Cane River Creole

https://www.nps.gov/cari/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_River_Creole_National_Historical_Park The Cane River Creole National Historical Park serves to preserve the resources and cultural landscapes of the Cane River region in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. Located along the Cane River Lake, the pak includes two French Creole cotton plantations, Oakland and Magnolia. Both plantations are complete in their historic settings, including landscapes, outbuildings, structures, furnishings, and artifacts; and they are the most intact French Creole cotton plantations in the United States. In total, 65 historic structures and over a million artifacts enhance the National Park Service mission as it strives to tell the story of the evolution of plantation agriculture through the perspective of the land owners, enslaved workers, overseers, skilled workers, and tenant farmers who resided along the Cane River for over two hundred years. The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells their stories and preserves the cultural landscape of Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in the United States. To reach Oakland Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 127, Flora/Cypress. Head east on LA Highway 120 toward Cypress. Cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 494. The parking lot and entrance pavilion for Oakland is 4.5 miles east of Highway 1 on the left. To reach Magnolia Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 119, Cloutierville. Cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 119. Follow Highway 119 for 1.1 miles; the visitor parking lot will be on the right just before the plantation store. Magnolia Plantation Store The park does not have a visitor center though the historic Magnolia Plantation Store serves as a visitor contact station. The main part of the store is only open when there is staff available. However, the wings on either side of the store are open daily. Inside you will find restrooms, brochures, and the NPS passport stamps. Oakland Plantation Store The park does not have a visitor center, though the historic Oakland Plantation Store is the park's main visitor contact station Wednesday through Sunday. Inside the store you'll find historic exhibits and a park store/gift shop. NPS passport stamps and Junior Ranger books are located inside the store. The park store/gift shop is closed on Monday and Tuesday. To reach Oakland Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 127, Flora/Cypress. Head east on LA Highway 120 toward Cypress. Cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 494. The parking lot and entrance pavilion for Oakland is 4.5 miles east of Highway 1 on the left. To reach the grounds of Magnolia Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 119, Derry. Head east on LA Highway 119. Cross over LA Highway 1 and proceed for 1.1 miles. The parking area of Magnolia Plantation is on the right just before the road closure. Texas and Pacific Railway Depot Inside the depot you'll find exhibits, NPS passport stamp, and Junior Ranger books. The depot is closed on Monday and Tuesday. The Texas & Pacific Railway Depot, completed in 1927, stands as one of the last remaining segregated buildings in the State of Louisiana. Separate entrances for “White” and “Colored” passengers lead to two waiting rooms segregated by race and marked by different building materials. Passenger rail service ended in Natchitoches in 1965, and the depot was never integrated. To reach the Texas and Pacific Railway Depot, take I-49 to Exit 138 toward LA 6/Many/Natchitoches. Take the 2nd exit from roundabout onto University Pkwy (LA-6 N). Go for 3.9 miles. Turn left onto Martin Luther King Jr Drive. Go for 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Trudeau Street. Go for 0.1 miles. Turn left on Remembrance Way. From Downtown Natchitoches: Proceed on Church Street for .3 miles. Turn left onto 5th Street. Go 230 feet. Turn right onto Trudeau Street. Go .1 miles. Turn right onto Remembrance Way. Oakland Plantation Quarters A small cabin sits beneath the branches of a Live Oak in the Oakland Plantation Quarters. One of two remaining cabins built for enslaved workers on Oakland Plantation. The cabin was lived in by sharecroppers into the 1960s. Magnolia Plantation Overseer's House A raised Creole cottage surrounded by oak trees. Originally built as a hospital for the enslaved workers on Magnolia Plantation, this raised Creole cottage also served as home to the plantation Overseer. Live Oak Trees The sunrise shines through Live Oak trees at Oakland Plantation. Live Oak trees at sunrise on Oakland Plantation. Cabins in the