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During the 2020 Travel South Conference in Baton Rouge, I attended a private party at Houmas House Plantation. Houmas House, located in Darrow, Louisiana, graciously hosted us and provided an authentic Southern experience. The 38-acre property was even better with these talented musicians playing a variety of genres, such as zydeco and big band. Houmas House is a masterclass in horticulture, providing an opportunity to learn and appreciate the wonders of nature. The house is a stunning symmetrical antebellum structure featuring wrap-around decks on two floors, Federal arched dormers, majestic columns, and a decorative widow’s walk. Its allure is captivating, inspiring the desire to step inside or capture its beauty through the lens.
Guided Tours in Darrow, LA
After we got all settled in we went for a stroll through the gardens. It was amazing to see so many different garden areas with a variety of sculptures, water features, plants and historic artifacts. Your docent, dressed in period costume, brings Houmas House’s past alive through vivid stories and song. Learn about the sugar barons and their families that once lived here at “The Sugar Palace,” and explore what was once one of the largest sugar plantations in the country. Tours are also offered in French and can be booked to include round-trip transportation from New Orleans.
Other Haunted Plantations in Louisiana
If staying in New Orleans and seeking transportation, we suggest renting a car and visiting multiple plantations while seeing Houmas House. She was so knowledgeable and also shared stories that made us laugh. The gardens were amazing and actually were the prettiest we have seen so far.
Our Experience at Houma House
Each room is complete with a single king or queen size bed or double queen beds, luxurious bathrooms, and a porch to enjoy the view. The Inn at Houmas House Plantation and Gardens is a classic historic plantation-style property located on the famous River Road. The hotel is set on 38 acres of gardens with a variety of facilities and services available for guests.
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The Antebellum
According to records, the young daughter of Col. John Preston was the belle of Houmas House in the mid 1800s. She played games of tag in the gardens and hide-and-seek in the great house until she fell gravely ill in 1848. But when the renovated house opened to the public, sightings of the little girl began again. Both guides and guests have seen her and say she seems curious about all the activity. The Houmas House Plantation is beautiful, but so are the haunting remains of a sugar plantation in Florida that was burned by the Seminoles in the 1830s. After our museum visit we packed up and took a view of the river before hitting the road home.
From a $150 land sale with the Houma Indians to 'Louisiana's Sugar Palace,' Houmas House's history explored in new book - NOLA.com
From a $150 land sale with the Houma Indians to 'Louisiana's Sugar Palace,' Houmas House's history explored in new book.
Posted: Thu, 18 Jul 2019 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Little Girl Spotted By Houmas House Work Crew
The crewman’s natural reaction was to express concern that a little girl was in a construction zone because it was not safe for children. Located near New Orleans, the 250-year-old house is just one of the estates located in Louisiana’s River Parishes that is open to the public. This particular live oak really caught my eye and I can’t even adequately share it here without lots of pics. It sprawled out from the mother tree way over to the building in the distance. She mentioned that the live oaks are from 600 to 700 years old. There’s a white tablecloth restaurant too called The Carriage House.
History
Adding to the natural show performed by the property’s plant life, the property is dramatically decorated for the holidays, both inside and out. The Gardens of Houmas House, spanning 38 acres, are a panorama of indigenous Louisiana plant life and stunning exotics designed to beckon visitors to extend their stay. Jessica James is an award-winning historical fiction author and life-long Gettysburg resident who loves sharing her passions for history and travel.
Build a Beautiful Wedding Album
The historic plantation now includes 38 acres of one of the South’s most beautiful gardens, as well as three restaurants and a luxury Inn. Despite the national economic depression and decline in plantation life, “The Gentlemen” stood as a reminder of a more opulent time. The 24 stately trees leading from the river to the house continued to stand guard and provide cooling breezes. The Houmas House also has an Inn with 21 rooms where Grandma can stay. Rooms average around $350/night and up, and included in the wedding package is a $60 credit per room per night. While hotels such as The Best Western and Supreme Inn and Suites are also nearby, out of town guests would most likely want to stay in the French Quarter, which is about an hour from the venue.
With its expansive gardens, stately mansion, restaurants and cottage, the Houmas House plantation also makes a wonderful wedding venue and is available for corporate events. When I had the opportunity to visit a beautiful River Road antebellum mansion, I had no idea I was going to be touring a haunted Louisiana plantation house and its grounds. To move at your own pace, opt for the self-guided tour of the gardens, where the seasons are reflected by the ever-changing plants and flowers.
In 2003 New Orleans businessman and preservationist Kevin Kelly acquired and refurbished the the Mississippi adjacent mansion and grounds. The property features 16 acres of manicured lawns, formal gardens, oak alleys, water-lily gardens, fountains and gardens, as well as Live Oaks are ranked amongst the oldest in the world. The Mansion at Houmas House is open for tours daily, seven days a week from 9 a.m. This particular Antebellum plantation house doesn’t cover slavery as much as some of the other houses in Louisiana. Oak Alley where I visited before, has rebuilt the slave cabins that once were part of the plantation grounds. They reverently share memorabilia and artifacts in these cabins, telling the stories of the slaves that once lived there.
In April of 1848, there were thirty family members and guests in residence at the Houmas, and just as many servants in the household. There was an abundance of beef and mutton from the plantation, as well as fruits and vegetables from the gardens. On a great curve of the Mississippi River and on high ground first selected by the Houmas Indians stand the great Tuscan columns of The Houmas. The mighty Mississippi River gave birth to this land over the millennium, creating the fertile lands which became the great fields of Sugar Cane, Cotton, Corn, Indigo, tobacco and more.
She was laid to rest in the family cemetery, which was located down by the river. There’s so much to see and do at Houmas House, you could stay here all day. Treat yourself to a stay at The Inn at Houmas House, where you can snuggle up in luxury cottages adorned with chandeliers, fireplaces, and front porches with rocking chairs. For the peaceful opulence of Louisiana’s plantation country, look no further than Houmas House Plantation. John Burnside was born in Tyrone County, Ireland around 1810 of a poor family. At the age of twelve or thirteen, he somehow managed to obtain passage to America, with only a few pennies in his pocket.
Here’s what to expect when visiting Houmas House Plantation. After your tour, head to any of the plantation’s restaurants for a memorable dining experience. At Latil’s Landing Restaurant, you’ll dine just as the sugar barons did in the 1800’s with prix fixe three- or five-course dinner (your choice) with a wine pairing available in its elegant dining room.
The Houmas House Plantation is located about 20 miles from Oak Alley Plantation, which is famous for its photographic appeal. A bridge on the property leads to the Mississippi River and provides sweeping views of the mighty river. Unfortunately 16 of the workers devised a scheme to profit from the large trees by floating the logs downriver to New Orleans.
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