Melrose Plantation Facts for Kids

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Melrose Plantation
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark District

Melrose Plantation
Location in Louisiana Show map of Louisiana Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	LA 119 off LA 493, Melrose, Louisiana, U.S.
Architectural style	Colonial
NRHP reference No.	72000556
Added to NRHP	June 13, 1972
Designated NHLD	May 30, 1974

Melrose Plantation, also known as Yucca Plantation, is a special place in Melrose, Louisiana. It is in Natchitoches Parish in central Louisiana. This plantation is a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important historical site in the United States.

Melrose Plantation is unique because it was built by and for free people of color. These were people of African and European heritage who were not enslaved. The land was given to Louis Metoyer in 1796. He was the son of Marie Thérèse Coincoin. She was a formerly enslaved woman who became a successful businesswoman.

Louis Metoyer started building the main house, called the "Big House," around 1832. His son, Jean Baptiste Louis Metoyer, finished it in 1833 after Louis passed away. The Metoyer family were free people of color for four generations. This was before the American Civil War.

Today, the Association for Preservation of Historic Natchitoches owns Melrose Plantation. They offer guided tours for visitors. In 2008, Melrose Plantation became one of the first sites on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. This trail highlights important places in African American history in Louisiana.

Exploring Melrose Plantation's Past
- Early History and the Metoyer Family
  - Who Were the Creoles of Color?
  - Building the Big House
- New Owners and the Name Melrose
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Exploring Melrose Plantation's Past

Melrose Plantation has a rich and interesting history. For many years, people believed certain stories about its beginnings. However, new research has helped us understand the true story.

Early History and the Metoyer Family

In 1974, when Melrose was named a National Historic Landmark, it was thought that Marie Therese Coincoin founded it. She was believed to have established the "Yucca Plantation" in the late 1700s. It was also thought that some buildings, like the Africa House, had African designs.

However, research since the 1970s has changed some of these ideas. We now know that the main land was given to Louis Metoyer in 1796. He was Marie Therese Coincoin's second son. There is also no proof that the property was ever called Yucca Plantation originally. The names for buildings like "Ghana House" and "Africa House" were given later by owners in the early 1900s.

Who Were the Creoles of Color?

Louis Metoyer and his brothers and sisters were called "Créoles of color." They had a French-American father and an African mother. Many multiracial Creoles became educated and owned property. This was especially true in places like New Orleans and the Cane River area.

Louis Metoyer was not legally freed by his white father until 1802. Even so, he was able to own land. This was unusual because of laws called the Code Noir. These laws usually stopped enslaved people from owning land. His father's wealth likely helped him.

Building the Big House

The "Big House" at Melrose Plantation began construction before Louis Metoyer's death in 1832. His son, Jean Baptiste Louis Metoyer, finished building it in 1833. The Metoyer family was very important in the Isle Brevelle community. This area was a strong center for the "Creoles of color."

After Jean Baptiste Louis Metoyer died in 1838, his family faced financial problems. The plantation was eventually sold at auction in 1847. It was bought by the Hertzog and Bossier families. They continued to run it as a cotton plantation.

New Owners and the Name Melrose

In 1881, the plantation was sold again at auction. This time, it was bought by Joseph Henry in 1884. He was an Irish immigrant merchant. Joseph Henry gave the property the name Melrose, which it still has today.

Research using old glass and nails from the site shows that the Yucca House was used during three main periods. These were around 1807–1821, 1874-1888, and 1916-1930. This research helps historians understand how the buildings were used over time.

Melrose Plantation is a very important site for understanding the history of Creoles of color in Louisiana. The National Park Service uses it to teach visitors about this unique part of American history.