Myrtles Plantation facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Myrtles Plantation
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Louisiana
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 7747 U.S. 61, St. Francisville, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Area | 10 acres (4.0 ha) |
| Built | 1796 |
| Architectural style | Creole cottage |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001439 |
| Added to NRHP | September 6, 1978 |
The Myrtles Plantation is a very old and famous house in St. Francisville, Louisiana, United States. It was built in 1796 by a man named General David Bradford. This place used to be a large farm, known as a plantation, where people who were enslaved worked.
Today, the Myrtles Plantation is known for being a reportedly haunted place. Many TV shows have featured it because of its ghost stories. Since 1978, it has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
Exploring the Myrtles Plantation
House Design and Style
The Myrtles Plantation house sits on a small hill. It faces east and is made of wood, painted white. Its style is called Creole cottage, which was common for plantation houses in Louisiana a long time ago.
The first house was built in 1796. It had six sections and three small windows on the roof. In the mid-1850s, the house got much bigger. It almost doubled in size! It grew to nine sections and got a new double door entrance. These doors have beautiful, old stained glass around them. The glass has a French cross pattern, which some say was meant to keep bad spirits away.
A special part of the Myrtles is its long porch, called a veranda. It's 125 feet long and goes all the way around the front and side of the house. The porch has fancy iron railings with a grape design. The roof has six brick chimneys and several large windows that stick out.
Inside the Historic Home
The Myrtles Plantation has 22 rooms across two floors. When you walk in, there's a big hallway that goes through the whole house. It has special wood-like decorations and a huge Baccarat crystal chandelier that weighs over 300 pounds! Most of the floors and windows are still the original ones.
On the left side of the hall is a music room. Next to it is the only bedroom on the first floor. The main rooms are on the right side of the hall. The original walls were moved to create four big rooms. These rooms were used as fancy living rooms for ladies and gentlemen, a dining room, and a game room. These rooms have beautiful marble fireplaces and detailed decorations on the ceilings. These decorations were made from clay, Spanish moss, and animal hair. Each one is unique!
Upstairs, there are five bedrooms, each with its own bathroom. The biggest bedroom is called the Judge Clarke Woodruff Suite. You can reach it from the main staircase in the entry hall. The other four bedrooms are reached by a different staircase at the back of the house. These four bedrooms share a common sitting room.
The Plantation Grounds
The land around the Myrtles Plantation has a large pond with a small island. On the island, there's a gazebo that you can reach by a bridge.
Behind the main house is the oldest building on the property. It's now called the General's Store. This is where General Bradford lived while the main house was being built. Today, it's a gift shop, laundry area, and a place for guests to eat breakfast. To the south, there's another building that holds a restaurant. These two buildings are connected to the main house by an old brick courtyard. There are also modern wooden cottages on the grounds where guests can stay.
A Look at Myrtles Plantation History
Early Years (19th Century)
General David Bradford built the Myrtles Plantation in 1796. It was on 600 acres of land and was first called "Laurel Grove." At that time, this area was part of Spanish West Florida. General Bradford lived there alone for a few years. In 1799, he was pardoned by President John Adams for his part in the Pennsylvania Whiskey Rebellion. After that, he brought his wife and five children to live at the plantation.
When General Bradford died in 1808, his wife Elizabeth continued to run the plantation. In 1817, she gave the job to Clarke Woodruff. He was a former law student of Bradford's and had married Elizabeth's daughter, Sara Mathilda. The Woodruffs had three children. Sadly, Sara Mathilda and two of her children died in 1823 and 1824 from yellow fever.
In 1831, Elizabeth Bradford passed away. Clarke Woodruff and his only surviving daughter, Mary Octavia, moved away. They left someone in charge of the plantation. In 1834, Woodruff sold the plantation, the land, and the people who were enslaved to Ruffin Gray Stirling.
Ruffin Gray Stirling and his wife, Mary Catherine Cobb, made many changes to the house. They almost doubled its size and filled it with furniture from Europe. During this time, the plantation's name was changed to "The Myrtles." This new name came from the crape myrtles trees that grew nearby. Stirling died in 1854, and his wife inherited the plantation.
The Myrtles Plantation survived the American Civil War. However, many of its valuable furnishings were stolen. In 1865, Mary Cobb Stirling hired William Drew Winter to help manage the plantation. He was married to her daughter, Sarah. They had six children, but one of them, Kate Winter, died from typhoid at age three. After the war, the family lost their money because it was in Confederate currency, which became worthless. The Winters had to sell the plantation in 1868, but they managed to buy it back two years later.
In 1871, William Winter was shot and killed on the porch of the house. Sarah stayed at the Myrtles with her mother and siblings until she died in 1878. Mary Cobb Stirling died in 1880, and the plantation went to her son Stephen. But the plantation had many debts, so Stephen sold it in 1886. The Myrtles changed owners several times until Harrison Milton Williams bought it in 1891.
20th and 21st Centuries
In the early 1900s, the land around the house was divided among Harrison Milton Williams's family. In the 1950s, the house itself was sold to Marjorie Munsons. The plantation changed owners a few more times in the 1970s. Then, James and Frances Kermeen Myers bought it and ran it as a bed and breakfast. The current owners, John and Teeta Moss, still offer tours and let guests stay overnight.
In August 2014, a fire happened at the old General's Store, which is very close to the main house. It caused a lot of damage, especially to a newer part of the building. Luckily, most of the original structure was saved, and the main house was not harmed at all.
The Myrtles Plantation is still a popular place for tourists. Many people visit because of its history and its connection to ghost stories. It has been featured in many books, magazines, newspapers, and TV shows.
Myrtles Plantation: Legends and Ghost Stories
People say that the Myrtles Plantation house was built on an old burial ground of the Tunica Indian tribe. Today, it's a bed and breakfast where you can stay overnight. They also offer special historical and mystery tours.
One famous legend says that William Winter, who was shot on the porch, stumbled inside the house and died on the 17th step of the stairs.
The Myrtles Plantation has been featured on many TV shows about ghosts and mysteries:
- In 2002, Unsolved Mysteries filmed a story about the alleged hauntings there.
- In 2005, Ghost Hunters visited the plantation.
- Other shows like Ghost Adventures and Most Terrifying Places in America have also explored the Myrtles.
- In April 2024, the plantation was featured on the TV series Files of the Unexplained.
See also
In Spanish: Plantación Myrtles para niños
