Ducros Plantation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ducros Plantation
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The east facade, seen from Old Schriever Hwy
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 Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Schriever, Louisiana |
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| Built | 1859-1860 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 85002759 |
| Added to NRHP | November 7, 1985 |
The Ducros Plantation is a historic Southern plantation located in Schriever, Louisiana. It is also sometimes called the Old Jackson Plantation or Polmer Plantation. Plantations were large farms in the Southern United States that often grew crops like sugar or cotton.
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About the Ducros Plantation
Where is it?
The Ducros Plantation is in Schriever, Louisiana. Schriever is a town in Terrebonne Parish. It is about two and a half miles from Thibodaux.
A Look Back in Time
The land for the plantation was first given by Spain to Thomas Villanueva Barroso. About ten years later, he sold it to Pierre Denis de La Ronde. Pierre's son-in-law, Adolphe Ducros, then developed it into the Ducros Plantation.
In 1845, Adolphe Ducros sold the land to Colonel Van Perkins Winder. Colonel Winder bought more land nearby. This made the plantation even bigger.
Building the Mansion
Colonel Winder's wife, Martha Grundy, built the main house. She started building it in 1859, and it was finished in 1860. The house was designed in the Greek Revival style. This style often uses tall columns and looks like ancient Greek temples.
Martha grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. She asked an architect named Evens to make the house look like The Hermitage. This was the home of President Andrew Jackson in Nashville.
During the Civil War
The American Civil War happened from 1861 to 1865. During this time, the Ducros Plantation house was almost destroyed by fire. Luckily, Union General Godfrey Weitzel saved it. However, many of the smaller buildings around the main house did burn down.
The fields of the plantation were used as a camping area. Both the Confederate States Army and the Union soldiers camped there. The Texas Rangers even put up the Bonnie Blue flag, a flag of the Confederate States of America, on top of the house.
New Owners and New Names
In 1872, two brothers, R.S. Woods and R.C. Woods, bought the plantation. They were married to two sisters, Maggie and Fannie Pugh. After they bought it, the plantation became known as the Old Jackson Plantation. The house is two stories tall and has a white front.
Later, in 1909, Samuel and Leon Polmer bought the plantation. Leon Polmer's sons, Irvin and Marvin, later inherited it. In 1974, J.L. Fischman from New Orleans became the owner.
Today, the Bourgeois family owns the plantation. The house was even shown on a TV show called If These Walls Could Talk in 2002. Workers have found old pieces of wood on the property. These pieces have writings about the secession of South Carolina and the 1860 presidential election.
What is it now?
The Ducros Plantation is an important historical site. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since November 7, 1985. This means it is a special place that is protected for its history.
