Plantation Life

Our last day in the New Orleans area was spent driving to the River Road historic properties located southwest of New Orleans. We visited two different types of plantations. One, the Laura Plantation was a creole plantation, and the other was a"picture perfect Greek Revival mansion". Both were beautifully restored and offered historical tours.

Our first stop was at the Laura Plantation located on the Mississippi River. It was our great luck to have the pleasure of the current owner as a tour guide. His family has 300 years of history in the area and though he did not live at the Plantation, his roots are deeply embedded in the culture and history of the creole life. The main building at the plantation was not the living quarters, rather it was the office for the business (sugar cane). Interestingly the building had two offices, one for the president of the business, always a female, and one for the husband. The businesses were run by the appointed matriarch who was usually the youngest female off spring of the company president. The Laura Plantation's three notable contributions during it's history was the author of Br'er Rabbit wrote the book there in slave quarters, Fats Domino was born on the plantation, and a history of life on a creole plantation was written based on 5000 pages of notes written by women, children and slaves who lived on the plantation. It was an exceptional tour. It was also interesting that the slave quarters are now uninhabited, they were occupied until 1977 by workers on the plantation. The fields are still actively worked.

The second Plantation was the typical stereo type mansion that you would see on a movie. The young lady that lead the tour was dressed as one might expect of a socialite in the 1800's. The inside was decorated with furniture from the 1800's although none from the former owners. The "road" to the main entrance was lined with 28 huge beautiful 300 year old oaks. It too was a sugar plantation which is now a bed and breakfast establishment (not in the mansion). Across the road the Mississippi river flows though now behind a 40 foot levee.

We drove home the scenic way seeing lots of bayou, and lots of fishing. It was another great day. We look forward to reading the history book that the author/owner signed for us.

We are headed off on a four state drive today leaving Louisiana, and then crossing Alabama, Mississippi, and arriving in Florida. Not necessarily in that order. Another day, another great adventure!