Touring Louisiana

A State Historic Site is St. Martin Catholic Church established in 1765 in St. Martinville. In the left wing of the church, is the grave of Emmeline Labiche, who was thought to be the heroine of the poem “Evangeline” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A statue of Evangeline stands in the churchyard.

The Melrose Plantation in Natchitoches was originally called Yucca Plantation. At that time it was owned by freed slaves, Maria Therese and Claude Thomas. The house was built in the 1790s. The main house is a West Indies Creole plantation house with early Greek Revival details. At the turn of the century, the house was owned by John Hampton Henry and his wife Carrie, who was a patron of the arts. The house is surrounded by beautiful gardens and all of the buildings have been preserved through the years.

Laura Plantation in Vacherie is a sugarcane plantation. The home has original period furniture and exhibits that highlight the memoirs of Laura Locoul. Among the highlights here is a large exhibit dedicated to the lives and personal stories of those who were enslaved on the farm. Among the collections are rare photos and documents about the African-Americans who lived and worked on this Creole farm and about other slaves in the state.

The Rosedown Plantation is a State Historic Site and one of the best- preserved domestic Southern plantations. It offers a look into the lives of plantation owners and slaves during the mid-19th century.

On the grounds, you can find beautiful camellias, azaleas, and rare trees and shrubs.

Rip Van Winkle Gardens were created on top of a salt dome on Lake Peigneur in New Iberia.

These semi-tropical gardens surround the historic Joseph Jefferson Mansion dating back to 1870. The home has 22 rooms and is decorated with period furnishings. The gardens can be seen seven days a week and tours are available, Visitors can enjoy lunch in the on-site café or even spend the night in one of the cottages in the gardens.

The Houmas House Plantation and Gardens also referred to as the Burnside Plantation in Darrow dates from the late 1700s. The main house is called the “Sugar Palace” and has 16 rooms full of period furnishing and Louisiana artwork. Visitors can enjoy the gardens with several ponds and an elegant line of magnificent old oak trees Guided tours of the house and grounds are available.

The Whitney Plantation is the only plantation museum in Louisiana that focuses on slavery. The French-Creole Big House is one of the best-preserved Creole plantation houses in the area. The detached kitchen is the oldest in Louisiana.

Other buildings on the property include a barn, a blacksmith shop, a church, a pigeon roosting house, and seven slave cabins. There is also a memorial dedicated to the people who were enslaved on the plantation and 40 statues of slave children.

Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie was established to grow sugarcane. Visitors can see what plantation life was like in the 1800s. The name of the plantation comes from an 800-foot-long alley lined with oak trees with some over 300 years old. Other highlights include the reconstructed slave quarters, the tent of the Confederate Commanding Officer, and a blacksmith shop with the plantation’s original forge. Guided tours are available.

Folsom the Global Wildlife Center is a preserve for threatened and endangered wildlife. It is the largest preserve of its kind in America. Safari wagon tours are available and visitors can see giraffes, zebras, camels, and other animals, The animals roam about freely and visitors can feed them.

The Chauvin Sculpture Garden was developed by the reclusive artist Kenny Hill. It features a large array of strange and creative artwork. On the site, you can find an art center and a small local museum.