Houmas House Plantation and Gardens

  • Also Known As: Burnside Plantation

  • Address: 40136 River Rd (LA 942)
  • Vicinity: W of Burnside off LA 22 and LA 44
  • Travel Genus: Sight , Visit
  • Sight Category: Museums

The Houmas house is significant in the area of architecture as an excellent example of a plantation house designed in the peripteral mode of the Greek Revival. It represents an important regional variation of the Greek Revival, which typified many of the grandest residences in the deep South. Houmas house is also historically important because under owner John Burnside in the 1850s and 60s it was the center of the largest slave holding in Louisiana. With over 800 slaves, it represented the largest economic unit in the prevailing slave economy of the state's pre-Civil War period. The plantation house began in the late 18th or early 19th century as a two-story, pitched roof brick building with end wall chimneys and a stuccoed exterior. The house had two rooms on each floor with a central staircase, six over six windows, and exposed beams, some of which were beaded. Although it presents a historic appearance, this old portion of the house has been much reworked. Changes made by Dr Crozat include the removal of the stairs, the addition of an upstairs hall with a Palladian window, the replacement of the fireplaces and mantels, and the installation of closets and cupboards.

In 1840 a square plan, two and a half-story, peripteral style mansion of stuccoed brick was built in front of the original portion. The normal rear gallery was omitted because of the close proximity of the old house. The 1840 portion is three rooms deep with a wide central hall plan. It has a graceful helix staircase set in a rear vestibule opposite a corresponding curving wall. The dining room and front parlor connect by means of wide doors. Significant exterior features include the handsome colossal Doric galleries, the Federal arched dormers, the cupola, and the movable louvered shutters. The axial formal garden, which extends to the sides and rear of the house, is largely the result of work done by former owner Dr George Crozat in the 1940s. In the 1940s Dr Crozat demolished a pair of rooms which had connected the older portion with the 1840 portion, and built a glazed breezeway with an arch at each end. He also installed a modern kitchen and bathrooms in the 1840s portion. - NPS


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Timeline

Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
Y/M/D Person Association Description Composition Food Event
1805/01/08 Daniel Clark Owner William Marrenner sells Daniel Clark Houmas Plantation with all its buildings, situated on the river Mississippi, in the district of the Fourche, at about 24 leagues above New Orleans.
1807/06/08 Daniel Clark Combatant William C C Claiborne and Daniel Clark duel at The Houmas.
1811/00/00 Wade Hampton I Home Daniel Clark sells Wade Hampton Houmas Plantation.
1825/00/00 John S Preston Home John Preston begins managing The Houmas
1828/00/00 John S Preston Architect Construction of Houmas Mansion is complete for Caroline Hampton.
1828/00/00 Caroline Hampton Home Construction of Houmas Mansion is complete for Caroline Hampton.
1850/00/00 Martin Luther Pipes Born Martin Luther Pipes is born at Houmas Plantation

Data »

Particulars for Houmas House Plantation and Gardens:
Historic Use Agricultural outbuildings
Area of Significance Architecture
Criteria Architecture-Engineering
Sight Category Building
Area of Significance Economics
Architectural Style Federal Style
Criteria Historic Event
Level of Significance National
Owner Private
Historic Use Secondary structure
Historic Use Single dwelling



US National Registry of Historic Places Data »

Accurate at time of registration:

PLACE DETAILS
Registry Name:
Registry Address:
Registry Number: 80001694
Resource Type:
Owner: Private
Architect: Preston,John Smith
Architectural Style: Federal
CULTURAL DETAILS
Level of Significance: National
Area of Significance: Economics, Architecture
Applicable Criteria: Event, Architecture-Engineering
Period of Significance: 1850-1874, 1825-1849, 1800-1824
Significant Year: c 1800, 1840
Historic Function: Domestic, Agriculture, subsistence
Historic Sub-Function: Agricultural outbuildings, Secondary structure, Single dwelling
Current Function: Domestic, Agriculture, subsistence
Current Sub-Function: Single dwelling Secondary structure Agricultural outbuildings

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