Monte Verdi Plantation, building in Cushing, Rusk County, Texas
Monte Verdi Plantation is a historic property in Cushing, Rusk County, built around 1856 or 1857. The two-story main house displays Greek Revival style with six Doric columns across the front, narrow chimneys at each end, and was constructed using materials partly shipped from distant suppliers.
Julien Devereux acquired the land around 1845 and constructed the main house about a decade later. Before the Civil War, the property was one of Texas's largest plantations with approximately 74 enslaved people and annual cotton production of roughly 120 bales, before becoming fragmented after the conflict.
The name Monte Verdi comes from Italian, meaning 'green mountain,' named after the hill where the main house stands. The property reflects how a prosperous family lived in the 19th century and the role plantations played in shaping the region's society.
The property sits on County Road 4233 W near Cushing and is designated a National Register of Historic Places site. Visitors should know this is a quiet historical location where walking slowly and carefully observing the architecture and surrounding fields offers the most understanding.
The building was purchased in 1959 by Emmett Lowry and his wife, who carefully restored the deteriorating house and prevented its collapse. Their rescue efforts made possible today's recognition as a significant example of Southern antebellum architecture.
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