Alice C Plantation House, Franklin Louisiana

Date added: July 16, 2023 Categories: Louisiana House Plantations & Farms Greek Revival

Alice C was built for Jotham Bedell, who owned the sugar plantation from 1846 to 1859. It was named Alice C by a subsequent owner, John Calder, for his wife, Alice. The plantation's sugar mill survived until the mid-1950s when it was dismantled.

In contrast to the rest of South Louisiana, which is known for its French Creole architecture, St. Mary Parish is renowned for its many major examples of the Greek Revival style. The parish was formed in 1811, and its parish seat, Franklin, was founded in 1808 by men with English rather than French names. The booming antebellum economy was based largely upon sugarcane, and area planters were among the wealthiest of the wealthy. They built impressive residences on their plantations and within the town of Franklin. Within the Franklin city limits alone there are eleven major Greek Revival residences, all of which have the size and grandeur to be called mansions. Then there are numerous galleried Greek Revival cottages scattered throughout town, some small and some fairly substantial in size. Looking beyond Franklin, one finds an additional seven large Greek Revival plantation houses. In short, while St. Mary has at least eighteen major Greek Revival residences and countless galleried cottages, the typical older parish in the state, by contrast, is fortunate to have a half dozen, whatever the size and quality.

Building Description

Alice C Plantation House is located between Franklin and Garden City on a two-lane state highway following Bayou Teche. At the rear is a sweeping lawn with a pristine view of the Teche. The view from the front gallery, beyond the highway, is one of sugar cane fields. The 1850s house (based on the architectural evidence) is mainly in the Greek Revival style, although there are some notable French Creole influences. Happily, the house is largely unaltered and is in excellent condition.

Raised about two feet above grade on brick piers, the wood frame two-and-a-half story house is constructed of briquette entre poteaux (brick infill between the framing members, characteristic of French Creole architecture). An inset five-bay double gallery spans the facade. The boxed columns (and matching pilasters) have very pronounced capitals formed of multiple layers of molding. Balustrades feature simple square balusters. The entablature is ornamented with a denticular band. The same treatment outlines the shape of the side gables and is found on the rear. The elegant rear elevation has an open loggia with a cabinet (small room) on each side - a treatment typical of Louisiana's French Creole architecture. The capitals on the rear boxed columns are similar but not identical to those on the front. Windows are six over six. Two French doors are found on the first-story rear elevation. Handsome central doorways found at the front and rear on both stories feature four-pane side lights with molded panels below and a decoratively subdivided transom.

Other than the cabinet/loggia range, Alice C has a conventional central hall plan with two rooms on each side. A staircase with a mahogany newel post and rail ascends from front to rear. Pocket doors are located between the two rooms on both sides. One set of pocket doors appears to be original, while the other set appears to be later (perhaps early twentieth century). Door frames, for the most part, are fairly standard, being unornamented except for multiple layers of molding. The door frames facing into the hall feature ear molds outlined with a pronounced band of wood.

The house retains all of its original mantelpieces (6), and interestingly, two (downstairs) wrap around the chimney flue in the manner of French Creole architecture. With their heavy proportions and boldly formed moldings, the mantels (like the column capitals) are important clues in dating Alice C. Some mantels feature heavy fluted pilasters and an entablature with a boldly molded shelf. Others (also heavy in proportion) have pilasters with an inset molded panel and a boldly formed molding at the top of the entablature. This member spans almost the width of the entablature and is reminiscent of a window cornice or a ledge. One of the upstairs mantels features faux bois (false graining -- one wood grained to look like another).

Alterations have been very limited at Alice C. Two of the downstairs mantels were stripped of their paint. A window on the first floor of the eastern elevation was converted to a door and a simple stair with a landing was added. The corresponding window above was filled in.

To the side of Alice C. is a small, two-room, wood frame cottage.