The plantation first raised indigo, corn, and rice. But Soon they converted to growing sugarcane, a much more lucrative crop after Etienne deBore discovered an inexpensive method of granulating sugar in 1795. During Destrehan’s lifetime the plantation grew extensively.

Like many planters along the Mississippi, Destrehan was as interested in having a large family as he was in producing sugar. The solid brick garconnieres, somewhat attached on both sides of the main house, were additions to accommodate the increasing family. These two new units, though slightly asymmetrical in size, conformed so well with the original West Indies-style architecture, they seemed part of the structure.

In 1823 Stephen Henderson, a wealthy Scotsman, took Destrehan Plantation over. He married Lelia Destrehan; her death preceded her husband’s though she was only half his age. Henderson died in 1838, leaving a most complicated will. Because the will was contested by his surviving relatives, most of its provisions were set aside by the Louisiana Supreme Court. Henderson had directed that upon his death his slaves be emancipated, given an acre of land, a mule and a cow, or, if they chose, given passage to Liberia. The litigation over this and other then controversial philanthropic provisions in the will continued for years, and most of the estate went for legal fees.

In 1839 Judge Pierre A. Rost, another son-in-law of Jean Destrehan, acquired Destrehan Manor. Rost began an extensive renovation, altering the house’s West Indies appearance to conform with the then-popular Greek Revival style. Great white pillars were formed by covering the earlier wooden colonettes with brick and plaster. The original bousillage entre poteaux (Spanish moss and sand between posts) walls were lathed over, plastered, and scored to resemble granite stones.

One of Destrehan’s outstanding architectural features is its high-peaked West Indies-style roof. Three smallish dormer windows and two asymmetrical chimneys jut out from the roof. The original heart-of-cypress, handhewn beams are visible throughout the house. Also in the house is a large marble bathtub said to have been a gift from Emperor Napoleon I to Jean Noel Destrehan.

Many noted guests were entertained at the manor house during the years the Destrehans and their descendants occupied the property. Two of the most famous were the Duc d’Orleans, who became king of France, and the renowned pirate-hero Jean Lafitte, whose ghost appears during stormy nights pointing to where he hid some of his treasure.

Union forces seized the house during the Civil War and turned the property into a Freedman’s Bureau colony, housing hundreds of newly freed slaves. The property was returned to the Rost family through presidential intercession in 1866, and remained in the family until 1910.

Since 1914, Destrehan has been the property of various oil refining companies that still utilize some of the acreage. In 1972 the manor house, devastated by neglect, vandalism, and the elements, was donated to the River Road Historical Society. This dedicated, nonprofit group began an immediate restoration of the manor house and several acres of picturesque grounds. Today, Destrehan Manor House is open daily to the public. All proceeds from admissions, annual festivals, and profits from the charming antique and gift shop are dedicated to Destrehan’s continuing restoration.

For more information on the Destrehan Plantation read more at the Hotel Monteleone.

Bocage translates to Shady Retreat. The plantation home was built in 1801 by I Marius Pons Bringier as a wedding gift to his daughter Francoise and her husband Cristophe Colomb, an alleged descendant of the famous explorer. Bringier, head of the wealthy and powerful Bringier family, owned several plantations along the Mississippi River in South Louisiana.

Francoise, at the time of her wedding, was only fourteen years old; her husband Cristophe was thirty-one.  Cristophe was quite a remarkable character: He was invalved in the French Revolution and escaped from his native country to flee the guillotine. His departure reportedly led him to his uncle’s island plantation in Santo Domingo, where a slave uprising forced him to flee again – this time to Philadelphia and then on to a French Louisiana.

Cristophe and Francoise’s relationship was very unusual for the time, but it was harmonious. Fanny, as she was popularly known, had inherited the Bringier aptitude for business, and ran the plantation. Cristophe’s talents, however, were in the arts: He was an accomplished singer, musician, poet, and dancer. The usual roles were thus reversed in this marriage. Fanny directed I the work in the cane fields and sugar mills, while her husband wrote poetry and entertained at their social gatherings. He even had a fancy boat built for himself, with a silken canopy and friezing on the sails. His slaves rowed the boat along the bayous and waterways, taking Cristophe to relatives and friends.

