February 23, 2017

Wallace, Louisiana: Whitney Plantation; things to do

Whitney Plantation  

5099 River Rd./Hwy. 18, in WALLACE, (225) 265-3300. 

Dedicated now to telling the story of slavery, this former indigo, then sugar plantation is on the National Register of Historic Places.  The focus at Whitney Plantation is on the lives of the plantation’s slaves in the 1830s and the story is told through their eyes.  The tour is mostly outside and begins with a memorial site where names are etched into shiny granite walls.  This spot is meant to be a place to contemplate and grieve, and it records the names of 107,000 people held in bondage in Louisiana from 1719 to 1820.  Another area known as The Field of Angels memorializes the 2,200 children who died in this parish.

memorial overview at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
memorial overview at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana


memorial plus guide at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
memorial plus guide at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana


memorial name detail at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
memorial name detail at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana


memorial picture and name detail at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
memorial picture and name detail at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana


During the walking tour, visitors see both the last surviving example of a French Creole barn and the oldest detached kitchen in Louisiana.  The Big House is considered the earliest and best-preserved raised Creole cottage in Louisiana and is furnished with era pieces, but it is in great need of repairs and access is poor.  All of these structures were built by slaves.

Big House at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
Big House at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana


slave cabin with child sculptures at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
slave cabin with child sculptures at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana


A picturesque small church with a tall steeple was moved here from across the river.  It is now populated with child sculptures, by Woodrow Nash, that represent slaves who were freed and whose stories are told here.   

exterior of church at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
exterior of church at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana


child sculptures by Woodrow Nash, inside church at Whitney Plantation in Wallace, Louisiana
child sculptures by Woodrow Nash, inside church at Whitney Plantation
in Wallace, Louisiana




More nearby plantations.

More ideas for exploring the U.S.

images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

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