Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site
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4.1(34)yelp
PlantationHistory
Overview
Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site is an 8,000-square-foot (740 m2) historic home and former plantation located in St. Francisville, Louisiana, United States. Commissioned in 1835 by owners Daniel and Martha Turnbull and built by enslaved people under their control, Rosedown is one of the most documented and intact plantation complexes in the Southern United States.
Practical Info
Suggested Duration2-3.5 hours
Best TimeSpring (March to May) in the morning (9:30 AM - 12:00 PM) is an breathtakingly gorgeous window. This 1835 monumental Greek Revival estate features a 13-acre historic garden inspired by Versailles. Spring triggers the eruption of centuries-old azaleas lining the grand, moss-draped Live Oak avenue in a tunnel of pink.
Getting ThereLocated at 12501 LA-10 (Great Mississippi River Road) in St. Francisville. No public transit serves this historical corridor; driving is mandatory. From Baton Rouge, drive straight north on US-61 N for roughly 28 miles, turn right onto LA-10 at the main junction, and drive 0.5 miles to find the park entrance and its large free lot.
Travel Tips
- This state historic site enforces a permanent ban on all civilian drones; unpermitted flights yield equipment seizure and state court prosecution.
- Fragile 19th-century wallpaper and textiles are strict no-touch items; bags larger than small clutches must be surrendered to visitor lockers.
- The oak-lined approach features raw unpaved gravel that degrades into deep mud grids post-rain; a strict 10 mph speed limit is enforced on interior lanes.
Reviews
Positive
- The 1835 Classical Revival mansion is grand, but its most breathtaking feature is the hundreds-of-feet-long iconic historic live oak avenue; its visual impact leads the South.
- The 28-acre French-manicured historic gardens are perfectly intact, with marble sculptures and fountains beautifully upkept, exuding an Old Money noble texture.
- As a state historic site, admission is highly budget-friendly, including a deep guided tour by professional docents who explain the heavy history of enslaved cotton labor.
- Management is highly standardized, with level concrete accessible paths covering gardens; the free parking lot is massive, keeping the aura peaceful and non-commercial.
Heads up
- To guard fragile wallpapers and art, strict anti-photography and video bans are rigidly enforced inside the main house rooms, proving slightly rigid for tourists.
- The historic manor contains no modern accessible elevators due to heritage laws; climbing the steep stairs to the second-floor rooms is impossible for wheelchairs or elderly guests.
- Bordering humid bayou valleys and dense old woods, summer deer flies and mosquitoes thrive; stopping by the blooms for photos invites bug bites, requiring strong spray.
- During off-peak weekday mornings, costumed docents can be short-handed; you routinely have to wait in the welcome hall to assemble a large enough tour group before entry.