Magnolia Mound Plantation House
Encyclopedia
The Magnolia Mound Plantation House is a French Creole
house constructed in 1791 near the Mississippi River
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
. Many period documents refer to the plantation as Mount Magnolia. The house and several original outbuildings on the grounds of Magnolia Mound Plantation are examples of the vernacular
architectural
influences of early settlers from France
and the West Indies. The complex is owned by the city of Baton Rouge and maintained by its Recreation Commission (BREC). It is located approximately one mile south of downtown. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1972.
settler who arrived in 1786, who lived there with wife Jane Stanley Hillin, five children, and six enslaved
Africans: Thomas, John, Lucia, Catherine, Jenny, and Anna. On December 23, 1791, John Joyce, from Cork County, Ireland, purchased the 950 acres (3.8 km²) property. He, his wife Constance Rochon and their children lived in Mobile, Alabama
. By the time of his drowning, on May 9, 1798, during a sailing trip from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama
, Joyce held about 50 slaves at the plantation, who cultivated indigo, tobacco, cotton and sugar cane under supervision of an overseer.
The widow Constance Rochon Joyce married the widower Armand Allard Duplantier, an influential person in the city who had four surviving children from his first marriage. She brought 54 slaves to the marriage from her estate. He was a former captain of the Continental Army under the Marquis de Lafayette. They had five children together. From 1802-1805, they enlarged the house to accommodate their large family, although they used it mostly as a country house. M. Duplantier died in 1827.
Duplantier descendants owned the plantation until 1849; the property then had several owners through the late 19th century. At that time Louis Barillier (see portrait) sold the land and improvements to Robert A. Hart.
s run the plantation for him, including for years after the American Civil War
. In 1869 the manager was W.L. Larimore.
In the 20th century, Mrs. Blanche Duncan acquired Magnolia Mound Plantation through a family inheritance. In 1951, Mrs. Duncan commissioned the architectural firm of Goodman and Miller of Baton Rouge to do extensive alterations and additions.
After the property fell into disrepair, in 1966 the city of Baton Rouge exercised eminent domain
to purchase the house and 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) to preserve the house and buildings for their historic and architectural value. The property is a green space within the city.
During the late 19th century, owners added rooms under the gallery on the north and south sides. The basic form of the house is rectangular with a large hip roof
, which covers all rooms and galleries. During the early 19th century, double-hung windows were added.
The interior décor was altered during the early 20th century.
In 1998, the city installed an original, double slave cabin (c.1830) from Pointe Coupee Parish on the grounds to help interpret the lives of enslaved Africans. One half is furnished as it would have been in the early 19th century; the other half has an exhibit on slave life in Louisiana.
Additional outbuildings, some original to the plantation, show how the operations of the plantation were supported:
Open-hearth kitchen- The city reconstructed a separate outdoor kitchen building based on archaeological evidence. It is authentically furnished with vintage utensils, such as spider pots, a clock-jack, sugar nippers, waffle iron
, olla
jar and reflector ovens.
Overseer's House- original to the plantation, c. 1870.
Crop Garden- the crop garden contains indigo
, tobacco
, cotton, and sugar cane to depict Magnolia Mound's cash crops throughout its history.
Pigeonnier- A small pigeon house or dovecote, c.1825, typical of French Creole
plantations, to house squab and various game birds. Today it again houses a collection of live pigeons.
Carriage House- Holds a collection of vintage tools, as well as a weaver's workshop, that depict plantation chores c.1800-1820.
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
house constructed in 1791 near the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
in Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
. Many period documents refer to the plantation as Mount Magnolia. The house and several original outbuildings on the grounds of Magnolia Mound Plantation are examples of the vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
architectural
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
influences of early settlers from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the West Indies. The complex is owned by the city of Baton Rouge and maintained by its Recreation Commission (BREC). It is located approximately one mile south of downtown. The house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1972.
Early history
The plantation house, first a cottage, was one of the earliest buildings in the city of Baton Rouge. The land was owned originally by James Hillin, an early ScotsScottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
settler who arrived in 1786, who lived there with wife Jane Stanley Hillin, five children, and six enslaved
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
Africans: Thomas, John, Lucia, Catherine, Jenny, and Anna. On December 23, 1791, John Joyce, from Cork County, Ireland, purchased the 950 acres (3.8 km²) property. He, his wife Constance Rochon and their children lived in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
. By the time of his drowning, on May 9, 1798, during a sailing trip from New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, Joyce held about 50 slaves at the plantation, who cultivated indigo, tobacco, cotton and sugar cane under supervision of an overseer.
The widow Constance Rochon Joyce married the widower Armand Allard Duplantier, an influential person in the city who had four surviving children from his first marriage. She brought 54 slaves to the marriage from her estate. He was a former captain of the Continental Army under the Marquis de Lafayette. They had five children together. From 1802-1805, they enlarged the house to accommodate their large family, although they used it mostly as a country house. M. Duplantier died in 1827.
Duplantier descendants owned the plantation until 1849; the property then had several owners through the late 19th century. At that time Louis Barillier (see portrait) sold the land and improvements to Robert A. Hart.
After the Civil War
Edward J. Gay purchased the deed in the early 1860s and had several overseerOverseer
Rob Overseer is an English DJ/producer, born in Leeds whose works have been included in soundtracks for Animatrix, Snatch, Any Given Sunday and The Girl Next Door, as well as video games like Need for Speed: Underground, NFL Gameday 2004, several Matchstick Productions ski films, and Stuntman,...
s run the plantation for him, including for years after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. In 1869 the manager was W.L. Larimore.
In the 20th century, Mrs. Blanche Duncan acquired Magnolia Mound Plantation through a family inheritance. In 1951, Mrs. Duncan commissioned the architectural firm of Goodman and Miller of Baton Rouge to do extensive alterations and additions.
After the property fell into disrepair, in 1966 the city of Baton Rouge exercised eminent domain
Eminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
to purchase the house and 16 acres (64,749.8 m²) to preserve the house and buildings for their historic and architectural value. The property is a green space within the city.
Architecture
The cottage was originally four rooms, with side-by-side room arrangement. About 1812 it was expanded to a seven or eight-room house, including an extension for a formal dining room and two service rooms. A "U-shaped" gallery was constructed during this second stage of development. The Duplantier family used it as a country house.During the late 19th century, owners added rooms under the gallery on the north and south sides. The basic form of the house is rectangular with a large hip roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
, which covers all rooms and galleries. During the early 19th century, double-hung windows were added.
The interior décor was altered during the early 20th century.
In 1998, the city installed an original, double slave cabin (c.1830) from Pointe Coupee Parish on the grounds to help interpret the lives of enslaved Africans. One half is furnished as it would have been in the early 19th century; the other half has an exhibit on slave life in Louisiana.
Additional outbuildings, some original to the plantation, show how the operations of the plantation were supported:
Open-hearth kitchen- The city reconstructed a separate outdoor kitchen building based on archaeological evidence. It is authentically furnished with vintage utensils, such as spider pots, a clock-jack, sugar nippers, waffle iron
Waffle iron
A waffle iron is a cooking appliance used to make waffles.It usually consists of two hinged metal plates, molded to create the honeycomb pattern found on waffles...
, olla
Olla
An Olla is a ceramic jar, often unglazed, used for cooking stews or soups, for the storage of water or dry foods, or for other purposes. Ollas have a short wide neck and a wider belly, resembling beanpots or handis.-History:...
jar and reflector ovens.
Overseer's House- original to the plantation, c. 1870.
Crop Garden- the crop garden contains indigo
Indigo
Indigo is a color named after the purple dye derived from the plant Indigofera tinctoria and related species. The color is placed on the electromagnetic spectrum between about 420 and 450 nm in wavelength, placing it between blue and violet...
, tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
, cotton, and sugar cane to depict Magnolia Mound's cash crops throughout its history.
Pigeonnier- A small pigeon house or dovecote, c.1825, typical of French Creole
Louisiana Creole people
Louisiana Creole people refers to those who are descended from the colonial settlers in Louisiana, especially those of French and Spanish descent. The term was first used during colonial times by the settlers to refer to those who were born in the colony, as opposed to those born in the Old World...
plantations, to house squab and various game birds. Today it again houses a collection of live pigeons.
Carriage House- Holds a collection of vintage tools, as well as a weaver's workshop, that depict plantation chores c.1800-1820.
External links
- "Magnolia Mound Plantation House", National Park Service