Myrtles Plantation

A 125-foot-long covered porch with cast-iron railings wraps around this Greek Revival mansion containing 22 rooms and original hand-painted stained glass doors across approximately 5,000 square feet (464 sq m) spread over two floors with a central hallway and symmetrical room arrangement.

General David Bradford founded the plantation in 1796 after fleeing Pennsylvania for his role in the Whiskey Rebellion and operated it with enslaved workers until the Civil War. The property changed hands multiple times before gaining National Register of Historic Places status in 1978 and later converting into a guesthouse with tour programs.

The site houses a collection of European craftsmanship from the pre-war period, including Italian marble mantles and French crystal work, reflecting Louisiana's 19th-century trade routes between the Mississippi River and European ports that shaped the material culture of wealthy planters along the Mississippi River basin.

The plantation operates as a bed and breakfast and provides daily guided tours of six ground-floor rooms plus evening themed tours. Tours last approximately 40 minutes and reservations are recommended for groups. The property sits roughly 30 miles (48 km) north of Baton Rouge along Louisiana Highway 61.

An antique mirror in the central hallway displays recurring handprints that reappear in the same locations even after multiple attempts to replace the mirror backing or completely resilver the glass, a phenomenon documented since the 1980s that has prompted various attempts at explanation.

Location: Louisiana

Architectural style: Greek Revival architecture

GPS coordinates: 30.80306,-91.38750

Latest update: December 12, 2025 17:56