Magnolia Plantation Quarters Brick cabins built to house enslaved workers, served as homes for tenant farmers into the 1960s. These brick cabins were built in the 1840s to house enslaved workers on Magnolia Plantation. Following Emancipation the cabins served as homes for tenant farmers. Oak Allee Two rows of Live Oak trees stretch from the Cane River to the Oakland Plantation Main House. The Oak Allee, planted in the mid-1820s, stretches from the Cane River to the Oakland Plantation Main House. Magnolia Plantation Cotton Gin and Press Barn This wood screw cotton press was used at Magnolia Plantation to form cotton into bales for market. The Magnolia Plantation Gin Barn houses this rare wood screw cotton press. Cane River Music Festival The annual Cane River Music Festival celebrates the tradition of live music on the landscape of Cane River Creole National Historical Park. It began with early "juré singing" without instrumentation, evolved into a style that incorporated rhythm and blues with accordion, saxophone, and washboard. Today, contemporary musicians play Creole music inspired by tradition and newer influences. Creole culture was and continues to be a blend of continuity and change. A musician holds a round-bodied cheesebox guitar in both hands at the 2012 music festival. Reconstruction During Reconstruction, the Federal government pursued a program of political, social, and economic restructuring across the South-including an attempt to accord legal equality and political power to former slaves. Reconstruction became a struggle over the meaning of freedom, with former slaves, former slaveholders and Northerners adopting divergent definitions. Faced with increasing opposition by white Southerners and some Northerners, however, the government abandoned effor Picture depictsing former slaves and free blacks voting following the passage of the 15th amendment Emancipation and the Quest for Freedom Although the abolition of slavery emerged as a dominant objective of the Union war effort, most Northerners embraced abolition as a practical measure rather than a moral cause. The war resolved legally and constitutionally the single most important moral question that afflicted the nascent republic, an issue that prevented the country from coalescing around a shared vision of freedom, equality, morality, and nationhood. Slave family seated in front of their house Slavery on the Magnolia Plantation Learn about the lives of the enslaved on the Magnolia Plantation, one of the South's most complete plantation complexes, with buildings and landscape features spanning its entire 250-year history. These building include slave/tenant cabins. a ranger walks with a small family in front of brick quarters Code Noir The Code Noir initially took shape in Louis XIV’s edict of 1685. Although subsequent decrees modified a few of the code’s provisions, this first document established the main lines for the policing of slavery right up to 1789. The Civilian Experience in the Civil War After being mere spectators at the war's early battles, civilians both near and far from the battlefields became unwilling participants and victims of the war as its toll of blood and treasure grew year after year. In response to the hardships imposed upon their fellow citizens by the war, civilians on both sides mobilized to provide comfort, encouragement, and material, and began to expect that their government should do the same. Painting of civilians under fire during the Siege of Vicksburg The Civil War in American Memory America's cultural memories of the Civil War are inseparably intertwined with that most "peculiar institution" of American history - racial slavery. But in the struggle over Civil War memory which began as soon as the war was over and continues to this day, rival cultural memories of reconciliation and white supremacy have often prevailed. Therein lies the challenge as the National Park Service - a public agency - seeks to "provide understanding" of the Civil War era's lasting impact upon the development of our nation. Elderly Union and Confederate veterans shake hands at the fiftieth anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg The Changing War Begun as a purely military effort with the limited political objectives of reunification (North) or independence (South), the Civil War transformed into a social, economic and political revolution with unforeseen consequences. As the war progressed, the Union war effort steadily transformed from a limited to a hard war; it targeted not just Southern armies, but the heart of the Confederacy's economy, morale, and social order-the institution of slavery. Woodcut of spectators watching a train station set fire by Sherman's