The two-story house itself is almost square, constructed of wood on the upper level and brick on the lower level. Its front gallery is supported by six large square pillars and a pair of smallish pillars at the center, forming a novel facade. A high entablature with Empire details hides the roof and most of the chimneys. After a fire in the late 1830s Bocage was extensively remodeled, emphasizing Greek Revival and Empire detailing. Bocage and many of its counterparts fell to decay and abandon after the Civil War. It was rescued by Drs. E. G. and Anita Crozat Kohlsdorf, who restored the home and gardens to their former glory. Their restoration included furnishing the house with elegant antiques. Mr. and Mrs. Richard Genre are the present owners; Mrs. Genre . is the niece of the late Anita Crozat Kohlsdorf.

For years the house has been open to plantation tours by appointment. It is located about two miles north of Burnside along the east bank of the Mississippi.

For more information on the Bocage Plantation visit the Hotel Monteleone.

The brown Pelican is our state bird and it has left New Orleans a few times before in the past because of a polluted environment. They say the brown pelican is particularly at risk because it dives beneath the water’s surface to forage. Not only could pelicans eat tainted fish and feed it to their young, but their feathers could become oil-soaked, causing hypothermia or drowning. I hope and pray that this oil spill doesn’t push our State bird away from us again.

In Louisiana we have a plethora of animals and critters in this state because of the fertility of the region. The fertility has a lot to do with the Mississippi River Delta. New Orleans is kind of like the drainage system of the largest river in the country and like most drainage it is full of everything. The good, bad and ugly. Kind of like a big pot of gumbo. If it is possible to keep a positive attitude about this oil spill tragedy I would have to say if you are going to spill thousands of barrels of oil into a region Louisiana may be one of the only regions who can handle it. Hopefully all of our massive amounts of plant life will soak up the oil and will not transfer the oils toxic chemicals to the local wildlife.

If you are not satisfied with just praying on this one then I recommend that you volunteer with the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. For more information of the Aquarium of the Americas visit the Hotel Monteleone’s listing.

If you are visiting the city of New Orleans and you would like to experience an authentic southern plantation pre-civil war then the San Francisco Plantation should be on your list. It is only 30-40 minutes from downtown and it is on the Mississippi river. The history of the plantation, like all plantations, is thick and laced with tragedy. The owner was a “free man of color” and his wife and six out of his eight children died of tuberculosis. When the owner passed, one of his two surviving sons Valsin’s, moved back from Germany to take over the home. He and his German wife did not want to stay but were forced to because of the massive debt the home was in. This story does not end with a happy ending because Valsin later died of tuberculosis. The unusual name “San Francisco” is believed to be derived from Valsin’s comment about the extraordinary debt he was confronted with when taking over the estate. He declared he was sans fruscins or “without a penny in my pocket.” The name evolved into St. Frusquin and, in 1879, was changed into “San Francisco” by the next owner, Achille D. Bougère. I believe that they should of called it Tuberculosis Plantation because of the eight residence who died of it. There is also a story that Valsin’s children both died in the home, one may have falling down the stairs. This is why the house is said to be haunted!

The San Fransico Plantation is the only authentically restored plantation in Louisiana and it is on the Mississippi river. This is a rarity because in 1932 the Army Corps of Engineers finished building the levee system and destroyed many historic Plantations that were built on the river bank. Thanks to local residents who lobbied the Louisiana legislature to pass a measure that would save as many plantations along the River Road as possible. The Army Corps of Engineers moved the levee around the Plantation to protect it and the land from flooding.

The only negative of the Plantation is the surrounding area has a lot of industrial buildings for the shipping business. I recommend that you read the Hotel Monteleone’s review of the San Francisco Plantation.