Houmas House Plantation

As we were traveling from Florida to Arizona, last December, we made an unscheduled stop at Houmas House Plantation and I was so glad we did!  We had been on the road less than an hour, after leaving New Orleans, when Hubby spotted a small sign advertising the plantation.  Knowing how I love touring historic homes he made a quick exit and four miles later we saw this beautiful sight.

 

We eagerly paid for a tour and walked through the beautiful grounds to the house.

 

We found out that Houmas House is actually named after the Houmas Indians that lived in the area, not the owners.  The house was completed in 1828.

 

We were there in mid-December but the weather was absolutely beautiful and warm.

 

We found out that many of the oak trees surrounding the plantation are over 600 years old.

 

They are so old and huge many of their branches are resting on the ground.

 

This view is from the front porch looking out toward the dike keeping the river at bay.  The plantation would ship the sugar they grew to market on barges and people would come to visit via the river too.

 

Soon it was time to begin our tour by entering the front door, all decked out for Christmas.

 

I've toured many houses but only a few of them allow you to take pictures inside.

 

I had never heard of Houmas House until we saw the highway sign but they were a very important large plantation with 300,000 acres under cultivation.  Guest would even eat on Houmas House china.

 

There are many items belonging to former owners of the house on display.

 

The dining room was beautiful and full of valuable objects.

 

How would you like to be served from this fabulous dish?

 

Not only were we allowed to take pictures but we were actually encouraged to touch anything we wanted to touch!  Our tour guide had me play this irreplaceable piano while she sang along on Amazing Grace.  (I had forgotten what kind of piano it is but I zoomed in on one of my other pictures and it is a Steinway and Sons.)

 

This was just one of the many beautifully decorated trees throughout the house.

 

Why is there a statue of Abraham Lincoln in a Louisiana home?  And how did so many treasures remain intact through the Civil War when other plantations were being looted and burned?

 

I'll torture you a while and tell you all about it the next time!