MELROSE PLANTATION

Placed under the sign of strong women, this plantation of 1796 has a rich history and many legends, beginning with that of Marie-Thérèse Coincoin, a slave who owned the house by receiving it from her master, Thomas-Pierre Metoyer. He offered her freedom and the house, after having given her many children, four of whom were black and ten Franco-African. His son Augustin is considered the grandfather of the descendants of the Cane River country. Betty, who still gives tours of the site today, is herself a descendant of the Metoyer. Marie-Thérèse worked hard to make the plantation prosper with tobacco and corn, so that she could free all her children and provide them with a better life. The present house was built in 1833 in the colonial style by Marie-Thérèse's grandson, Louis-Auguste Metoyer. The story begins again in 1898 with Cammie Garrett Henry, wife of John Hampton Henry, who decided to restore the house. She invited among others the writers William Faulkner and Frances Parkinson Keyes. The famous primitive painter Clementine Hunter also worked there. The plantation consists of nine buildings, including Big House (1833), Yucca (1796), which is currently being renovated, and the famous African House (1800), which would have been used as a stable and a dungeon for slaves. FYI, it is possible to visit only the outdoor site for a reduced rate. Not to be missed: the arts and crafts festival held annually at the end of April.