Bosco Plantation House, Monroe Louisiana

Date added: May 26, 2023 Categories: Louisiana House Plantations & Farms Greek Revival

Piers and concrete cones support the main block structure and its five-bay gallery. The gallery's outlining entablature is supported by six columns (which differ from the surviving period corner engaged pilasters) that were put in place during a 2008 re-creation of the gallery's porch. Unfortunately, the original gallery porch and columns were lost due to heavy deterioration over the previous century. During reconstruction of the gallery's porch, houses of the same period and styling were studied by the present owner. Installing appropriate period-style columns matching the surviving comer pilasters is a definite plan for the future. The main block's foundation sills are notched as done in log construction. Six-by-six timbers have replaced original sills under the main block's gallery. The gallery ceiling is beamed and has narrow panels. Original corner engaged pilasters remain on each end of the flush board siding facade which greatly lends to the structure's original architectural significance. The unaltered original Greek Revival shouldered surround outlines the entryway's period double-paneled doors. An upper transom and sidelights rest on inset decorative panels. The panels are repeated under the period nine-over-nine windows, which contain most of their original glass. Unfortunately, the shoulder molded surrounds outlining the facade's windows have been altered. Although the flat boards used to form the shape of the surround remain, the decorative moldings ornamenting the edges of the surrounds are gone. However, their ghost marks are clearly visible, making replication possible. The patch in the roofing above the main block's gallery is a recent result of removing a twentieth-century dormer. Regrettably, the exterior chimneys (and most of their interior mantels) were lost many years ago.

Gable roofed side elevations are identical, as they both rise from brick and concrete piers with walls being covered in period cypress clapboards. There are three, nine-over-nine windows with simple hood moldings on the first floor of the left and right elevations. Except for the hood molds, the window surrounds are plain. Second-level elevations include two, six-over-six windows with hood molds and otherwise plain surrounds plus a small attic window toward the rear. On both elevations, the second-level windows are shuttered, as are those on the lower portion of the right elevation.

The main structure has a symmetrical plan of two rooms wide, and two rooms deep with a central hallway having a reversed staircase on the right wall. Ghost marks and outlines are clearly visible showing that the stairway originally was on the left wall near the entryway. This greatly adds to the house's history. This change caused the right rear room's width to be lessened. Flush boards run the length of the hallway and are present on the ceiling as well. Greek Revival shoulder molded surrounds are repeated around all of the main block's interior paneled doors and also around all of the first-floor main block's windows. The front room on the right side of the central hallway (when facing the house) features a period fireplace and a Greek Revival shoulder molded mantel. A double doorway is at the back of the central hallway, which did lead to a back side gallery off the rear ell. Two rooms serve as living quarters on the second floor.

The rear ell's timbers and square nails suggest a pre-1880 construction date, post-dating the main block's construction. Clapboard walls rise from brick and concrete piers on the left, right, and rear elevations. The ell's roof is gabled, and there is a louvered vent at the rear wall's gabled peak. The right side elevation of the ell has an entabiature beneath the eaves of the gallery roof. The rear ell is two rooms deep and is attached to the left side of the main block's rear elevation. However, it is set back behind the plane of the main block's side wall. Each of the ell's rooms previously opened onto a side gallery which was lost due to years of deterioration. The gallery's roof, eaves, and entablature are still intact, which leads greatly to the future re-creation of the ell's gallery porch.

There is a transom above the doorway at the back of the main block leading into the rear ell. The ell's front room, which serves as the dining room, has a Colonial Revival columned mantel The rear room of the ell, which serves as the kitchen, retains the original fireplace foundation under the floor. Both rooms' windows are six-over-six with plain surrounds with some original glass remaining. Evidence of a left rear corner porch attached to the kitchen exists; it was lost when the kitchen was enlarged many years ago.