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This iconic sugar cane plantation has seen a lot of history over the years, so join me on this tour of this stunning Classical Revival house that is still there on the grounds. The plantation is left with 38 acres, down from the hundreds of acres that it started with. The Sugar Cane barons of the 18th century lived along the river and there were hundreds of plantations. The Houmas House is named after the Houmas indians who were natives of the area back in the 1700’s, when this land was settled. You can read all about the history of Houmas House on the History page of their website. In the Spring of 2003, the Estate of Dr. George Crozat auctioned off the entire contents of the mansion and grounds.
Guided Tours in Darrow, LA
Plantations in Louisiana are one of the most sought after attractions throughout the state. Located between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, The Houmas House Estate allows visitors to experience the life on a sugarcane plantation in the 1800’s. The mansion has been restored to the antebellum era, reflecting the opulence and wealth this sugarcane farm boasted in the 1880’s. The guided mansion tour walks through the 250 year history, showing the architectural evolution of this manor house and how it became a grand estate. Rare and period artwork and artifacts are displayed and used to explain plantation life. Situated on over 36 acres, the Houmas House was built in 1828 (though the venue itself dates back to the 1700’s) and completed in 1840.
Houmas House Estate and Gardens
The gardens are a phenomenal sight, adorned with lighted archways, wood-carved sculptures, and elegant water fountains. In 1882, Oliver enlisted his son-in-law, William Porcher Miles (widower of Elizabeth Beirne, Oliver’s daughter) to manage his Louisiana Estates. In 1888, at the age 77, he died in New Orleans, leaving as estate valued at over five million dollars. The Houmas was inherited by his five grandchildren, the children of William Porche Miles. In 1892, the children transferred all their interests to the Miles Planting Company and William P. Miles was appointed President. Houmas was the inspiration for The Antebellum, an 8,212 sqft estate and gardens in Grogan's Point.
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The mansion tour was an hour long and there were maybe 12 of us on the tour, so relatively small. The gal who did the tour was very knowledgeable and eager to share. Houmas House has a museum and 3 restaurants on the grounds, so it’s a great way to spend the day. The Houmas House has elegant architecture, captivating gardens, and a wealth of attractions, a visit to this enchanting estate offers an immersive journey into the past. Houmas House Plantation features breathtaking gardens that captivate for hours. The landscape design is an exquisite display of lily pads, ponds, lotus flowers, and exotic blooms.
What a lovely afternoon we spent walking around the beautiful gardens then touring the mansion . Our tour guide was a young girl who was very knowledgeable and brought the house to life ( sorry forgotten her name ) . Finished the day with a mint julep very nice indeed .Worth a visit. Guided mansion tours are offered daily and offer a glimpse of plantation life.
He provided lots of information about the house and was able to answer any questions we had about all the items of which we inquired. After the tour, you are free to roam the beautiful grounds for as long as you wish, and pretty much anywhere you wish. Kind of unusual given that the owner actually lives on the property.Our tour was at 7 pm on a Friday night (The house closes at 8 pm.), and we saw numerous couples dressed very nicely. We thought there was a wedding party on site, but it turns out that the "fine dining" restaurant was open. Cannot comment on the food, but it is apparently pretty popular. Sitting on a curve of the Mississippi River, the Houmas House and Gardens dates back 240 years.
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John Burnside arrives in New Orleans with Oliver Beirne in 1837 to open a dry goods store named Beirne and Burnside. After the death of Andrew Beirne in 1845, Oliver returned to Virginia to manage the family interests and the business Beirne and Burnside became J. Burnside and Company, the largest dry-goods store in the city of New Orleans. Burnside sold his very lucrative trading and dry goods business in New Orleans for $2,000,000 in 1858.
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You’ll see the herbs, fruits, and vegetables used in the restaurants at Houmas House Plantation, like basil, lemon balm, dill, mint, and edible flowers. Allow the tranquility of this oasis embrace you as you rest near the gardens’ many water features and listen to birds chirping nearby. John Burnside, 48 years old when he acquired the Houmas, immediately began enlarging his holdings and purchasing other sugar plantations along the Mississippi River. In a very short time he was dubbed “The Sugar Prince,” by attaining the largest sugar empire in the South. Along with his properties on the Mississippi, Burnside also purchased the largest estate in the City of New Orleans, then known as the Robb Mansion.
Other Haunted Plantations in Louisiana
The Houmas House & Gardens was open to the public in 2003, after extensive restoration of the house and gardens by the current owner, Kevin Kelly, a New Orleans businessman. Tours and ticket assistance are also available, and the hotel has three restaurants for guest dining. There is a coffee shop in the hotel, which also offers meeting rooms. This non-smoking hotel has designated outdoor smoking areas for guests. Plus, the hotel is close to golfing, shopping, and plenty of cultural attractions.
Guests can visit the River Road African American Museum, the Tanger Outlets, and the Pelican Point Golf Club, along with plenty of other local attractions. With its historic mansion, enchanting gardens, educational museum, delightful dining options, and even the opportunity to stay overnight, it’s a destination that caters to a wide range of interests. In 1940, the Miles family sold the Houmas to Dr. George Crozat. Dr. George Crozat engaged architect, Douglass Freret, to remodel and redesign the Classic Revival Mansion into a Williamsburg federal-style country home. The house was stripped of its belvedere railings and cupola ornaments, along with the decorative ornate entablature over the columns as well as removing the second floor rear bedroom wing.
They entertained with dinner parties, garden parties, buggy races and hunting excursions. In the 1920s, a failed sugar crop forced the family to sell off the plantation piece by piece. Finally, the family moved to New Orleans, and the Houmas was used mostly for weekend and Holiday retreats. Two rooms plus a separate bathroom make it spacious and perfect for staying a couple of days.
The Houma House Plantation is located at Highway 942, Darrow, Louisiana, which is about an hour’s drive from New Orleans. If you enjoy Southern Plantation and Garden tours as much as I do, you may want to read The Splendor of Middleton Place in South Carolina. During your visit to the Houmas House you can also visit the adjacent Great River Road Museum that features displays about life on the Mississippi. The engineers assigned to the project cited a change in the water table, damage from heavy equipment and other construction factors for the overnight transformation.
It was a working sugarcane plantation by 1803, when the United States obtained the area through the Louisiana Purchase. Shortly afterwards The Houmas was purchased by Daniel Clark, who began to develop the property and built one of the first sugar mills along this stretch of the river. In June 1807, Clark and territorial Governor William C. C. Claiborne fought a duel on the property, in which Claiborne sustained a gunshot wound to his leg. This haunted Louisiana plantation house features a 125-foot long veranda, which is well known for its ornamental ironwork. It also has a stained glass entrance that was hand-painted, etched and patterned after the French cross to ward off evil. As the oaks grew, the intertwined canopy created a welcoming scene to visitors from the River Road who enjoyed their cooling shade.
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