Managing Editor Teresa A. Emerson - [emailprotected] L'Union . Discover what it was like to be a house slave, a field slave, the 1811 Slave Revolt at Destrehan Plantation. The Nottoway Plantation is thought to be the largest antebellum plantation still standing in the United States. In the years following the war, some black people were able to purchase plantations, but most were unable to hold on to them for long. [citation needed] The Year without a summer of 1816 resulted in famine in Europe and a wave of immigration to the U.S., with New Orleans being the destination of many refugees. A covered pavilion with a Chihuly glass chandelier is among the highlights of the Houmas House gardens, which also include water features and walking paths. Nestled on River Road in Vacherie, Louisiana, the Laura Plantation is ranked by TripAdvisor as having the number one plantation tour on River Road and the best history tour in the United States by Lonely Planet. The Association for Preservation of Historic Natchitoches owns the plantation and provides guided tours. Before boarding the ships the slaves were stripped of clothing, shaved their heads, and put into compartments 4.5 feet tall. Whitney Plantation Museum offers tours Wednesday through Monday, from 10am-3pm. The Parsonage Fund, a student-focused grant program, provided funding for Pickneys research. The guest, Colette Pichon . The stark difference of the skilled slaves that built these homes were forced to live in shanty shacks that provided no protection from things like Malaria, Yellow Fever and many other diseases in this area. The Pendarvis Family During the 1730s, the Pendarvis family was one of the most prominent in the South, owning the biggest rice plantations in the Palmetto region and over 123 slaves. If you visit one or all of them being able to visit the past and educate ourselves is very important. Many old south plantations have been turned into museums, and they offer tours to visitors. Its the only plantation museum in Louisiana dedicated to telling the history of slavery from the perspective of the slaves. We learned that the plantation owners bought slaves that were master builders from Senegal who built the entire plantation home the kitchen and everything in between without a single nail or a screw. Destrehan Plantation is one of the oldest plantation homes in the lower Mississippi Valley and one of the oldest in the United States. Laura lived to be over 100 years old, and went from being the owner of slaves, to witnessing the Civil Rights Movement before she died. Historic house in Louisiana, United States, harvp error: no target: CITEREFMacDonaldMorganHandleyLee2006 (. In antebellum Louisiana, as the Patouts grew their plantation, they also grew their slave holdings. (5-00) Bocage Plantation, 1801, River Road. Oak Alley is one of Louisianas best plantations and one of the most recognizable of the historic mansions along the River Road. Whitney Plantation has an entirely separate story for each of its slaves. Before the Civil War, New Orleans Was the Center of the U.S. Slave Trade Untroubled by their actions, human traffickers like Isaac Franklin built a lucrative business providing enslaved labor for. He is a historian, local, and speaks fluent French so he knows the nuances of the history and significant interpretations not just to the house, but also to the area. When the plantation appeared in the 2013 hit film Django Unchained, it was the most prominent example of its large screen exposure. They sold the building in 1970. Our guide had just completed her master's thesis on the Haitian slave revolt. Death was common on Louisianas sugar plantations due to the harsh nature of the labor, the disease environment, and lack of proper nutrition and medical care. The museum is easily accessible from interstate 10 at the Gramercy exit, number 194. The Big House is one of the oldest plantation houses in the United States, dating back to the late nineteenth century. As a result, the hotel is now owned by the government. Historically sugar cane plantations were often much more brutal and back breaking to work on than the cotton plantations. Both of these places are 40 minutes away from Baton Rouge. Contrary to the 1970s-era assessment of the property, which dated the construction of Louis Metoyer's first residence (Yucca House) to the mid-1790s, review of three land surveys of 1813 show that Louis Metoyer's residence was then south of the Red River (and south of the center of the Melrose complex). The tour is 90 minutes long and is all outdoors so make sure you bring water, sun protection. My tour guide told me that she did not include this plantation in my itinerary because she didnt want me depressed for the rest of the trip and to go home crying. After leaving, I was so scared of Chloe that I burned and buried the ashes of a souvenir postcard I had taken. After the Civil War, railroads took over most of the hauling of goods. These two plantations, built in the early 1800s along the Louisiana River Road, are excellent examples of grand plantations. Tour guides provide an overview of the history of the Garden District and Lafayette Cemetery. Whitney Plantation located at 5099 Highway 18 in Wallace, Louisiana on the west bank of the Mississippi River. The Rose Down Plantation is the most secluded of the Plantation Mansions. Steam-powered river navigation began in 1811-12, between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and New Orleans. The widow and her son operated a large sugar plantation together and owned more slaves than all other black slave owners in Louisiana in 1860, topping off at 152. We offer both self-guided and guided tour options. 