Lady Catalpa is Blooming!
"Lady Catalpa" as we lovingly call her, is an unusual home & property, with a lively cultural history. This is an incredible opportunity for the right person.
***Thanks to Ceili Hale & Walt Busby for making video!***
Once in Lifetime Opportunity
Perfect dream house to make your dreams come to life! Ideal spot for an artist who needs inspirational home base location to create and sell artwork; or entrepreneur who wants to revert 10-bedroom, 6-bathroom house back to its original boarding house model; or a growing family who needs room for children and business; or any combination of the above! Located on banks of Sunflower River, across the bridge (2 blocks) from the thriving cultural hotbed of Clarksdale, MS, with live blues and roots music at many venues every night of the week, year-round festivals (like Sunflower Fest, Juke Joint, Film Fest, and Red's Old Timey Fest), and a healthy community of educators, entrepreneurs and forward-thinking dreamers who see a better world a-coming. Why am I selling house? As part of our belt-tightening program, I am selling Catalpa boarding house & studio, and consolidating everything at Quapaw Canoe Company's expansive headquarters -- almost directly across the Sunflower River from house. Now in my mid-60s, I can't handle taking care of a two big old buildings at the same time any longer! I need help! "Lady Catalpa" as we lovingly call her, is an unusual home & property, with a lively cultural history. Solid construction: 1916 Mississippi Loblolly pine construction, with thick 3" stucco overlay on outside, and exposed heart pine inside. Foundation strong one century later, walls plumb, floors level. No rot in floor joists or roof rafters. This is an incredible opportunity for the right person! Keep reading below for details:
Price Dropped in 2026
Hal Fiser Realty, Clarksdale, MS -- 110 Catalpa St. $185,000 A rare chance to own this 1916 home considered to be one of playwright Tennessee Williams’ inspirations for “The Glass Menagerie.” 10 bedrooms and 6 bathrooms. Spacious rooms are perfect for large gatherings. The home is unique and has maintained its original charm. In addition to home, there is apartment space in rear of home.
110 Catalpa Street
Clarksdale, MS 38614
662-902-7841
The Catalpa House was built in 1916 by the Cage Family of Clarksdale. Miss Annie Cage kept glass figurines on a fire place mantle (which is considered to be one of Tennessee Williams’ inspirations for the Glass Menagerie play). Later evolved into boarding house; for half a century (1940s-1990s) was the stepping stone for many teachers, musicians, artists, business leaders and others moving to Clarksdale. Located across Riverside Drive from Sunflower River Park and Walkway, in between the two downtown Sunflower River Bridges (1st Street Bridge and 2nd Street Bridge). Easy 2 min walking distance to downtown Clarksdale restaurants and shops, museums, music venues, music stores, art galleries, library, post office, courthouse, banks, grocery, convenience stores, entertainment and cultural districts.
Since 2002 the house has been home studio and gallery for John Ruskey and family, with accommodations made for Quapaw Canoe Company clients, and others. Adventurers and travelers from around the world have stayed at the Catalpa House and enjoyed its soulful ambiance, rich history, as well as its convenient location to Clarksdale's thriving every night of the week entertainment & cultural scene. Many of the appliances are original. Clarksdale now has recycling, we separate recycling items in the sunroom behind kitchen.
10 Bedrooms and 6 Bathrooms:
The Catalpa House has 10 bedrooms with beds for 12-18 people, and 6 bathrooms, (one of which has been re-outfitted as laundry room). 3 bedrooms with bunkbeds. 1 bedroom has 2 futons. 4 bedrooms are set up for couples with a queen beds in three, and a king in the other. Full private bathrooms (with tubs & showers) are found in two bedrooms (master bedroom and one other).
Catalpa House Features
Full Kitchen with tile floor, vintage sink, wood stove with brick chimney, and large windows looking west (towards rising sun). Outdoor access through adjoining sunroom. Spacious Living Room/Dining Room Rear Apartment with full kitchen and bathroom (under construction) Two creative studios with craftsmen era walls of windows (one set up as an artist's studio, the other as a musician's studio) Two Upright Pianos (optional) Two Sunrooms Laundry Room Generous closet space located throughout house Original 5-panel doorways throughout Full basement in center of house, stairs leading into. Crawl space elsewhere. Large attic (not developed, but loaded with 6" of ceiling insulation, and location for central air & heat unit) Big Backyard/side yard (3 city lots, over 1/2 acre total) Drive-through carport with lots of room for additional off the street parking Ideal soil for gardening -- the loamy black gold of the Mississippi Delta! Biggest Japanese Magnolia in town. Also Catalpa tree, two mature Gingko trees (male & female), cedars, cypress, oaks, fig, peach, redbud, magnolia, honeysuckle, and lots of flowering bushes and bulbs, and others. Outdoor picnic tables & extra parking area Surrounded by protective vegetation and 6' chain link fence Vibrant habitat for songbirds and butterflies
More photos and information available upon request. Call Fiser Realty for purchase details and house visit, 662-627-4126.
~~~Lower Mississippi River Dispatch No. 1020~~~ Since 1995 ~ “Voice of the Lower Mississippi River” ~Quapaw Canoe Company, Clarksdale, Mississippi~
Wow, what a place. Contrast this to a modern house built of OSB and with no history, almost like two different species.
That is a sure-enough charming home and property— and a great deal at that price. Someone will be lucky to get that beautiful place..