Chapel Hill: a hidden Mississippi treasure: a grand estate is nestled in the hills of northeast Mississippi.

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on a crisp cool, spring morning a gentle breeze wanders aimlessly to the south of the Tennessee Valley Divide in eastern Itawamba County. The heavy dew from the night before blankets the emerald carpet-like grass along an expanse of gently rolling hills east of Fulton, and from this enchanted scene, Chapel Hill emerges among dispersing ground fog and takes command of the pastoral setting.

Chapel Hill, a serene 140-acre country estate, is genuinely a unique sanctuary where nature and history are perfectly blended, treating the visitor to a delightful voyage into Mississippi's agrarian past.

From the gated entrance to the proper lawn, one travels nearly a half mile of paved roadway flanked by landscaped forests and pastures that look as if Frederick Law Olmsted painted the scene with a palate of wooded slopes, lawns, and forest-covered hills.

Constructed from 1997 through 1999, the design of the main 11,415 square-foot residence is a classic example of a modern Greek Revival structure. One unusual aspect of its design is that many of the structure's architectural elements were borrowed from Beauvoir in Biloxi, the last home of Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate States of America.

Though some details were altered in order to make the home more livable, the residence has a stark resemblance to the original home. The owners, Larry and Laura Kilpatrick Homan of Fulton consulted with architect Wyatt Allen Shumake of Thomasville, Georgia, interior designer Linda Harris of Vicksburg, and building contractor Richard Featheringill of Tupelo. Collectively, the group of talented individuals spent many hours studying historic Beauvoir's design and architectural elements.

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"The whole experience in developing the property was simply a study in history," says Larry. "It was fascinating and rewarding work, especially the visits to Beauvoir."

Larry and Laura Homan, a down-to-earth, gracious couple, have an astute appreciation for history. Their families have been an integral part of the rich history and heritage of northeastern Mississippi for generations. Members of Laura's family came to Fulton during the early 1920s from Carrollton, Alabama, southeast of Columbus, and were pioneers and developers of the early timber industry in Itawamba County. Although they came to Fulton from Pickens County across the Alabama state line, the Kilpatricks have deep ties to Mississippi's past.

Larry's ancestors were early settlers of southwestern Itawamba County and southeastern Pontotoc County, near the town of Shannon, where they were involved with farming, having arrived in northeastern Mississippi's hill country well before the War Between the States.

With the couple's appreciation for history, love of their Mississippi heritage, and assistance from their architect, builder, and interior designer, Chapel Hill was transformed from dream to reality.

Larry and Laura spent countless hours planning and selecting just the right location for the residence on the property. "Laura and I would drive out to the place and just walk around the woods and meadows trying to visualize just the right spot," Larry says. After the decision was made, it was time to plan the private roadway to the actual house site.

With support of a landscape architect, the proper path was planned. "There were several trees along the way that I would have removed because I really didn't think they were that attractive," says Larry. "But the landscape architect said to leave them because those trees added a unique character to the landscape."

Minute details from Beauvoir were studied in-depth and used in the construction of Chapel Hill. Hardware, moldings, beveled glass panes in the front doors, one massive brass wall lamp next to the substantial doors, and the spindle designs used on the stairway leading to the front veranda were all replicated from the historic Biloxi home.

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Laura has a distinct connection to the Mississippi Gulf Coast home, as her great grandmother Fannie Lee Limbaugh Yawn served on the board of directors of the old Beauvoir Soldiers' Home during the 1920's.

"I've heard members of my family tell of visiting the old Beauvoir Soldiers' Home in Biloxi, and on one occasion, the extended family was photographed on the steps of the front veranda," Laura says. Today, that family heirloom photograph is framed and displayed on an antique console in the family room.

When one enters the house, there is a compelling sensation of being in a significant historic structure from Mississippi's antebellum past, yet it is a modern, livable residence. The interior is delightfully appointed with family heirlooms, art by Mississippi artists, antebellum antiques, and custom-made furniture created by talented Mississippi craftsmen.

Chapel Hill has been the host of numerous receptions and social events. "We rarely use the front portion of the house," Laura says. "That part of the house is used primarily for special occasions and family gatherings."

In the front section of the residence, one enters the great gallery flanked by a large formal dining room on one side and a formal living room on the other. The gallery, with 14-foot ceilings, has heavily molded Greek Revival-style arches in keeping with the architectural design of the structure. A massive, cut crystal chandelier illuminates an eclectic menagerie of antique furnishings. The flooring is southern heart pine with pale Aubusson and Savonnerie-style rugs.

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The formal dining room is moss green with a large banquet dining table, crystal chandelier, and a Regency-style giltwood mirror over the mantle serving as a focal point. The floor-to-ceiling windows are dressed in gold and beige silk.

Opposite the dining room is the living room featuring an eclectic collection of period furniture and family heirlooms. The walls are subtle yellow with windows and draperies like the ones in the dining room. A matching crystal chandelier lights the elegant sitting room.

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The front gallery leads to a sizeable family room, the master bedroom, and the kitchen. This is the part of the residence where Larry and Laura spend most of their leisure time. "This area of the house is such a relaxing place," Larry says. "It's really peaceful sitting here viewing nature and wildlife in the woods and open spaces behind the house."

"This is where we do most of our living," Laura adds.

The family room, with a large fireplace, is decorated with a rich palette of yellows, rusts, and pale greens. It features watercolors by Mississippi artist Emmett Thames. This room commands a beautiful view of the serene formal gardens behind the house.

A stairway off the family room leads to the second floor with two additional bedrooms, a study, and a gallery replicating the grand gallery of the first floor on a smaller scale. The second floor gallery features antiques and Laura's Madame Alexander doll collection. An antique leather-topped desk displays a hat and a cane that belonged to Laura's great grandfather, Senator Henry Clay Yawn. They were used during his swearing-in ceremony as State Treasurer of Mississippi in 1930.

The second floor bedrooms highlight Mississippi antiques including an antebellum tester bed from Lenoir Plantation in Monroe County and a large plantation-style bed handcrafted by Loyd Riddings of Macon.

Off the kitchen is a detached garage emulating a nineteenth-century carriage house, and behind the main structure is a formal boxwood garden. In the center of the boxwood maze is an ornate cherub fountain in a reflecting pool. Just behind the formal garden is a wisteria-covered pergola, a view of the formal gardens, and the rear veranda area of the main house.

Chapel Hill is a more than a hidden architectural gem. It's a special place for both Laura and Larry. "It's really nice and relaxing coming home to the serenity of Chapel Hill at the end of a long day," says Larry. Today that distinctive serenity of Chapel Hill, nestled in the peaceful rolling hills of northeast Mississippi, is enjoyed and appreciated by three generations of the Homan family and will be cherished by many future generations.