Laura Plantation

I spent two days going from plantation to plantation in the area along the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. This is the first place we went, and in a number of ways it was the most interesting. The house was by no means grand, so it differed from many of the palatial homes in the neighborhood. It was built entirely from swamp cypress, which was the norm. The family was of mixed race, and Creole. So they were catholic and they spoke French. But they also had slaves. Lots of them. Probably around two hundred at the time of the Civil War. The guide (who had read the memoirs of a previous owner, but may have been making this up, who knows) said that slavery was not about color but about class distinctions. I am pretty sure if I was a slave I would disagree with that assessment.

This plantation was a family run business for four generations, and three of the generations had women at the helm of the enterprise. The plantation went not to the eldest, or to a man, but rather to the offspring that was felt to be best able to handle the place. This caused considerable resentment--no surprise there--and impressive pressure from parents who were not chosen to raise a child who would be deemed worthy of inheriting the plantation, lock, stock,and barrel.

The construction of the house was fascinating. And not fancy. The house was assembled in the swamp with hole and peg construction, so it could be taken down, carried someplace, and reassembled. Voila! The foundation goes down 8 feet under ground and is set on a series of pyramidal supports under each pillar--so as to prevent it from sinking into the river sand upon which is was built. I liked the practicality of it, as well as the finished product.

They did a lot of painting on the doors--which I liked alot. It fit in the place--as did the brightly painted exterior--with not just three colors but bright ones. This is a part of the United States that reminds me of Nicaragua. The heat and humidity invite boldness, a lushly colored living space. Unlike New Orleans, which was where the city house was, there is no ornateness in this place. It is beautiful but utilitarian.