By Karen Callaway
Houmas House, known as the “Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road,” rises from fertile farmland along the banks of the Mississippi River, just upstream from New Orleans. In 1810, Revolutionary War hero General Wade Hampton acquired the property, which had once been the home of the Houmas Indians, and began construction on the magnificent Greek Revival–style mansion.
The house grew to its present size following additions and renovations by succeeding owners. Millionaire John Burnside, an Irish immigrant who arrived in America with $1.25 in his pocket, bought the plantation in 1857 and greatly increased sugar cane production. He furnished the house in lavish style—gilt mirrors, marble mantels, frescoed walls, and more—earning it the sobriquet “The Sugar Palace.” A subsequent owner stripped away the layers of grandeur and reshaped the exterior with Federal-style details. When the Great Depression rocked the nation, the once grand Houmas House fell into disrepair.
Today, thanks to a loving restoration by present owner Kevin Kelly, this elegant Southern belle is dressed in a rich ochre faux-marble façade that is completely encircled with sturdy white columns. Her crowning touch is a white picket–bordered belvedere that perches atop the house like a tiara and offers spectacular views of the storied property and rolling river beyond.
10 Facts About Houmas House:
- The Houmas Indians sold the land comprising the plantation to Maurice Conway and Alexander Latil in the mid 1700s. The original dwelling built by Latil is attached to the rear of the main house by a carriageway.
- Houmas House boasts rare twin garçonnières on the property. These charming structures served as “bachelor pads” for young adult sons.
- Former owner John Burnside saved Houmas House from Yankee torches by claiming British citizenship—a bluff that fooled the Union soldiers into sparing the mansion.
- A room-size mural in the house’s central hallway displays a sugar cane theme as a tribute to the plantation’s past.
- In 1964, the movie “Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte” was filmed here. Star Bette Davis slept in the former nursery during her stay.
- The 38 acres of splendid gardens benefit from a year-round growing season. The Fountain Courtyard is a particularly popular draw with guests, who pause to admire the property’s many indigenous plants.
Intricately carved moldings and candle-lit chandeliers throughout the home are an abiding testimony to the home’s opulence. Among its noteworthy features is a freestanding helix staircase designed by Wade Hampton II, a bridge builder who worked on the Brooklyn Bridge. Installed in 1928, the structure is composed of millions of tiny pieces that work in perfect harmony to create a remarkable focal point in the main house.