See the Historic Houmas House
As America expanded westward after the Lousiana purchase so too did migration and slavery. Louisiana was no stranger to either of these two historical expansions and many people moved to the new state in hopes of building a fortune for themselves and their descendants.
One of the first was Alexander Latil in the late 1700s, who constructed a sugar plantation after taking the land from the Houma tribe where the estate would get its name The Houmas. The heat and climate of the area were perfect for growing sugar cane which was quickly becoming a cash crop as the demand for the goods increased worldwide. The estate would be sold for the first time to Daniel Clark who would expand the operation even more. Clark would eventually go on to becoming New Orleans’ first delegate to the United States House of Representatives.
The Houmas would be sold a second time to Revolutionary War general Wade Hampton. Hampton would expand operations on the home like never before and quickly became one of the wealthiest landowners in the entire history of the American South. Hampton’s daughter, Caroline would eventually go on to marry another wealthy planter by the name of John Smith Preston who expanded the operations even more. It was Preston who constructed the iconic Greek Revival style home as it stands today which was eventually completed in 1840. The family would go on to sell the home to John Burnside the last owner before the Civil War. Burnside constructed numerous different buildings around the estate and began to purchase even more land in the surrounding area. With the conclusion of the Civil War, the Union tried to acquire the home to use as a base of operations during Southern occupation and reconstruction. Being a citizen of Great Britain, Burnside barred the United States from taking over the estate citing a diplomatic threat. The home would eventually fall into disrepair due to Burnside never marrying or having any descendants to inherit the home. Despite the home nearly falling into ruins it was eventually added to the United States registry of historic places and brought back to its historical prestige.
Today, The Houmas or the Burnside Plantation remains one of the most visited and iconic landmarks of the American South. When attending a Continuing Education Company Primary Care CME conference in New Orleans, there are plenty of exciting tours that will transport you back into the past whether you are interested in exploring the rich architecture and design of the home or the lavish gardens. The tour will enlighten you on the lavish lives of the families who called the estate their home and the hardships the slaves faced when forced to toil in the daily grind of producing and refining the sugar that was grown there. Besides its historical prominence, the home has also been featured as a popular filming location for both movies, advertisements, and television shows. Whether you’re looking for a place to go for a couple of hours or a day trip The Houmas House has plenty to offer and a lot to explore.
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