troops National Park Service Commemoration of the 19th Amendment In commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the passing of the 19th Amendment the National Park Service has developed a number of special programs. This includes online content, exhibits, and special events. The National Park Service’s Cultural Resources Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS) announces the release of a story map that highlights some of these programs and provides information for the public to locate and participate. Opening slide of the 19th Amendment NPS Commemoration Story Map Limewash: An Old Practice and a Good One Historically, plantation landscapes were limewashed or “whitewashed.” The reasons behind this centuries old practice are both aesthetic and practical. Limewashed structures brighten up the surroundings and look great because it glows due to innumerable small crystals. But did you know that limewash is a fire retardant, antiseptic, antifungal, odorless and non-allergic paint? Creole Architecture Article on Creole Architecture along Cane River in the Natchitoches, Louisiana region. Southern Live Oak at Oakland Plantation A double row of live oak trees, known as an allée, is a character-defining feature of historic plantations in the southern United States. Based on their size and family tradition, the live oak allée at Oakland Plantation was likely planted in the 1820s during the time that Emanuel Prud’homme owned and operated the plantation. The allée was designed to create a dramatic entrance to the house and an appearance of order and prosperity. Light filters through the leaves on long, curving branches of two rows of live oak trees, over turf. Podcast 090: Building a Career in Historic Masonry Jason Church speaks with Theodore Pierre about the latter's career as an historic brick mason in Louisiana. At 12 years old, Teddy worked with his mason father, and after graduating from college with a degree in Architecture, apprenticed then embarked on a career in preservation masonry. Mr. Pierre has worked on many projects including former slave quarters at Evergreen Plantation, on Africa House, at Cane River Creole National Historical Park, and many cemeteries. Preservation mason Teddy Pierre working on Africa House at Melrose Plantation. Women in Fire Science: Alicia Schlarb Alicia Schlarb is the lead fire effects monitor for a portion of the National Park Service's Southeast Region. She and her crew provide prescribed burning, monitoring, and wildland fire responses to national parks located within Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, and portions of Tennessee, Kentucky, and Florida. She loves fire and that she can change perceptions about wildland fire through science. Alicia Schlarb. Podcast 125: Interpreting History with the Slave Dwelling Project Jason Church talks with Joe McGill about the Slave Dwelling Project and the importance of interpretation in history education. Slave Cabins at Magnolia Plantation, Cane River Creole National Historical Park Podcast 019: The Role of HTPC in the National Park Service Jason Church speaks with Moss Rudley, an exhibit specialist with the masonry division at the Historic Preservation Training Center (HPTC), specifically work they are doing with the historic building material bousillage. Moss Rudley points to areas of loss in historic bouisilage. Podcast 023: NCPTT Interns Talk About Their Summer Research NCPTT Summer 2010 interns discuss their summer research projects. NCPTT Interns at Oakland Plantation in Natchitoches, LA. Summer 2010. Podcast 065: HOPE comes to African House Jason Church speaks with Molly Dickerson facility’s manager of the Melrose Plantation And Monica Rhodes, manager of the HOPE Crew Program for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. In this episode, Jason is talking with them about the recent HOPE Crew project at Melrose Plantation. Melrose Plantation Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. 2024 Director's Management and Administration Awards The annual 2024 Director’s Management and Administration Awards recognize outstanding contributions to the advancement and service of management, administration, Information Technology, and Information Management by NPS employees. The Excellence Awards recognize employees who go beyond day-to-day duties to solve problems or create new opportunities. They do so with creative thinking and action. a man wearing a collared gray shirt with a "J Loggins" name tag smiles for the camera

