OAKLAND PLANTATION

A Creole-style residence dating from 1821. It was built by Jean Pierre Emmanuel Prud'homme, and the same family lived there until the 1950s; in fact, you'll hear about this family several times during your stay in Natchitoches. What sets Oakland apart from other plantations is the modernity of its kitchen, which dates back to the 1950s! The house was restored by Robert Harling, author of the play Steel Magnolias (which was adapted into a film in the late 1980s). The plantation overlooks a superb avenue of oak trees, the third longest in the state, and includes dozens of buildings, all of which have been preserved, making it the richest plantation from an architectural point of view. It still boasts 17 of its original outbuildings. These include the carpenter's workshop, the laundry, the dovecotes, the doctor's house, the foreman's house... The plantation is still surrounded by gardens and fields cultivated until 1980. The tour is self-guided, with the help of a map provided at the entrance (please check building opening hours, as some may be closed on certain days). Note that this historic site, like the Magnolia Plantation, is part of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park (www.canerivernha.org), which covers some 25 hectares. A visit to these two incredibly well-preserved plantations is a journey back in time, an immersive experience in the heritage of Creole culture.