As you walk between the 200-year old Oak trees towards the main house, the beauty is breathtaking. The story is intriguing! Come along for a tour of Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, LA. I know you will enjoy it as much as I did.
The History of Oak Alley Starts Years before the Main House
The story of the land of Oak Alley started with the Revolutionary War in 1779. At the Battle of Baton Rouge, Spain would gain control of the mighty Mississippi. This would begin the lineage of what would be known as Oak Alley Plantation.
The Beginning of Oak Alley Plantation
In 1820, Valcour Aime would purchase the property, which was to become Oak Alley. History can not tell us if he actually lived there, but there was a slave encampment on the property. At that time, slavery was used as manpower and labour. They would work the acres of sugar cane that were planted on the property.
During this time, in 1828. It was documented that two slaves ran away, Harriet in February and Sam in July. Sam, a blacksmith, would have a $100 reward and Harriet a $30 reward for their capture. Any shipping agent caught harbouring or helping a slave to escape would be subjected to the full extent of the law. History does not tell us if they were caught, but my hope is they found the freedom they were looking for.
As the sugar cane was grown and harvested, the couple that would make Oak Alley what it is today were born. Jaques Telesphore Roman was born in March of 1800, and the woman who would become his wife, Celina Pilie, was born in June of 1816. In 1834. they married and had a daughter. Louise would be born in 1835. The foundation had been created. Daughter Octavie (1837) and son Henri (1839) would follow to complete the family.
Jacques Obtains the Land of Oak Alley
The land that Oak Alley Plantation resides on was owned by Jacques’s mother. She had many acres of land in the area. Oak Alley was known as section 7. His mother passed in 1830, and his sister Josephine and her husband Valcour lived in her Plantation in St. James. After her passing, there would be six years of arguing on how to handle her estate. Some wanted it all to be auctioned off, but his mother specified in her will she did not want her slaves separated or sold.
Josephine wanted to stay at her mother’s Plantation, but most of the land had been willed to Jacques. A deal was made that Jacques would receive “section 7” and Josephine could stay at the Plantation in St. James. As was his mother’s wishes, Jacques would take most of her slaves with him to Oak Alley Plantation and keep them together.
The Main House is Built
The main house is expansive and beautiful. Set at the foot of an alley of oak trees, it would take three years to build. The mansion was built with the labour of the slaves making the bricks at the site. Built in a Greek Revival style by a contractor named George Sweeney, the marble, slate, and glass had to be brought in by steamboat.
When you view the expanse of the mansion and imagine the hands it took to put it all together in 1837, you just have to stop in awe of the detail and magnificent architecture that was so beautifully hand-crafted.
Surrounding the outside of the mansion are 28 columns that coincide with the 28 oak trees that line the alley. As you enter, the 15-foot ceilings and ornate decor catches your eye. The main staircase was moved, and a few things upgraded in the early 1900s, but for the most part, it is like walking back into the 1800s. With rooms such as the parlour room and formal dining room on the main floor and the bedrooms above, its elegance is something to behold.
The Alley of Oak Alley Plantation
When Jacque obtained the property, the small dwelling that was there was positioned differently, with the face of the dwelling facing the carriage road. Three oak trees were strategically placed around the dwelling.
About that time, a road was constructed along the Mississippi River, which abuts the Plantation. Jacque decided to build his mansion facing the new road and looking out onto the Mississippi River.
Allee is French for a tree-canopied walkway. An Oak Tree Alley was designed to lead to the main house. Twenty-eight mature oak trees were transplanted from throughout the property. Can you imagine moving these trees as old as 10 years old in 1837? The tree had to be dug up, roots and all, then loaded on a cart. Slaves and oxen would then move the cart to the desired spot to be planted. It must have been back-breaking work. The result 200 years later is almost magical.
The Slaves of Oak Alley
Slavery built and maintained this beautiful landscape. Building the mansion, taking care of the gardens, and working in producing the sugar cane that paid for it all.
It was the time when people could be sold, bought, and traded. Small cabins were built on the property to house the slaves. Whole families would live in a space that may be the size of your bedroom. There were no bathrooms or wash areas. That was to be done outside.
Fun Fact: After their freedom was declared, one of the first things the slaves built for themselves was outhouses. Gender specific with a full moon on the men’s and a cresent moon on the woman’s.
Different slaves had different jobs and statuses. Some worked in the house, cooking, cleaning, and serving. Even as personal valets, that would go with the family as they traveled. Others worked in the fields and tended the land and the animals on the plantation. During harvest season, these slaves would work up to 18-hour shifts to harvest, grind, and ship the sugar cane to New Orleans.
