Page 154 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New Orleans

152  BEY OND NE W ORLEANS

Exploring the Upper Mississippi Plantations

North of Baton Rouge, the plantations were established by
British or Americans, who held on to their Anglo-Saxon
heritage. A different architecture with Greek Revival
influences is dominant in this area. These grand plantation
house buildings were once the hubs of thriving businesses,
relying on slavery until it was officially abolished in Louisiana
in 1864. Many of these plantations have been restored and
are now charming B&Bs, whilst others, such as Rosedown
Plantation, offer a fascinating insight into what life would
have once been like in the state.

parties he gave in the gardens,
which were landscaped with a One of the two old slave cabins at
pond complete with an island Cottage Plantation
for picnics, a deer park, and
several summer houses. He bois. The property includes
also maintained greenhouses several outbuildings, one of
filled with exotic tropical which has been converted into
plants including banana, a restaurant. Overnight lodging
Butler Greenwood, surrounded by guava, and mandarin. is also offered.
beautiful gardens
E Cottage Plantation P Greenwood Plantation
E Butler Greenwood 10528 Cottage Lane, St. Francisville. 6838 Highland Rd, St. Francisville.
8345 Hwy 61, St. Francisville. Tel (225) Tel (225) 635-3674. Open 10am–4pm Tel (225) 655-4475. Open Nov-Feb:
635-6312. Open 9am–5pm daily. & daily. Closed major holidays. & 8 10am–4pm; Mar–Oct: 9am–5pm.
8 ∑ butlergreenwood.com ∑ cottageplantation.com Closed Jan 1, Jul 4, Thanksgiving,
Pennsylvania Quaker physician The land on which this house Dec 25. & 8 7 ∑ green
Samuel Flower founded stands was granted to John Allen woodplantation.com
this plantation in 1796. His and Patrick Holland in 1795. In 1830, James Hammon
daughter, Harriet, ran it for Judge Thomas Butler Coulter designed this majestic
most of the 19th century as a purchased the original Greek Revival home for William
cotton-producing plantation. cottage and property in Ruffin Barrow, who had
Today, it is still a working 1810. He was the son of migrated from the Carolinas. It
plantation operated by Colonel Thomas Butler, stood on 12,000 acres, which
the eighth generation one of the five fighting were worked by 750 slaves.
of the family. Family Butlers who served under Some 40 outbuildings housed
portraits hang General Washington workshops that made the
throughout the house, during the American plantation completely self-
which contains many Revolution (1775–83). He sufficient. The Barrows became
of the original Exhibit at Butler extended the house to one of the most prominent
19th-century Greenwood accommodate his family. families in the area, but
furnishings, including The interiors are lavishly anticipating the Civil War, they
a fine 12-piece parlor set decorated with 14-karat gold- sold the plantation. It survived
made of rosewood and leaf wallpaper and plenty of faux the war serving as a hospital,
upholstered in the original
scarlet-colored fabric. The
plantation also offers lovely
B&B-style accommodation.
E Catalpa
9508 Hwy 61, St. Francisville. Tel (225)
635-3372. Open by appointment only.
Closed Dec 15–Jan 31. & 8
The current building is a
reconstruction of the original,
which was destroyed in a fire in
1885. Carolinian William J. Fort
established the plantation in the
early 1800s. He was famous for
his hospitality and for the many Greenwood Plantation, furnished with impressive antebellum pieces

152-153_EW_New_Orl.indd 152 05/08/16 3:50 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
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Date 1st October 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm