Laura Plantation
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Laura Plantation is a historic plantation in St. James Parish, Louisiana on the West Bank of the Mississippi River near Vacherie, Louisiana
Originally known as DuParc, the plantation was established in 1755, and the current plantation house built in 1805 by a French Creole family. It continued functioning as a plantation into the 20th century, then became a historic site and tourism attraction.
Creole French versions of the West African Br'er Rabbit stories were collected here by folklorist Alcée Fortier the 1870s.
In 2004 the plantation house was significantly damaged by an electrical fire. Restoration work was completed in 2006, despite the interruption of Hurricane Katrina.
The plantation complex consist of the "big house", several outbuildings, including six original slave quarters, and a Maison de Reprise (a second house or mather-in-law cottage). The fact that the slave quarters still exist make this plantation a significant historic site.
Shaded by the low branches of the large oak trees, the main house is almost hidden from the road. Constructed in c. 1805, the "big house" at Laura has a raised brick basement story and a briquette-entre-poteaux (brick between posts) upper floor. Also noteworthy are the federal style interior woodwork and Norman roof truss.
The interior of the "big house" is furnished with original antiques. Some pieces the families of the original owners donated to the plantation. They have left some areas inside the home unrestored to give tour goers a sense of history about the house. They have a large collection of family knickknacks and apparel on display. Much of what is known about daily life on Laura Plantation was learned from Laura Locoul Gore's memoirs.
Laura Locoul Gore was the fourth mistress of the plantation. She was born in the house in 1861. She inherited it and ran it as a sugar business until 1891, when she gave up the Creole lifestyle and sold the plantation to the St. James Sugar Cooperative with the condition the plantation always be called Laura.
Laura Plantation's association with the Brer Rabbit tales drew preservationist Norman Marmillion's attention to the site. He created a for-profit company that attracted enough investors to embark on a ten year plan of restoration. Some of the investors are the descendents of the families whom have owned the plantation
The Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox tales are stories that originated in Senegal and were brought to America around the 1720s by slaves. According to the plantation's history a neighbor named Alcee Fortier came to Laura and wrote down the stories he heard the slaves telling their children in Louisiana Creole French. These stories were about Compare Lapin and Compare Bouki (the clever fox and stupid fool). Twenty five years later Fortier published his stories calling them "Louisiana Folktales." One year after thet, these stories were adapted and published by his friend and colleague, Joel Chandler Harris. They were called "The Tales of Br'er Rabbit."
[edit] Print references
- Taylor, Delia. (Aug.10,1993). The Greater Baton Rouge Business Report. Feb.1,2008
- Speakman, Stephanie. (1998, September 20) World of the Bayou and the Plantation.
[edit] External links
