Alexis LaTour House facts for kids
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Alexis LaTour House
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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 Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Location | 247 East Main Street, Ville Platte, Louisiana |
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| Area | 0.33 acres (0.13 ha) |
| Built | 1835 |
| Architect | Alexis LaTour |
| NRHP reference No. | 87001492 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | September 14, 1987 |
| Removed from NRHP | June 11, 2015 |
The Alexis LaTour House, also called the Old Homeplace or Guillory Homeplace, was a very old house in Ville Platte, Louisiana. It was built by Alexis LaTour. The oldest part of the house was finished in 1835.
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A Look at the Alexis LaTour House
This house was a special type of home called a Creole cottage. It was one and a half stories tall. The walls were built using a method called bousillage. This is a mix of mud, moss, and animal hair. It was a common way to build houses long ago.
How the House Was Built
The first part of the house was one room wide and two rooms deep. It also had a front gallery. A gallery is like a porch or balcony. In 1837, two more rooms were added. A central hallway was also built.
Many parts of the house showed traditional Creole style. These included an outside staircase and the bousillage walls. The wooden boards on the outside and the ceiling beams were also typical. They had special carved edges called "beading."
Unique Fireplace Designs
The house had unusual mantels around its fireplaces. The oldest mantel had fancy curved edges and panels. It also had a large diamond shape in the middle. The other mantels were more common but still unique.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, the Alexis LaTour House changed a bit. In 1900, some big updates were made. These included adding Queen Anne style dormer windows. Dormer windows stick out from the roof. A large section was also added to the back of the house.
Keeping Its Original Charm
Smaller changes happened too. Windows and doors were replaced. The original front porch columns were changed. Even the outside staircase was updated.
Despite these changes, the house kept its original look and feel. It still had its basic Creole shape. The bousillage walls were still there. The special beading on the wood remained. The unique fireplace mantels were also kept.
At the time, it was the best and largest old house in Evangeline Parish.
National Historic Listing
The Alexis LaTour House was important for its architecture. Because of this, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1987. This list helps protect important historical places.
Why It Was Delisted
However, the house was removed from the list in 2015. This happened because the owners moved the house in 1998. They moved it about 22.3 miles (36 km) to the southeast.
The house is still standing today. It is now located in Saint Landry Parish. You can find it at 890 Chretien Point Road in Sunset (30°23′40″N 92°05′45″W / 30.39443°N 92.09597°W).
