NATCHEZ &045; Julie Barnes is no stranger to historic houses.

She grew up in them and among them in Savannah, Ga., and now works at a historic hotel in Baltimore.

And on Saturday evening, she toured three historic houses in one of her favorite cities &045; Natchez &045; during the candlelight tour of homes.

&uot;It’s beautiful; it’s incredible,&uot; Barnes said, standing in the wide upper hall at Rosalie, her first stop on the tour.

&uot;This is my third trip to Natchez. I’ve been a fan of Natchez since I discovered it.&uot;

Barnes’ friend Julie Kendall, a tour guide at Rosalie &045; which is owned by the Mississippi Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution &045; convinced her to come visit during the holidays.

&uot;Julie said everything was decorated, and I wanted to see the mansions at Christmastime,&uot; Barnes said.

&uot;In scale and number of breathtaking mansions, your city outshines any other city.&uot;

Barnes’ friend, the docent, DAR member and volunteer Julie Kendall, knows about the scale of the mansions &045; at least Rosalie.

She helped decorate for the holidays, beginning the week of Thanksgiving. The task, in between giving tours, took 10 days.

And visitors Saturday evening were greeted not only by hoop-skirted hostesses but by luminaries lining the pathway to the door, greenery hanging around mantles and banisters and a Victorian Christmas tree in the front room.

&uot;It’s something similar to what they would have had, although they would have had a real tree,&uot; Kendall said.

Kendall enjoys decorating for the holidays, but she pointed out she enjoys giving tours &uot;all of the time.&uot;

Rosalie, Auburn and Magnolia Hall were on tour Saturday and will be on tour again Saturday, Dec. 20. Tickets are $20 per person. Call 446-6345 for information.