Homeplace Plantation House

Homeplace Plantation House, also known as Keller Homestead, is a National Historic Landmark on Louisiana Highway 18 in Hahnville, St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. Built 1787–91, it is one of the nation's finest examples of a French colonial raised cottage. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970 for its architecture.[2][3] It is private property, and is not open to the public.

Homeplace Plantation House
Homeplace Plantation in 1940
Nearest cityHahnville, Louisiana
Coordinates29.971057°N 90.407583°W / 29.971057; -90.407583
Area746 acres (302 ha)
Built1787
Architectural styleColonial
NRHP reference No.70000842
Significant dates
Added to NRHPApril 15, 1970[1]
Designated NHLApril 15, 1970[2]

Description and history

Homeplace Plantation House is located on the south side of the Mississippi River, in Hahnville, the parish seat of St. Charles Parish, about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of the local post office. The plantation house is set on a landscape lot at the southwest corner of LA 18 and Home Place. It is a two-story structure, with a hip roof and a two-story gallery porch encircling the structure. The first floor is built out of stuccoed brick, as are the pillars that support the second level of the gallery. The bricks used in the pillars were formed in wedge-shaped molds. The upper gallery is built out of cypress, as are the second-floor walls, floors, and ceilings. The timbers used in the walls have been chinked with clay and Spanish moss. The interior retains some original features, including wine racks in two basement storage rooms, and marble flooring in the dining room.[3]

The house was built sometime between 1787 and 1791, although it is unclear for whom. It was probably built by the same builder who constructed the Parlange Plantation House, with which it shares many similar features. It is, with Parlange, one of the best-preserved examples of this period of colonial French architecture. The house was owned in its early years by members of the Gaillard and Fortier families, and was purchased in 1889 by Pierre Anatole Keller.[3]

The house is not open to the public. The unoccupied house continues to deteriorate. One elderly owner (93 years old) reported he was not able to do critical maintenance and repairs. Hurricane Katrina (in 2005) broke windows, damaged the roof of the house, and damaged the pigeonnier.

  • Homeplace and Plantation, 2005
  • Rear view, 2015

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  2. "Homeplace Plantation House". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Archived from the original on 2011-03-08. Retrieved 2008-01-30.
  3. Patricia Heintzelman (July 14, 1975). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Homeplace Plantation House / Homeplace Plantation House (Keller Homestead)" (pdf). National Park Service. Cite journal requires |journal= (help) and Accompanying 4 photos, exterior, from 1975. (1.14 MB)
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