Oakland Plantation (Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

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

Oakland Plantation House
Location in Louisiana Show map of Louisiana Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Nearest city	Natchitoches, Louisiana
Area	42 acres (17 ha)
Built	1818
Architectural style	French Colonial Creole
NRHP reference No.	79001073
Added to NRHP	August 29, 1979
Designated NHLD	January 3, 2001

Oakland Plantation, also known as Bermuda, was originally called the Jean Pierre Emmanuel Prud'homme Plantation. It is a very old and important plantation located in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana.

This plantation is a great example of a French Creole cotton farm. It shows how plantations worked in the past, especially how enslaved people were forced to work for the owners. Today, the National Park Service owns Oakland Plantation. It is part of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park.

Oakland Plantation has been recognized as a special place. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. It is also a notable stop on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail. In 2001, it was named a National Historic Landmark, which means it's super important to the history of the United States.

Location and Surroundings
History of Oakland Plantation
- Early Years: The 19th Century
- The 20th Century and Beyond
Images for kids
See also

Location and Surroundings

Oakland Plantation is found within the Cane River Creole National Historical Park. This park is part of the wider Cane River National Heritage Area. The plantation sits on a curve of the Cane River Lake. You can reach it by Louisiana Highway 119 in the Bermuda community. This area is close to Natchitoches, the main town in the parish.

Oakland Plantation is also near other famous plantations. These include Magnolia Plantation, which is also a National Historic Landmark, and the Melrose Plantation. The plantation is also connected to the Isle Brevelle community, a local Creole community.

History of Oakland Plantation

Early Years: The 19th Century

The main house at Oakland Plantation was finished in 1821. It was built by Jean-Pierre Emanuel Prud'homme and his wife, Marie Catherine (Lambre) Prud'homme. Their family says that Oakland was one of the first places in the area to grow a lot of cotton. This cotton was grown and picked by enslaved African Americans.

The plantation also had many farm animals. There are still buildings today that show this, like a dipping vat for animals, a turkey shed, and a mule barn. There were also two pigeonniers (dove houses) and several chicken coops.

The Prud'homme family also ran a general store on the plantation. For many years, this store also served as the Bermuda U.S. Post Office. The plantation grew and became very successful during the 1800s.

The 20th Century and Beyond

In 1904, a family member named J. Alphonse Prud'homme won a gold medal. He won it at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis for growing the best cotton in the South.

In 1994, the Cane River Creole National Historical Park was created by Congress. The National Park Service bought the main buildings and land of Oakland Plantation for the park in 1997. Since then, they have worked hard to protect and restore the many old buildings. They have also furnished the plantation house with items from the 1860s. This shows what it looked like at the end of the time when plantations relied on enslaved labor.

The park helps visitors learn about the history of the people who lived and worked there. This includes the story of emancipation (when enslaved people became free). It also covers the history of freedmen and Creoles of color. These people and their families lived and worked on Oakland Plantation for almost 100 years after the American Civil War. They were a very important part of the community. Even today, many descendants of the Prud'homme family still live in the area.