Plantation Life

 

I wanted to tour a real southern plantation, if for no other reason than to quell the ideas in my mind of what plantation life was like in the south (think Gone with The Wind). 

On a cool, sunny day in December, we visited Destrehan Plantation, just outside of New Orleans. Destrehan was established in 1787, and is one of the oldest (still standing) sugar plantations in the Lower Mississippi Valley.

Destrehan Plantation has a varied story - it was once one of the largest sugar producing estates in southern Louisiana, and was also the location of the largest slave revolt in US history, where over 100 slaves were killed. More recently, the plantation house and surrounding buildings have starred in movies like Interview with a Vampire and 12 Years a Slave, and in numerous TV series like NCIS - New Orleans and Ravenswood.

Jim, our informative guide, dressed in period costume

Learned the story of house slave Marguerite, who when purchased from another plantation, was only allowed to bring 2 of her 5 children with her. She likely never saw the other 3 again.

Beautiful period furnishings

A well-equipped kitchen

The massive Southern Live Oak can live up to 800 years, and it will send branches out to the ground, not to root, but rather for additional stability as they age and grow. 

Spanish Moss, which grows on everything in the South, is not Spanish, nor is it moss!

The fibre inside Spanish Moss is sometimes called Horsehair

Jim, our guide at Destrehan, not only provided an engaging historical view of Destrehan and life at the time in the South, but also answered a lot of our questions about the flora and fauna of the area. Did you know Spanish Moss is not actually moss? Nor does it come from Spain! And the fibrous thread found inside the moss is also known as horsehair, and was once used to stuff household items like mattresses and furniture cushions. And I always thought my mother's antique sofa was stuffed with actual horsehair!!

And have my views of plantation life changed at all after visiting Destrehan? In fact, I think what I learned only (sadly) solidified what I already knew.