Magnolia Lane Plantation
PANICd#: 1082
This is an old plantation in Natchitoches, Louisiana. In 2001, it was declared a National Historic Landmark.
400 Rapides Dr.
Natchitoches , LA 71457
Phone: 318-352-0383
Open to the public: Yes
Lat: 31.7398044
Lon: -93.0835777
Database Summary:
Demographic Rank: 5
History: 1
Stories: 2
Claims: 4
Evidence: 0
Resources: 0
Retrievals: 4587
Vistor Rating: 0.0
Votes: 0
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History
History information is some background and history about the location. This is meant to be a basic summary. Below the history records you will find sources in which you can click on to find out more information. There may be multiple history records per location.
The plantation traces its roots back to Jean Baptiste LeComte II, who received French and Spanish land grants in the mid-18th century. This began the plantation's recorded history, although the first structures were not built until the 19th century, and the plantation was not operating until 1830. Ambrose LeComte, son of Jean Baptiste, married Julia Buard. They began a tradition of community and cultivation on a vast piece of property. Their two daughters, Laura and Ursula Atala, married two sons from the Hertzog family: Bernard Theophile Henry and Matthew Hertzog, respectively. Atala and Matthew Hertzog took over the plantation shortly after their marriage in 1852, thus linking the Hertzog name to Magnolia.
Magnolia Plantation is exceptional because of the surviving farming technology, such as the cotton picker tractors and two cotton gins (both steam- and animal-powered). It has 21 buildings that contribute to the significance of the site, an unusually high number for surviving plantations. Among these are the eight quarters, rare brick cabins used by workers who lived and worked on the plantation for 100 years after the American Civil War.
The plantation was also exceptional for its influence in the community and the Cane River area. For 100 years after the American Civil War, "the Hertzogs," as the place was familiarly known, served as the center of a community of Creoles of color and blacks who lived and worked on the plantation as tenant farmers and laborers. By the mid-20th century, changes in agriculture led people to urban jobs
Magnolia Plantation is a former plantation in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana. The site was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001. Included in the Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Magnolia Plantation is also a destination on the Louisiana African American Heritage Trail.
Added by: mmizenko on 09/17/2014
DB#:190
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnolia_Plantation_(...
Stories
Stories are just that. Stories and personal accounts that have been reported about the location.
A form of silent rebellion, the slaves at Magnolia often used voodoo to cast evil wishes on their oppressive masters. The enslaved blacksmiths were tasked with forming the metal Christian crosses that marked the Lecomte family graves. While the crosses were beautifully ornate, they also included West African voodoo symbols hidden within the design.
Added by: mmizenko on 09/24/2014
DB#:1145
Source(s):
http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/ghost-advent...
In 1897, Magnolia's main house was rebuilt as an exact replica of the original plantation home that had been greatly damaged during the Civil War. The wood used during this construction was taken from former slave quarters and many believe holds the memories and experiences of the oppressed people that lived there for decades
Added by: mmizenko on 09/24/2014
DB#:1146
Source(s):
http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/ghost-advent...
Paranormal Claims
Here are the paranormal claims for this location. These have been found through Internet research, reports from members, or reports from personal interviews. To add a claim, please contact PANICd.com, and we will review and add your information.
| Claim # | Added | Added By | Claim |
| 1848 | 09/24/2014 | mmizenko | Motion detectors on Magnolia's grounds are often triggered without cause. Ghostly apparitions are seen in the main house along with the sounds of disembodied voices. The large evidence of dark voodoo combined with this plantation's sordid history make it one of the most haunted places in the Southern United States. |
| 1849 | 09/24/2014 | mmizenko | A man named Mr. Miller was the Overseer on the plantation during the Civil War. When troops came to burn down the plantation, Miller begged them to spare it. The troops shot and killed him in the front yard and buried him in front of the house. Ever since, people have heard ghostly footsteps, disembodied voices and unexplained shouts coming from Miller's old bedroom |
| 1850 | 09/24/2014 | mmizenko | There is a room in the main plantation house that the family sealed off and everyone is forbidden to enter it. They call it "The Dying Room" because many of the Plantation family members died there under mysterious circumstances. It is rumored that their deaths were caused by the voodoo curses placed on them by the slaves. |
| 1851 | 09/24/2014 | mmizenko | Also out front of the plantation house, there is "The Hanging Tree" where slaves were tortured and killed in the olden days. Evil spirits are said to haunt the tree and it is dangerous to go near it. |
Paranormal Evidence
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Additional Resources
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