Mammy’s Cupboard, south of Natchez – (1940) The best example of kitsch roadside architecture in Mississippi. Constructed as a service station for Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gaude’ in 1940, it is a 28-foot tall brick, wood, and stucco embodiment of the “Mammy” archetype. While highly politically incorrect today, Mammy’s Cupboard is a fascinating architectural embodiment of early Twentieth Century Southern culture, as well as an interesting example of engineering; Mammy’s beehive shaped skirt is constructed of brick. According to the Natchez Historic Foundation, it is also apparently one of the few documented works in Mississippi of a female architect, in this case Annie Davis Bost, wife and draftsman of the city ‘s most prolific architect/builder of the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles–Robert E. Bost.

Although Mammy’s Cupboard has undergone periods of abandonment and disrepair, today it is in good condition after a recent restoration and is a popular restaurant known for its selection of pies.

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