Wesson House: A Step Back in Time

The Wesson House, nestled in the heart of Olive Branch, Mississippi, is a tangible link to the city's past. Built around 1875 by Ben F. Wesson, Olive Branch's first mayor, the house is one of only three Dedicated Mississippi Landmarks in DeSoto County. The land it occupies was originally purchased from Chickasaw Indian Chief, Lush-Pun-Tubby, in 1836 by Milton Blocker and Stephen Flinn.Wesson constructed a mercantile store at the front of the property facing what was then Pleasant Hill Road (now Goodman Road), with his residence, the Wesson House, situated further back. The house remained in the Wesson family for generations, eventually being gifted to the City of Olive Branch in 1991 to be used as a museum.While the house isn't currently open to the public on a regular basis, it is sometimes open for special events, such as the annual Christmas Open House. The Wesson House anchors the southern end of Olive Branch's Old Towne, and ongoing development plans aim to integrate it further into the area as a historical and cultural focal point.