(Far Left) Narrow lots gave each planter river access, cropland, and woods. (Left) Enslaved blacksmith Solomon Williams brought "African ironworking tradition to his finelywrought cross. Vine was among Ithe tokens of French ' culture imported by colonials. I • 4-» c J: 1 8* 2 . = M- "~ £ o re <u +i .a LA E_ C T. * Colonial Roots O *e i c J Genesis of a C u l t u r e c .2 0 a O vi 1 "J S 1 Z Z Z> o CD U CD > • • • 0£ CD C u (Left) Ambroise LeComte (1760-1834) oversaw his family's shift from tobacco to cotton. (Above) Stencil used to mark Prud'homme cotton. (Right) Drill forged at Bermuda plantation by an enslaved worker. M A P : NORTHWESTERN STATE UNWERSITY OF L O U I S A N A , C A M M I E G. HENRY RESEARCH j A vital branch of the New World culture we know as Creole took root in the rich soil along Cane River in 18th-century Louisiana. It was a culture nurtured by French and Spanish colonial ways, steeped in Africanisms, and nriched by American Indian ontact. Its survival for nearly three centuries, depicted in the stories of the LeComtes, Hertzogs, Prud'hommes, and other families, testifies to a resilient community founded on deep attachments to Catholicism, family, and the land. t Th 1725 Catherine Picard, daughter of a New Orleans trader, married Jean Pierre Philippe Prud'homme, a former marine and trader from Natchitoches. The French-born couple returned to the rough-hewn military and trading post—an open crossroads world where cultural exchanges and marital unions among French, Spanish, French Canadian, African, and American Indian cultures were producing a dynamic frontier society with a distinctive French accent. Ex-soldiers like Prud'homme moved out from the post to make a living as traders, hunters, and farmers along the Red River, known in this area as Cane River. As King Cotton Among the tobacco farmers was Jean Baptiste LeComte, who in 1753 obtained a land grant on Cane River. From this seed grew Magnolia plantation. In 1789 Prud'homme's grandson Jean Pierre Emmanuel also received a land grant on the Cane, the core of Bermuda—later renamed Oakland— plantation. After the invention of the cotton gin in 1793, he and LeComte's son Ambroise turned to the crop that forever defined the region. In the decades after the United States took possession of Louisiana in 1803, the cotton culture reached its zenith. Built on slavery, it was underpinned by an agrarian ethic of self sufficiency and land stewardship exemplified by Emmanuel Prud'homme. In 1821 his enslaved workers built his house on land he named Bermuda. Creole families like the Prud'hommes and LeComtes solidified their positions by expanding their holdings and marrying into each other's families. In 1852 Ambroise LeComte IPs daughter Atala married Matthew Hertzog— whose mother was a Prud'homme— and Magnolia plantation passed to the couple and their descendants. This Creole society combined hard practicality demanded by frontier life with Old World joie de vivre and spirited celebration of the rituals of daily life and Catholicism. The Frenchspeaking enslaved workers had created their own rich culture centered around the church, family ties, and preserved African traditions. Yet even as the Creole culture evolved, it underwent a gradual but profound change. Anglo-Americans poured into the region, bringing their English language, Protestant religion, and their own African American enslaved workers. Life grew more constricted for non-whites, as U.S. laws removed colonial-era rights such as self-emancipation by purchase, and gens de couleur libre lost the special status they had enjoyed under French rule. In the face of change Creole planters clung fiercely to their culture while embracing new technology. In the 1850s Phanor Prud'homme installed one of the area's earliest steam cotton presses. Neither the press nor the Prud'homme fortune would survive the coming storm. What Does it Mean to be Creole? Workers found respite from cotton fields in juke joints (at left in picture, ca. 1940) where music and cold drinks flowed freely. (Left) For workers and planters, telephones, radios, and phonographs provided entertainment and links to the larger world. Creole In colonial Louisiana the term "Creole" was used to indicate N e w World products derived from Old World stock, and could apply to people, architecture, or livestock. Regarding people, Creole historically referred to those born in Louisiana during the French and Spanish periods, regardless of their ethnicity. Today, as in the past, Creole transcends racial boundaries. It connects people to their colonial roots, be they descendants of European settlers, enslaved Africans, EEDGER: UNIVERSITY OF NORTH C A R O U N A Civil War The fires of civil war transformed life on Cane River. As the Union blockade of New Orleans cut off cotton markets, the Confederate army commandeered slaves and grain. In the Red River campaign southern troops burned the planters' cotton