B

V i cto r i a n

B eauty
Groth family grows into
Brookhaven’s Sproles House

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TEXT AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY TRUDY BERGER

Bruce and Laura Groth of

Brookhaven came into this
lovely Queen Anne-style
Victorian home on Natchez
Avenue by way of California
and Vermont, an unlikely path
for a couple who have adapted
so well to Mississippi horticul-
ture that they routinely garner
prize ribbons in the annual
camellia show.
Apparently it is not enough
for this busy couple to live in
and maintain a stunning, late
19th century two-story stately
home, known as the Sproles
House, on a large corner lot of
a well-traveled residential
street. The morning of the
photo session, Laura had just
received her master’s degree
from Mississippi College,
summa cum laude no less, and
Bruce had taken off on a hiking
trip to the northeast. She lasted
five minutes into the interview
before rushing off to an after-
noon class in Natchez – leaving
the writer to admire the intri-
cate details of this eye-popping
manse.
The Groths have lived in the
home four years, having
searched diligently for just the
right home in Brookhaven
before taking the plunge. Laura
teaches kindergarten at Mamie
Martin Elementary School and
Bruce is an executive with an
out-of-state company, traveling
often. The house was remod-
eled by its previous owners, the

a cc e n t s o u t h m i s s i s s i p p i 43
Rosses, who completely gutted
the rear of the first floor, thereby
creating a large open kitchen
with spacious counters, custom
wood cabinets and 14-foot ceil-
ings, and a cheery breakfast area
which opens into a den-sitting
area, all surrounded by windows
which look out into the large,
beautifully landscaped and well-
shaded back yard.
As one enters the front door,
the first detail to catch the eye is
the beautifully carved oak stair-
way leading to the second floor.
To the left is the living room, the
centerpiece of which is a massive
coffee table crafted from a large
wood-framed glass front door,
complete with door knob, hinges,
mail slot and gold leaf numbers
still evident on the glass.
Another feature in the living
room is the fireplace, with its
distinctive surround and
Victorian cast iron fireplace
cover. Directly behind the living
room is the dining room with an
antique glass chandelier and
dentil molding.
What catches the eye about
this house happens before one
sets foot inside the front door –
it’s the large turret on the north-
east corner of the façade, and the
two large gable windows above
the bay windows on the front
and one side that really define
the exterior of this house.
Next time you are in
Brookhaven, ride by and take a
look for yourself. And do try to
resist the impulse to get out of
your car and rest a spell in one
of those inviting rockers on the
front porch.