In Travel Journal

Historic Storytelling’: The Whitney Plantation

August 25, 2018 3 Mins Read

We are not makers of history, we are made by history. – Martin Luther King Jr.

History may not always be pretty, but it lets us know who we are. Where we have come from and helps shape where we are going. In December, I visited the Whitney Plantation in South Louisiana. I can honestly say that this was a great experience. I have never experienced so many different emotions during a tour. I went from happy, to sad, to angry. It gave me an honest look into what life was like on the Planation, showing both the good and bad sides of slavery. It made me appreciate the history of my home state no matter how brutal it was. This plantation, along with many others, is a must see if you are visiting Louisiana. It is about an hours’ drive from New Orleans.

The Whitney Plantation

The Whitney Plantation dates back to the mid-1700’s with the Haydel family, who emigrated from Germany to Louisiana in 1721. The Plantation’s major operations were the production of indigo and then sugar. Many of the original drums used in the process of making sugar can be found throughout the property.

You can find numerous statues throughout the property of the children said to have lived on the plantation during its active years. If you look closely at the statues, you’ll notice that none of the children have eyes. Purposely done by the sculptor as record keeping was pretty much non-existent during those days.

Enough about the history, I hope you enjoy the stories that these photos tell.

Plantation Home — Backside views of the Hydel House.

Plantation Kitchen Oven — The Whitney Plantation housed one of the 1st detached kitchens in Louisiana.

Plantation Jail — Jail used to hold slaves during slave auctions.

Plantation Slave Quarters — One of the three slave quarters that still stand.

Plantation Hall of Angels — Accounting of all of the slave children from the plantation days.

Plantation Plantains — Plantains growing on the plantation till this day.

Plantattion Tribute Slave Revolt — Tribute to the slaves that started a revolt for freedom that cost them their lives. Heads were placed on stakes up and down the River Road into New Orleans. Harsh!

Photographer — My Awesome brother, who helped me capture some of these awesome shots.

History has a way of teaching us something. Hopefully my pictures provided an accurate description of the emotions I felt while visiting this beautiful plantation.

Have you ever been to an old Plantation Home? Let me know in the comments.

Author Nadia

Hi, I’m Nadia. Full-time foodie. Part-time traveler. Book worm. Life lover. Quote hoarder. Compliance diva. Photographer. Travel consultant.

16 Comments

Renee L Stengel 6 years ago Reply

If we can learn from history, then there is the value. But oh what a tough pill it is to swallow sometimes…. I have visited many plantations, and the range of emotions are so very hard to put into words. Thank you for sharing this experience with us.
- Nadia Post Author 6 years ago Reply
  
  Hi Rene…thank you for your thoughts. I agree its is pretty hard to put in words.
Renata Feyen 6 years ago Reply

Never been to a plantation – seems very interesting
Melanie Frost 6 years ago Reply

Wow. What an interesting place! I love that they have a tribute to the slaves who died trying to find freedom. Those jails look incredibly menacing.
Monidipa 6 years ago Reply

History teaches us a lot of lessons. I didn’t have much knowledge about these Plantations. Seems interesting as well as saddening how slaves has to live in the past era. Glad that we are out of that. Amazing pics.
Pati Robins 6 years ago Reply

This place is so hard hitting and everyone should visit it at least once in a life time – in order to change the world we need to learn from the past x
Monica Suri 6 years ago Reply

History can always surprise us. I am amazed with the idea that as a Tribute to the slaves the Heads were placed on stakes up and down the River Road into New Orleans. Its painful to read
Nati 6 years ago Reply

History makes us but we also make history. I had a wise History teacher that told me History is not the actual facts that happened but what someone wrote about what happened. Since human rights became the aim of humanity, we can tell this story right. But there was a time the story was told by people of one single colour, and that’s not right.
Indu 6 years ago Reply

History always interests me and more so when it is told with visuals to feel and experience.
Fiona 6 years ago Reply

This is heartbreaking and intresting at the same time because there is so much history! I don’t think there is any good side to slavery except that it shows humaan suffering and resilience though all of it
Ayana Nell 6 years ago Reply

What a fascinating place! I love old homes and plantations if not for the photo ops, for all of the history they teach us. Those statues are chilling and good reminders of things we ought to be learning from our past.
Sayanti 6 years ago Reply

To make the world a better place, it is important that we learn from our past. I would love to visit this place someday
Heather 6 years ago Reply

WOW! There is So much we can learn from history. We should always keep learning. What an amazing and emotional experience.
Elizabeth O 6 years ago Reply

This is such a thought provoking post indeed. History can teach us so much and make us realise how far the world has progressed.
Becca Talbot 6 years ago Reply

I have never been to an old plantation home, but I really would like to – it looks fascinating! And has so much history and stories to tell x
Karen Lanzetta 5 years ago Reply

Thank you for sharing this visit to the plantation. Wow, it is hard to accept that this is part of our American heritage. And it is important to acknowledge this as part of our heritage.

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The Whitney Plantation

Have you ever been to an old Plantation Home? Let me know in the comments.

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