Kent Plantation House
Kent Plantation House
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File:Kent Plantation House.jpg | |
Location | 3601 Bayou Rapides Road, Alexandria, Louisiana, USA |
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Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha)[1] |
Built | 1800 |
Architect | Pierrre Baillio II |
Architectural style | Greek Revival, Creole architecture |
NRHP Reference # | 71000362 |
Added to NRHP | 5 August 1971[2] |
Kent Plantation House is the oldest standing structure in Central Louisiana. Listed since 1971 in the National Register of Historic Places, Kent House is located in Alexandria in Rapides Parish. It is a representation of southern plantation life between 1795 and 1855. The main structure was erected in 1800. The bousillage Creole house and restored period outbuildings are now a showcase for tourists.[3]
History
Kent Plantation House displays original artifacts from people who worked and lived at the house during its operation.[4]
Buildings
H. Parrott Bacot, former director of the Anglo-American Art Museum at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, led the interior restoration.[5]
The several outbuildings surrounding the main structure are furnished with Federal, Sheraton, and Empire pieces.[6]
The Milk House was built between 1820 and 1830; dairy products, such as cheese, milk, and butter, were prepared and stored there.[4] The Slave Cabin shows the primitive conditions in which the slaves at the plantation lived.[4] The Blacksmith Shop was constructed about 1815. The Kitchen contains an open hearth fireplace for cooking.
Marker Text
The marker at the front entrance of the Kent Plantation House reads:
Kent House, the oldest known standing structure in Rapides Parish, was built by Pierre Baillio, completed in 1800. Baillio constructed the house on land received through a Spanish land grant circa 1794.[7]
See also
Gallery
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Kent House, Alexandria, LA, closeup of building IMG 4211.JPG
Close-up of the plantation house
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Kent Plantation House Visitor Center, Alexandria, LA IMG 4182.JPG
Visitor Center
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Tour guide at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4216.JPG
Outdoor tour guide at Kent House
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Milk House, Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4212.JPG
Milk House (constructed prior to 1830)
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Utensils inside the Milk House at Kent Plantation House IMG 4186.JPG
Various utensils inside the Milk House
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Kitchen at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4214.JPG
Kitchen
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Open hearth cooking, Kent Plantation House IMG 4213.JPG
Open-hearth cooking on the plantation; still done on a weekly basis by the Kent House staff
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Laundry facilities at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4219.JPG
Laundry room
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Barn at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4234.JPG
Barn at Kent House
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Blacksmith shop, Kent Plantation House IMG 4228.JPG
Blacksmith shop
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Bamboo hammer, Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4227.JPG
A wooden hammer
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Cotton plants at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4229.JPG
Cotton stalks at Kent House
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Oak tree at Kent House in Alexandria, LA IMG 4245.JPG
Towering oak tree at Kent House
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Syrup-making center at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4247.JPG
The center for the making of cane syrup at Kent House
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Cane syrup at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA, IMG 4238.JPG
Cane syrup in trough is ready for use.
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Bottle tree, Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4246.JPG
Bottle tree, according to southern tradition, would ward off evil spirits.
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Bousillage exhibit, Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4188.JPG
Bousillage, a mixture of clay and grass, is a key building material of Kent House.
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Indoor tour guide at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4208.JPG
Indoor tour guide at Kent House
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Dining table at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4191.JPG
Dining table; the wooden fan from the ceiling was attached to a rope and powered by servants for cooling the room.
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Parlor at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4196.JPG
Parlor, where tea, an expensive item in that day, was served
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Boys' bed at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4189.JPG
Boys' bedroom
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Girls' bedroom at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4201.JPG
Girls' bedroom
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Master bedroom at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4206.JPG
Master bedroom
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Bathtub at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4207.JPG
Bathtub in master bedroom
References
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External links
- Kent Plantation House - official site
- Pages with broken file links
- Houses completed in 1800
- Creole architecture in Louisiana
- Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana
- Plantations in Louisiana
- Houses in Alexandria, Louisiana
- Museums in Rapides Parish, Louisiana
- Historic house museums in Louisiana
- Visitor attractions in Alexandria, Louisiana
- The National Society of the Colonial Dames of America