Kevin Kelly - Owner - Houmas House Plantation and Gardens - LinkedIn Kevin Kelly, the owner of Houmas House plantation, wants the monuments to come to his property and is willing to pay as much as $1 million to house them. In addition to this business, Mr. Kelly has a keen interest in preserving New Orleanss historic structures. The mighty Mississippi River gave birth to this land over the millennium, creating the fertile lands which became the great fields of Sugar Cane, Cotton, Corn, Indigo, tobacco and more. Despite the national economic depression and decline in plantation life, The Gentlemen stood even bthan the day Burnside named the 24 stately trees nearly 100 years earlier. Plantation owner offers to pay $1M to house Confederate monuments on his property, WEBVTT TO COME TO HIS PROPERTY. But it was the new resources that made this place go. . The Houmas was inherited by his five grandchildren, the children of William Porche Miles. "We've finally given birth to a five-pound, 14-by-17-inch book that was 12 years in the making," said Blanchard, who's been a part of Houmas House in Darrow since Kelly purchased the mansion and grounds in 2003 for $2.9 million. [8][9] Commercials have been shot at the plantation for Budweiser, Virginia Slims, Best Buy, Hibernia National Bank, and the Louisiana Office of Tourism.[9]. In 1848, the young daughter of Col. John Preston was the belle of Houmas House, loved by all who worked and visited there for her sunny personality and joi dvivre. The guest rooms have everything you could possibly need. Upon its completion in 1840, Houmas House was the Crown Jewel of Louisianas River Road with its heroically-columned Greek Revival exterior topped by a belvedere that surveyed the Oak alley leading south to the sweeping bend in the Mississippi and the miles and miles of cane fields to the north and east. It was named after the native Houma people, who originally occupied this area of Louisiana. Tim Hemphill Board of Directors. Then you realise youre not in heaven anymore. The Prestons built a new main house in front of the old one in 1840. Subscribe to our newsletter for inspiring travel guides and articles from around the world! Photo by Jim Blanchard, "Louisiana's Sugar Palace, Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. The "French House," the first residence, dates from this era. It was impossible to restore the house to a definite period without sacrificing elements from other important periods of its history. The hipped roof is crowned with arched dormer windows and a belvedere. In 2003 New Orleans businessman and preservationist Kevin Kelly acquired and refurbished the the Mississippi adjacent mansion and grounds. Its sort of like Disneyland for adults I hate to say that, some people think thats horrible, but thats what it is! Download the recipe for "Corn Maque Choux" here. 02937210. The chef got fancy and thought it was so ridiculous that I wanted to eat in the water that he went and got a big silver serving tray, a vase with a rose, a goblet of wine and a fillet mignon with a baked potato, and brought it to me in the pond. Open 7 days a week from 9am to 8pm. Some people love the gardens, some people love the architecture and I happen to like both. Today, a little girl is a presence witnessed by many people at Houmas House. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. Dr. George Crozat engaged architect, Douglass Freret, to remodel and redesign the Classic Revival Mansion into a Williamsburg federal-style country home. Television films and series include Moon of the Wolf (1972), A Woman Called Moses (1976), Big Bob Johnson and His Fantastic Speed Circus (1978), All My Children (1981), A Taste of Louisiana with Chef John Folse and Company (one episode, 1990), Snow Wonder (2006), K-Ville (2007), Top Chef (one episode, 2009), Midnight Bayou (2009), Revenge of the Bridesmaids (2010), Wheel of Fortune (one episode, 2011), and "The Bachelor" (one episode, 2017). New Orleans & Company Senior Vice President. Houmas House Gardens Bring Spring to Life - The Ribbon in My Journal Houmas was the inspiration for The Antebellum, an 8,212 sqft estate and gardens in Grogan's Point. Kevin Kelly the owner of Houmas House and Gardens in Ascension Parish joins Errol Laborde, executive editor of Louisiana Life magazine, along with podcast producer Kelly Massicot on a verbal exploration of grandeur, controversy and history. "People come to Houmas House for its history and beauty," Kelly explained. Instead, there are crystal goblets and ceramic mugs in the room along with a nice array of beverage choices. The Houmas Mansion was alive with family and friends. Episode 20: A Plantation in Modern Times - Owner Kevin Kelly Discusses Kids are welcome, kids enjoy it, they love playing with the dogs and going through the gardens, but its really meant to be a place for adults to getaway, relax and forget the rest of the world exists. ", Rear view of Houmas House Photo by Jim Blanchard, "Louisiana's Sugar Palace, Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. found here. Great Jones Cookware Review: Is It Worth Buying? For full booking conditions visit Booking Conditions. Rooms average around $350/night and up, and included in the wedding package is a $60 credit per room per night. The engineers assigned to the project cited a change in the water table, trauma from heavy equipment and trucks and other construction factors for the overnight transformation. