Magnolia Plantation (Derry, Louisiana) facts for kids
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Magnolia Plantation
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Magnolia Plantation House
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 Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Derry, Louisiana |
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| Built | 1840 |
| Architectural style | Acadian Cottage |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001071 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 07, 1979 |
| Designated NHL | January 3, 2001 |
Magnolia Plantation is a historic site in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. It was once a large farm where cotton was grown. This place is special because it still has many buildings and tools from the 1800s.
It was named a National Historic Landmark in 2001. This means it's a very important place in American history. Magnolia Plantation is part of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park. It is also a stop on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.
Contents
A Look Back: Magnolia Plantation's History
The story of Magnolia Plantation began in the mid-1700s. Jean Baptiste LeComte II received land grants from France and Spain. But the first buildings were not put up until the 1800s. The plantation started working around 1830.
Ambrose LeComte, Jean Baptiste's son, and his wife Julia Buard helped the plantation grow. Later, their daughters married into the Hertzog family. Atala LeComte and Matthew Hertzog took over in 1852. This is how the Hertzog name became linked to Magnolia.
Life on the Plantation
By 1860, Ambrose II owned over 6,000 acres of land. Cotton and other crops were grown here. About 275 enslaved people lived and worked on the plantation. They lived in 70 cabins.
Magnolia Plantation is unique because of the old farming tools still there. You can see cotton picker tractors. There are also two cotton gins. These machines helped separate cotton fibers. One gin used steam, and the other used animals.
There are 21 important buildings still standing at the site. This is a lot for an old plantation. Eight brick cabins were part of the original slave quarters. After the American Civil War, these cabins were used by freedmen. These were black families who had been enslaved. They became sharecroppers, meaning they farmed the land and shared crops with the owner. These families lived and worked on the plantation for another 100 years. Over time, machines took over much of the work. So, fewer cabins were needed.
Community and Change
The Hertzog family rebuilt the plantation house after the Civil War. For 100 years after the war, "the Hertzogs" was a center for the community. Many black and Creoles of color families lived and worked there. The black families were mostly Protestant. The Creoles of color were mostly Catholic. They often leased land as tenant farmers. Everyone worked together to keep the land productive.
By the mid-1900s, machines did most of the farm work. This meant fewer people were needed. Many families left the plantation to find jobs in cities.
In 1951, Sabin Gianelloni, Jr. bought part of the plantation. But the Hertzog family continued to live in the main house. Betty Hertzog was the last family member to live there until 2000. Today, a group called "Descendants of Ambrose John Hertzog and Sarah Jane Hunt Hertzog" manages the house and farmland.
Magnolia Plantation Today
The National Park Service owns part of the plantation. This includes 16 buildings. Among these are the old plantation store, the cotton gin, and the Overseer's House. The Overseer's House was also used as a slave hospital. There is also a blacksmith shop and the brick slave quarters. The Park Service works to keep these buildings in good condition. This helps future generations learn about the past.
The main house and the farming land are still owned by the Hertzog family descendants. In December 2022, the main house and its surrounding area became part of the national historical park.
Visiting the Park
The Cane River Creole National Historical Park is located at 5487 Louisiana Highway 119. The closest town is Derry, Louisiana. You can visit the park from Monday to Friday. It is open from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.
See also
