Van Dorn House


The Van Dorn House is a historic residence in Port Gibson, Mississippi built on land bought by Peter Aaron Van Dorn. It was also the childhood home of his son, who became Major General Earl Van Dorn. The residence was added to the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1971. It is located on Van Dorn Drive.
Earl Van Dorn was killed by a bullet over an alleged affair. His body was brought back to Mississippi and buried at Wintergreen Cemetery in Port Gibson. His father Peter had also been buried there and Earl Van Dorn was laid to rest beside him.

Peter Van Dorn

was originally planned, in April 1822, by Peter Van Dorn in a "checkerboard" pattern advocated by Thomas Jefferson, in which city blocks alternated with parks and other open spaces, giving the appearance of a checkerboard. This plan has not lasted to the present day.
McGregor, located on SR 547 in Port Gibson, Mississippi, was designed by Peter Aaron Van Dorn for his daughter in a Greek Revival architecture style and built in 1835.

Major General Earl Van Dorn

It was the childhood home of Gen. Earl Van Dorn. A marker at the site gives the date of the home as ca. 1830 and the style as Federal architecture. It was built by Peter A. Van Dorn, a judge and circuit court clerk who was born in New Jersey and moved to Mississippi at age 21 after his wife died in Virginia. He bought the land in 1826. He was first clerk of the Georgia State House of Representatives. Earl Van Dorn had a prominent role in the War with Mexico and was a Confederate general in the American Civil War.