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of WDSU-TV. ", The vegetable garden at Houmas House. In 1858, John Burnside purchased Houmas House and increased sugar production until it was the largest sugar producer in the country. Mr. Burnside left one of the largest estates in America to his boyhood friend, Oliver Beirne. John Burnside arrives in New Orleans with Oliver Beirne in 1837 to open a dry goods store named Beirne and Burnside. Houmas House is most associated with the Bette Davis movie Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), in which the house has a Tara-like presence. Help. Federal arched dormers stand above the large Doric galleries. The Courtyard is surrounded by a lilies pond and a fountain. And its the sound of the water, I think, that creates that feeling. It then went to William Porcher Miles, Beirne's son-in-law. In April of 1848, there were thirty family members and guests in residence at the Houmas, and just as many servants in the household. John Burnside and Oliver Beirne, Andrew Beirnes son, were the same age and matured together in Mr. Beirnes business, becoming very close friends, a friendship that lasted through the years. Parts of that residence would be incorporated into the roughly 17,000-square-foot grand mansion that the Hampton family built between 1829 and 1830. There is evidence in the history of the house to suggest her identity. On the plantations back in about 1880, they put the tracks all over the plantation to move the sugar cane from one part of the property to the steamboats, where it would be loaded to take to a mill. . The Inn has been called the most elegant bed and breakfast in the Great River Road. Owner Kevin Kelly loves Biltmore House in North Carolina, and you can easily see the influence of that magnificent property in the attention to details that permeate Houmas House. But as the levee construction crews approached, their big saws brought Gentleman after Gentleman crashing to the ground. Houmas House is a historic estate located near New Orleans in Darrow, Louisiana. The family left for Columbia, South Carolina where the young girl soon died. At Houmas House, visitors can tour the mansion and grounds, stay in the inn, enjoy Louisiana cuisine, and host one-of-a-kind weddings and events. There are also 600 to 700 bromeliads that have to winter in a greenhouse at the rear of the property. I also like to take care of the water lilies, so all the water gardens I personally take care of. >> ITS A GOOD IDEA TO ME, BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT DESTROYING THE PROPERTY. The Evolution of the Houmas Estate. "Keep up with local news, weather and current events with the WDSU app here. In the brief interim between the completion of reconstruction and work on the grounds to prepare the property for the arrival of tourists, the house was quiet again for a few weeks. Alexander Latil built a French Colonial style plantation house at the site around 1775. The property is large enough that you could have five major parties going on at the same time and youd never know. [2][4][5], Management of the property was taken over by John Smith Preston about 1825. Unsubscribe in one click. . Crozat's descendants had maintained the property with determination, but Blanchard found the Crozat family's renovations and the exterior color of the mansion "boring. The lavish dinner tables were dressed with fish, shell fish and oysters from the Gulf, wild turkey, venison, duck from the swamp, and woodcock, snipe and birds shot by Preston and his guests in the fields. Photo by Jim Blanchard, "Louisiana's Sugar Palace: Houmas House Plantation and Gardens". "And I couldn't even guess how many millions of plants I have out in the gardens.". For an anniversary or a retreat, this would be a great choice. Between 1877 and 1826, John Burnside made improvements and renovated it to the "Revival Mansion" it is today. Amazon Has Uncanny Dupes of CB2's Popular Dining Chair for Hundreds Less. Kelly Clarkson's Home Collection Is Up to 74% Off During Way Day Deals, The Best Wayfair Way Day Deals 2023 Starting at $30. The work was hard and dangerous, and 16 men died out on the big bend in the river that sweeps across the front of the Houmas House property. Plantation owner offers to pay $1M to house Confederate monuments on Kelly wants the Robert E Lee, Jefferson Davis and P.G.T. By clicking on Send, you agree to Viking.TV's Terms As the couple wobbled onto the front porch of the caretakers cabin, neither could believe their eyes. [2][4][5], The house and what was left of the property was finally purchased by Dr. George B. Crozat in 1940. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Panoramas and close-ups in the book give a hint to the extent of Black's work, as well serve as a guide for would-be gardeners with smaller plots. At Home in Houmas House, Louisiana Hosted by Kevin M. Kelly Explore the manicured grounds and elegant interior of Houmas House, a historic riverside estate that is a quintessential example of classic architecture found in the South. Cafe Burnside is a nice option for lunch that is open from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. daily. In the process he stripped off some of the original decorative elements of the interior and exterior to give the house a simpler, "Federal style," look. Literally overnight, the 8 remaining Gentlemen, which had maintained their stately symmetry through hurricanes, droughts, floods and seasons of sub-tropical pestilence, had reshaped themselves into grotesque sculptures of grief and agony, heads bowed and limbs drooping like mourners at a funeral. Kevin Kelly, the owner of Houmas House plantation, wants the monuments to come to his property and is willing to pay as much as $1 million to house them. Lt. Gov. Additional structures from this period include matching brick octagonal garonnires, or bachelors' quarters. The map was hidden in the attic for more than 140 years. Oh yes, he will also reveal the latest on a rumored Viking invasion. I bought the house in 2003, and the journey for the past 14 years has been to restore the house and create venues here where people come to be entertained. Working into the evening hours, two others in the crew saw the little girl in the blue dress with dark eyes and brunette hair. I would move them, repair them, preserve them until that time New Orleans might want them back again," Kelly said. junio 16, 2022 . I may be the owner, but I like doing the dirtiest, messiest job in the pond. From a $150 land sale with the Houma Indians to 'Louisiana's Sugar Palace,' Houmas House's history explored in new book. Hampton was one of the wealthiest landowners and largest slaveholders in the antebellum era South. [6][3], During the war, plans were made to use the plantation house as a headquarters for Union general Benjamin Franklin Butler, who governed New Orleans for about seven months following the city's capture in May 1862.
