Nottoway Plantation: An Antebellum Home Near Baton Rouge

Symmetrical granite staircases topped with a decorative wrought iron railing grace the front entrance. The graceful curves contrast with the full two-story tall and narrow Corinthian columns with elongated capitals. Deep-set overhanging eaves with brackets trim the roof. Coordinating with the stair railings on both floors are balconies of wrought iron. Black shutters flank each window; a classical pediment overhangs each window. travelview/Shutterstock

Antebellum architecture was used in the Deep South after the War of 1812 to just before the Civil War in 1861. Nottoway Plantation, located near Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was built in 1859, at the height of the antebellum style. The style incorporates Georgian, Neoclassical, and Greek Revival styles, evident in the symmetry and grand proportions, including the large columns on the front façade.

Designed by architect Henry Howard, Nottoway is situated on more than 30 acres. Typical of antebellum architecture, the mansion has three full stories (two are visible and one is below the brick foundation) and 64 rooms, making it one of the largest existing Southern plantation mansions at 53,000 square feet. Inside the home are a little more than 15-foot-high ceilings (six feet higher than the ceiling height of most homes today) and 11-foot-high doors.

Howard’s design was intended to emphasize height instead of width; thus, the first floor begins on a raised basement to provide the appearance of a looming structure. Although made of wood, the smoothly painted finish on the main house, as well as the stucco treatment over brick on the foundation, makes the home appear to be made of stone.

The gold-painted music room is filled with three different types of antique pianos and a harp. Chairs upholstered in gold and cream are arranged for a concert. A rug in white and gold covers the cypress floor. A white hand-carved marble fireplace contrasts with its black iron insert. travelview/Shutterstock

A signature room in the mansion is the L-shaped all-white ballroom that measures 30 feet by 40 feet. One of the ballroom’s two hand-carved white marble fireplaces with an arched, keystone element is on the far wall. At the ceiling, above the dramatic floor-to-ceiling swagged window treatments and below layers of moldings, is an extravagant presentation of lacy plaster frieze work. A bronze and glass-globe chandelier hangs from the ceiling. The wood floor is painted a high-sheen white to give the impression of marble. travelview/Shutterstock

The dining room is large enough to accommodate a 17-foot-long hand-carved American Empire oblong table with large claw feet. The table accommodates 12 hand-carved 18th-century Chippendale chairs. A black marble fireplace is decorated with a large decorative gilded mirror that reflects the ceiling’s center-point crystal Baccarat chandelier. travelview/Shutterstock

The staircase is one of seven at Nottoway, and this one presents an artistic and graceful form in its curved design and scroll-shaped newel posts. The stair railings are most likely made of cypress, which the architect chose for much of the carved wood elements throughout the mansion. travelview/Shutterstock

Three main pieces in this master bedroom are original to the home: the hand-carved rosewood bed with crown design at its canopy and headboard; a bonnetiere, which is the long, narrow single-doored armoire that also features an extravagant carving; and, a dresser (not shown in the photograph). The gray marble fireplace stands out against the blue-painted walls that are accented with deep-set moldings at its ceiling. travelview/Shutterstock

The back view of Nottoway Plantation features wide protruding first- and second-floor porches equipped with decorative wrought iron railings. The bedrooms are adjacent to the upper-level porch. This view of the mansion shows asymmetrical architectural design in that there is a side porch on the top floor as well as stairs that lead to a main floor entryway. Below the first floor is a covered patio area supported by painted brick columns. (Bogdan Oporowski/CC BY-SA 3.0)

What arts and culture topics would you like us to cover? Please email ideas or feedback to [email protected]