The rain came down in a steady pour. My travel umbrella did little to keep me dry.
I hustled to the gift shop at the Kent Plantation in Alexandria, Louisiana, to meet my guide, Brandy Stephens. She handed me a proper golf umbrella and led me to the house.
Inside, she began explaining the history of the mansion and those who occupied it in the 1700s.
It is an authentic Creole plantation house built circa 1795 prior to the Louisiana Purchase. The plantation house is one of the oldest standing structures in the state of Louisiana. It is built on the original land grant from the King of Spain.
The first owner was Pierre Baillio II and his family, who emigrated from France. Pierre’s father was an officer at Fort St. Jean Baptiste, in Natchitoches, Louisiana.
As we entered through the front door, she pointed to family portraits on the wall and continued to show me around the many rooms in this lovely house, an example of French Colonial Architecture.
Because of the rain, we didn’t go to the outbuildings, but we did stop at the family cemetery for a few minutes.
In addition to the interesting tour, the site also offers an excellent gift shop with many handmade items.
It was an interesting tour and a look at the French, Spanish, and American cultures from 1795 to 1855. I can easily recommend it for anyone interested in American history.
For more information, click here. For more information about visiting Alexandria, click here.
The outside plantation photo is courtesy of Kent Plantation
