Rosedown Plantation

Description:

• By far the most impressive and historic of the more far-flung plantations, Rosedown is notable for its dramatic gardens and a tour stuffed with intriguing bits of facts and trivia, courtesy of more than 8,000 documents in their archives. Just east of St. Francisville, Rosedown was completed in 1834 for Daniel Turnbull (whose son, William, married Martha Washington's great-great-granddaughter) on land granted by the Spanish in 1789 to a founder of the Port of Bayou Sara on the Mississippi River. The two-story house, flanked by one-story wings, combines classic and indigenous Louisiana styles. It has the typical columns and wide galleries across the front, and it's made of cement-covered brick. A wide avenue of ancient oaks, their branches meeting overhead, leads up to the house. The 28 acres of historic gardens were begun in 1835 and came to be one of the great horticultural collections of the 19th century as well as one of the nation's most significant historical gardens in the 20th century. Fittingly, marble statues of gods and goddesses (brought back from trips to Europe by the family) dot the winding pathways. Unfortunately, ownership of Rosedown has changed a couple of times, finally landing in the hands of the state of Louisiana. In the process, many of its wonderful family treasures have been lost (well, sold, but don't get anyone started on that scandal), so what you see will depend on an ongoing process. Still, you can easily spend 2 hours wandering through house and gardens.

• © Frommer's 2012

Awards:

Frommer's

•  Highly Recommended 2010