83000554. The Mississippi River levee is in the background. This juice was then boiled down in a series of open kettles called the Jamaica Train. You can take in breathtaking views of the Mississippi River and the plantations that dot its banks when you stay at the Inn at Houmas House. We offer a relaxing atmosphere in a beautiful setting to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Property ownership provided free Black people financial security and a way to build multigenerational wealth. The core zone of sugar production ran along the Mississippi River, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. [16], Analysis of glass and nails from the site confirms three major periods of occupancy of Yucca House, c. 18071821, c. 1874-1888 (renovation likely after the 1884 purchase by Joseph Henry), and c. 1916-1930 (renovation by Henry's son John and his wife Carmelite "Miss Cammie" Henry). If you are looking for a unique swamp tour in Louisiana then the Cajun Pride Swamp tour is the one for you! Slavery was abolished in the state of West Virginia during the American Civil War, when the state's constitution adopted by referendum in 1864. . Whiskey Dave built the Myrtles Plantation in the 1800s. One that I did not know I was taking until I found myself on hallowed ground, walking in the footsteps of my ancestors. African slaves and their descendants were enslaved in this region to cultivate indigo, rice, and sugar crops. Rental Car, no but or shared van services as it ispretty remote, Grayline bus tours and services do come out and take you on swamp and plantation tours. Yucca Plantation National Historic Landmark (1974), Tour guide points to a rare book in the plantation library. Fanny Bringier received a mansion from her father in 1801. . Please be aware of this issue and plan accordingly. This would change dramatically after the first two ships carrying captive Africans arrived in Louisiana in 1719. The shed reminded me eerily of the torture chambers I saw while in Auschwitz. There are two homes on the property, with the oldest house being in the back of the house where many of the Creole owners resided throughout its time as a sugar plantation. In addition, no evidence has been found to support the tradition that the property was originally named Yucca Plantation. They even have a German Coast Farmers Market, and Louisiana was owned by France for many many years (think way back to Junior High and High School about the purchase of Louisiana from France). If you are in a rental car - just dont do it. This cane was frost-resistant, which made it possible for plantation owners to grow sugarcane in Louisianas colder parishes. Everyone who visits the Whitney Plantation, located on the west bank of the Mississippi less than an hour's drive from New Orleans on Louisiana's historic River Road, receives a similar card . Once inside the steeper, enslaved workers covered the plants with water. Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, a French nobleman who named the palace after his friend, the French duc dOrlans, a French regent at the time, founded it in 1777. In 1712, there were only 10 Africans in all of Louisiana. The properties are both reminders of grand plantations that were built along the Louisiana River Road in the early 1800s. Never fear I will compare the top two rated Luxury Hotel Casinos in Lake Charles for you to make it easy. Site Marker: Built in 1801 by Marius Pons Bringier as wedding gift for daughter Fanny, who married Christophe Columb, a French refugee. This plantation saw around 400 slaves move through this plantation over a 52-year period., At the height of operations just before the Civil War, 186 people were enslaved here.This included the children of the masters, who despite a mixed race appearance were still considered enslaved. Over 8,000 people were deported to the British Colonies on the East Coast,, France and England. I encourage everyone to read this book as it paints a picture of what Louisiana and Creole culture was truly like during the time slavery was prominent. Here is the best New Orleans food to try with tips for local hot spots and real Cajun and Creole charm. In 1860 there were 472 free black Louisianians whose average real estate holdings were worth over $10,000. Nottoway Plantation, the former home of John Randolph, was built in 1859. The Philadelphia Sunday SUN - P.O. Because the mansion is only a short walk from the main road, touring it in this manner is simple and quick. The Louis Metoyer Plantation went on the auction block. If you dont like the crowds, then try for October to January. Artwork by New Orleans high school students made in partnership with Freedom on the Move and the University of New Orleans. September tends to be their hurricane season. Rosedown Plantation can be reached by car from New Orleans or Baton Rouge, which are about 40 minutes apart. Freedom's Journal, the first black-owned newspaper, appeared in . Click here to email info@whitneyplantation.org, Click here to view location 5099 Louisiana Hwy 18, Edgard, LA 70049. The Inn at Houmas House also features a garden courtyard as well as a wonderful bed and breakfast setting. In an effort to highlight black history more, I decided to specifically visit to go and visit the best Louisiana Plantations for Black History. 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