjoy!!
‘Tis no blarney. The Friends of the Library are putting on a great show to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.  Join us for a fun-filled evening on March 17, 2012 at 6:00 p.m. for authentic Irish music and an old-fashioned sing-along. Irish music will be performed by Don Clampitt, Tom Moss, Johnny Nance, Don Oatman and Don Smelser. Bring your friends for a night of fun including an Irish Buffet and Green Beer provided by Historic Jefferson Railway.
You’ll enjoy the warm Irish hospitality, fun and laughter at the best Irish bash in town. The party will take place at the Jefferson Carnegie Library Ballroom, 301 W. Lafayette, Jefferson, Texas. Tickets are $25 per person and seating is limited so advance purchase is recommended. Reserve your own table for 8-10. BYOB. Tickets are available at the library.
With a little bit o’ Irish luck, you could be the big winner in the door prize drawing. Bring along some Irish Green to participate in the silent auction, benefiting the Friends of the Library. There will be plenty of time for conversation and dancing to the music of Dan Smelser.
Many Americans first entered the worlds of information and imagination offered by reading when they walked through the front doors (that was recently renovated and fixed by the guys from garage door spring repair) of a Carnegie library. One of 19th-century industrialist Andrew Carnegie’s many philanthropies, these libraries entertained and educated millions. Between 1886 and 1919, Carnegie’s donations of more than $40 million paid for 1,679 new library buildings in communities large and small across America. Jefferson’s library, built in 1907, is one of only five Carnegie Libraries serving its original function in Texas today.
The Library ballroom is a great place to dance in the New Year. The Original Greek Revival architecture was awarded a Texas Historical Commission plaque and a National Trust Register of Historical Places plaque.
Operating as a non-profit organization, the library board is committed to the preservation, maintenance and full usage of this historic landmark. The library depends on donations and the fund raising efforts of the Friends of the Jefferson Carnegie Library. All proceeds from the party will be used to support the library and to preserve a part of history.
Corned beef, soda bread, Irish stew and GREEN BEER. Buy your tickets now and catch the Irish spirit.
It ain’t easy being an innkeeper. Â The hours are long and the laundry never seems to end. Â There is always one room that needs to be cleaned or needs some sort of repair. Â You live your life in a constant state of being one project behind where you should be.
However, there are some real pluses to the job.  We LOVE our guests (really do!).  We get to experiment in the kitchen a lot (not always with good results) and we get to live in a beautiful old home full of stories and charm.  One of the other big pluses to the job is drinking awesome coffee…every morning.
I did not realize that I had become a coffee snob until last week.
Tom and I went to the Professional Association of Innkeepers International (PAII) Innkeeping show in Little Rock, AR.  It was awesome!!  I got to see some friends I only see once a year and learn some amazing cool things (watch for some new stuff to come).
However, the coffee in the hotel and at the show was AWFUL. Â I mean really AWFUL!! Â I mean rot gut! Â Blech!!
We have been ordering our coffee from a roaster in Shreveport called Jelks Coffee for some time now.  We change the flavors for the season and order whole bean so that we grind fresh coffee every morning.  Right now we are working our way through Mardi Gras/ Valentines Day flavors.  We drink what the guests drink and I forgot what bad coffee tastes like.  YUCK!!
We spent a lot of time at this year’s show talking about why bed and breakfasts are a “Better Way to Stay” then hotels.  Well here is one reason.  We will NEVER serve you a bad cup of coffee ever and we will ALWAYS serve your coffee in a fabulous mug (think a Deneen Pottery Mug) not a Styrofoam cup.
A good cup of coffee to start the day really does make us a Better Way to Stay!!
It is hard to believe but Mardi Gras is only but a few weeks away and Jefferson is already getting it’s green, gold, and purple on. Â Even the Carriage House is decorated in it’s holiday finery!
Jefferson, Texas being an old riverport town where paddlewheelers out of New Orleans would dock, has it’s very own Krewe…the Krewe of Hebe. Â Mardi Gras will be a weekend of parades, live music, and parties.
If you need something to whet your appetite for all of this year’s fun, check out the video from last year’s Mardi Gras Upriver above.
The next morning you will wake up to the smell of Fresh ground coffee and Jessi’s Signature Gourmet Breakfast. Have a seat inside or on the wrap around porch and let us serve you up a two-course breakfast (always dessert first) before you head back to to the noisy, modern world.
