The role of Asher Benjamin's works in Natchez, Mississippi

In this thesis I shall show that when the frontier town of Natchez, Mississippi was becoming stylish, builders repeatedly grafted Asher Benjamin details onto local building forms. The thesis will address several questions regarding the relation of Asher Benjamin's books to the houses of Natchez during the period between 1790 and 1845, during which time the town developed and matured. The thesis will be broken down into three chapters. The first chapter will consist of a survey of the history of Natchez and the ethnic groups that were responsible for the town's development. The second chapter will discuss architectural books in America, with a detailed look at Asher Benjamin and his seven books. The third chapter will discuss the connection between Asher Benjamin's books and the domestic building forms in Natchez.