Houmas House and Gardens
by Mary Fonseca
Construction on stately, Greek Revival, Houmas House was completed in 1828 by Colonel John Preston and his wife, Caroline, and joined by a rear carriageway to a French Provincial home built in the1700s by Alexander Latil. Latil and a partner acquired the land from the Houmas Indians.
The Prestons planted an impressive oak alleé, and an extensive lawn bordered with attractive garden beds. Houmas House was spared destruction during the Civil War because the next owner, John Burnside was a British subject. The plantation continued to prosper under the stewardship of Col. William Porcher Miles, who married one of Burnside's heirs. But, in the beginning of the twentieth century, the plantation was parceled out to family members, and much of the land was sold. The two houses languished within unkempt gardens until Dr. George B. Crozat, a New orleans orthodontist, rescued them in 1940. He restored the antebellum residences and its diminished twenty-acre grounds.
Crozat was an ingenious, green-thumbed gardener who often nursed castoff plants back to health and planted them in Houmas house's revitalized gardens. His heirs maintained the ancient oaks, and lovely gardens with the same hands-on attention given by the doctor who entrusted his cherished home to their care.
In 2003, Kevin Kelly purchased Houmas House and extensively renovated the mansion and the Latil house. He has surrounded the homes with new gardens, pools, and fountains that have made Houmas House a showplace among River Road plantations. Visitors can also enjoy two restaurants, a wine cellar tasting room, and a gift shop. For more information on Houmas House visit the plantation's website at www.houmashouse.com
Ancient oaks, once part of an extensive oak alleé in front of Houmas House, still adorn the front of the historic mansion completed in 1828.
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Houmas House was built on land
originally owned by the Houmas Indians
and was named after them.
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Women's Parlor, Houmas House
The interior of the mansion is decorated
with priceless antiques. Shown here are
furnishings in the Women's Parlor.
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The two garçonières at Houmas House originally provided housing for young men after they reached the age of 14. After that age they were not allowed in the main house without permission of their parents, or in the case of guests, their hosts. |
The hearth in the French Provincial house Alexander Latil
constructed on the property in the mid-1700s is still used to
prepare special dishes for events at Houmas House.
The Latil house is directly behind the mansion
and is connected by a carriageway.
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Title photo, garconniere photo, and women's parlor photo courtesy of Houmas House. All other photos by Mary Fonseca
© 1999 Mary Fonseca. All rights reserved.
