Oak Alley Plantation is a historic sugar plantation active in the mid 1800’s. The beautiful grounds are situated around 150-300 year old oaks planted to highlight the view of the Mississippi. The interior main hall took advantage of the natural air conditioning as cooler breezes blew from the river, down the alley of trees and into the home.
Wrought iron gates welcome you on to the plantation where a sugar kettle, now filled with goldfish, sets the tone of the purpose of this grand estate.
This alley parallel to the Mississippi River is lined with crepe myrtles and camelia. It takes us to the main alley of the estate which runs from the river to the Big House and on to the slave quarters.
The slave quarters are replica’s of the original buildings and were occupied from 1835 until the end of the Civil War in 1865.
You can see the Big House at the end of the alley from the slave quarters.
The Big House was was a gift from a wealthy Creole sugar planter to his wife in the mid 1800’s and is in the Greek Revival style.
This side of the Big House faces the mighty Mississippi and it’s alley is lined with 300 year old Virginia Live Oaks covered with drought resistant resurrection ferns. Since live oaks have a life span of 600 years, these stately trees are only middle aged.
The exterior of the house is inviting and has many places to rest and sit. Seeing this woman in costume in January when the weather was relatively cool, made me think that summers in hoop skirts would have been nearly unbearable.
The Big House interior was also grand and formal as you can see. Bedrooms occupied the second floor where the children occupied one room all together, including infants who slept in a beautifully carved wooden cradle.
You can find more information at OakAlleyPlantation.com to find out more history of the sugar plantation and the old days in the deep south. There is a restaurant on the grounds so take your time to stroll the grounds and imagine what life would have been like over 100 years ago.