Oak Alley enslaved up to 120 people in its time before and during the Civil War, which would bring about the end of the enslavement of people.
Zephyr is a Free Man
Zephyr was a slave brought to Oak Alley from Jacques mother’s Plantation. Himself and his wife and his two children, Antoine and Bacchus, had been the property of Jacques mother, Louise Patin. In December of 1836, Jacques put forth a document to allow Zephre to be a free man. It would take until May of 1837 for those documents to finalize. It is interesting to note that while free, Zephyr stayed at the Plantation with his family.
Antoine and the Pecan Tree
At 25 years old, Antoine had a special gift for gardening. He was bought for $1000, which would have been a hefty price in those days and brought to Oak Alley. There were not many Plantation owners that recognized specialized talent among their slaves but Jacques was not one of them.
In 1846, a scientist, Dr. Colomb was trying to create a pecan tree with a softer shell. Pecan trees grew wild in Loiusiana, but the shells were far too hard to open to be a good sale in the retail market. Hearing of the incredible talent of the young slave at Oak Alley, he asked Jacques if Antoine could give it a try. Successful in his attempt, a grafted pecan tree with a softer shell was created. Jacques planted a grove of pecan trees and demanded they never be taken down. Sadly, that did not happen, but the story of the incredible talents of this young slave will live on with every pecan shell easily opened.
The Fall of Oak Alley
Jacques Roman would contract tuberculosis at the young age of 48 and pass away in April of 1848. Although leaving in his will, very specific instructions on how the property was to be handled upon his death, his instructions were not followed.
Celina would take control of running the Plantation and finances instead of Jacques brother as requested. Slaves would be sold, and the plantation mismanaged. Yellow fever and Clolera would desend on the area from 1853 to 1857 and run rampant through the slave communities due to the lack of sanitary conditions. It was all falling apart.
Henri Comes Home
Henri Roman would come home from college and university to a mess. Jacques had left equal shares to his wife and his children. After a bitter battle with his mother and Louise Henri purchased their shars of Oak Alley.
Henri’s reign at Oak Alley would not be an easy one. In April of 1861, the Civil War began with uprisings as they never have seen before. Henri would join the Confederate army in 1861 but was returned home due to illness in 1862.
During this time in 1862, New Orleans would fall to the union. At Celina’s house in New Orleans, the slaves were taking their freedom ( self-emancipate) before a declaration was signed. In 1863, an Emancipation order was signed, which freed all slaves from their owners’ bondage. According to Union General Butler’s Order, all people would have to be paid for their labor.
With the freeing of the slaves the plantations economic structure tumbled. Work that was free before had to be paid. Some slaves left to find work elsewhere while a few remaining stayed. In 1866, Henri would sign Oak Alley back over to his family , just two short days later, his mother, Celina, would pass at the age of 50.
The Restoration of Oak Alley
Between the years of 1866 and 1925, Oak Alley would be sold and bought many times.with the plantation failing badly, it was sold at auction to John Armstrong for the relatively small amount of $32,000. After that it changed hands many times. The property had been used as a farm as well as a family home. In 1924, it was handed to the bank in disarray again.
Andrew Stewart purchased Oak Alley in 1925 as a gift to his wife, Josephine. His wife loved her new home, and together, they worked to restore Oak Alley to its former glory. They entertained in the formal dining room, and Mrs. Stewart would show her guests the beautiful gardens she had designed. Sadly, Mr. Stewart would pass away in 1946. Mrs. Stewart would live on at Oak Alley for another 26 years.
Oak Alley Foundation is Created
In 1966, a foundation was created to preserve and promote Oak Alley. In 1978, Oak Alley was designated as a National Heritage Site. Today, they are still a non-profit organization that do a beautiful job with maintaining the big house as well as the surrounding property.
I so enjoyed my tour of Oak Alley. The guides were knowledgeable and interesting with their stories of life at Oak Alley. Take a self guided tour of the grounds or/and a guided tour of the mansion. There was also a delightful young man who told the story of slave life at Oak Alley. Visit the Oak Alley Plantation Restaurant and Inn and enjoy a great meal after the tour while you stay in their cozy cottages that are located on the grounds. There is plenty to see and do at Oak Alley.
When you are in the area, make this a stop on your travel itinerary. I am so glad I made this a stop on my RV Winter Destination tour.
Thanks for coming along on my Chipmunk Adventure to Oak Alley.
Love this blog! Coffee is a great tip! Thanks for your support!
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love the history lesson
It was an interesting tour, for sure! Thanks for coming along!