Ormond Plantation Manor

Despite its unique nature and often tragic history, Ormond Plantation has managed to endure until the early twenty-first century. As early as the 1780s, Pierre D'Trepagnier was granted a parcel of property by the Spanish Governor Don Bernanrdo deGalvez, who named it after himself. The main building, which was erected shortly before 1790, served as the plantation's headquarters for indigo and later sugar cane production. Built in the "Louisiana Colonial" style for plantations, which was inspired by the enormous sugar estates of the West Indies, the home is a beautiful example of architecture. The two wings, or garconnieres, that give Ormond its unique appearance are taller than the main building and of a design that may have been influenced by the Atlantic Seaboard, according to some sources. This was a common occurrence as officials from the Louisiana and Spanish governments were entertained in the mansion. Colonel Richard Butler purchased Mrs. D'Trepagnier's plantation home in 1805 for a sum of money. Butler had served in the United States Army and had fallen in love with the South during his time there. In honor of his family castle in Ireland, the Castle Ormonde, he gave his new home the name "Ormond." Following the War Between the States, Ormond Plantation, like many other Southern plantations, was forced to close its doors. It changed hands twice more before being sold at public auction in 1874 and 1875, according to historical records. State Senator Basile LaPlace, Jr., son of the prominent New Orleans pharmacist and landowner after whom the town of LaPlace is named, purchased Ormond on December 1, 1898, for a sum of $25,000.00. LaPlace died in a horrific fashion. In the following years, Ormond moved from LaPlace's widow to his mother, and then to the Schexnayder family, all of which occurred during the year 1900. The Schexnayders retained ownership of the property until 1926, when they transferred ownership to the Inter-Credit Corporation of New York. Between the late 1920s and early 1930s, a variety of tenants lived in the house and on the grounds surrounding the house. The house had been left to decay, and the walls were collapsing and the porch was sagging. Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Brown, proprietors of the Brown's Velvet Dairy in New Orleans, purchased the property for a sum of money. Beginning in 1943, the Browns embarked on a significant renovation project that involved enclosing the carriageways and incorporating the garconnieres into the main structure of the house. Indoor plumbing, natural gas, and electricity were among the modern luxuries that the Browns installed.