Homeplace Plantation House

Homeplace Plantation House is a historic plantation residence on Louisiana Highway 18 in Hahnville, the parish seat of St. Charles Parish. It is also known as Keller Homestead and is recognized primarily for its architectural importance rather than as a commercial brand. The property stands on the south bank of the Mississippi River, approximately half a mile south of the local post office, at the southwest corner of Louisiana Highway 18 and Home Place. The house was constructed between 1787 and 1791, although the identity of the original builder and commissioning owner is uncertain. Its design is an outstanding example of the French colonial raised-cottage tradition that developed in the lower Mississippi Valley. The building is a two-story structure with a hipped roof and a two-level gallery porch extending around the house. The lower level and the gallery supports are made from stuccoed brick, while the upper gallery and the second-story walls, floors, and ceilings use cypress. Clay and Spanish moss were used as chinking between the wall timbers, reflecting construction practices suited to the region's climate and materials. Homeplace shares important design characteristics with Parlange Plantation House, and the two buildings are regarded as especially well-preserved representatives of Louisiana's colonial French architectural heritage. The original interior retains notable features, including wine racks in two basement storage rooms and marble flooring in the dining room. During its early history, the property was associated with members of the Gaillard and Fortier families. Pierre Anatole Keller acquired the house in 1889, giving rise to the Keller Homestead name. The property was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1970 in recognition of its architectural significance. It is privately owned and is not open to the public. The house has nevertheless had a limited cultural presence beyond historic-preservation circles: it served as a principal filming location for the 1991 motion picture Convicts, which starred Robert Duvall, Lukas Haas, and James Earl Jones. The building has also faced serious preservation challenges. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 broke windows, damaged the roof, and harmed the property's pigeonnier. Later accounts described the unoccupied house as continuing to deteriorate, with an elderly owner reportedly unable to undertake necessary maintenance and repairs. No reliable source in the supplied material identifies a current owner, operating organization, visitor program, restoration budget, or commercial activity. Accordingly, Homeplace Plantation House is best documented as a privately held historic property and architectural landmark, not as an operating consumer brand.

Homeplace Plantation House was built in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, sometime from 1787 to 1791. The surviving record does not establish the original patron or provide a definitive attribution for the builder. Architectural comparisons suggest that it may have been constructed by the same craftsman or building tradition associated with Parlange Plantation House, another important Louisiana example of French colonial architecture. The residence reflects the raised-cottage form developed in the lower Mississippi Valley. Its elevated two-story arrangement, broad encircling gallery, hipped roof, brick lower story, cypress upper story, and climate-adapted wall construction combine practical responses to the regional environment with a distinctive colonial design vocabulary. Wedge-shaped bricks were used in the gallery pillars, while clay and Spanish moss served as chinking between timber wall members. Interior survivals include wine racks in two basement storage rooms and marble flooring in the dining room. During its early ownership history, the property was connected with the Gaillard and Fortier families. Pierre Anatole Keller purchased the house in 1889, after which it became known also as Keller Homestead. The building remained significant as one of the most intact examples of its architectural period in Louisiana and, together with Parlange, helped illustrate the development of French colonial domestic architecture in the state. The United States recognized Homeplace Plantation House as a National Historic Landmark in 1970. The designation was based on the house's architectural value. Unlike many historic properties that operate as museums, Homeplace is privately owned and is not open to public visitation. The available historical account does not identify a public nonprofit steward, regular tours, or a commercial hospitality function. The property's condition has become an important part of its more recent history. Hurricane Katrina in 2005 broke windows and caused damage to the roof and pigeonnier. The house was subsequently described as unoccupied and continuing to deteriorate. Reports also indicated that an elderly owner was unable to carry out essential maintenance and repairs. These circumstances highlight the vulnerability of privately held historic landmarks when substantial conservation work is required. Homeplace has had a limited presence in popular culture. It was used as a primary filming location for the 1991 film Convicts, bringing the distinctive house and its surrounding setting to a wider screen audience. There is no supplied evidence of a current commercial brand operation, merchandise program, public-access model, or institutional ownership. Its principal identity remains that of a historic architectural resource in Hahnville.

• 2005

  Hurricane Katrina damage

  [1]Homeplace Plantation Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The hurricane damaged windows, the roof, and the pigeonnier, intensifying the property's preservation needs.

• 1991

  Featured in the film Convicts

  [1]Homeplace Plantation Houseen.wikipedia.org

  The property served as a primary filming location for the motion picture Convicts.

• 1970

  National Historic Landmark designation

  [1]Homeplace Plantation Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Homeplace Plantation House was designated a National Historic Landmark for its architectural significance.

• 1889

  Pierre Anatole Keller acquires the property

  [1]Homeplace Plantation Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Pierre Anatole Keller purchased the house, contributing to its later identification as Keller Homestead.

• 1791

  Late-eighteenth-century house completed

  [1]Homeplace Plantation Houseen.wikipedia.org

  By the end of the documented construction range, the French colonial raised cottage had been established in what is now Hahnville, Louisiana.

• 1787

  Construction period begins

  [1]Homeplace Plantation Houseen.wikipedia.org

  Construction of the residence is believed to have begun during the period from 1787 to 1791, although the original patron is unknown.

A privately owned historic property and National Historic Landmark valued for its late-eighteenth-century French colonial raised-cottage architecture.

1. 1Homeplace Plantation Houseen.wikipedia.org