Rosedown Plantation, St Francisville Louisiana
No house in Louisiana gives a better idea of an old Louisiana plantation home than does Rosedown, built at the end of an avenue of oaks. Between these oaks is marble statuary, copies of well known classical works bought in Italy by the Turnbulls in 1851. On each side of the avenue is a Victorian garden laid out in a Victorian manner reminescent of the French naturalistic gardens of that date. The two summer houses in these gardens were built in 1895. To the right of the house is a box garden similar to many in this area that were done in the 20's and is a reflection of late Eighteenth Century box gardens of Virginia, The small summer house in the center of this garden built in 1835? with an earlier feeling, is sympathetic in its Greek Revival detail.
In 1844 and 1845 wings were added to the north and south of the building by T.S. Williams, and it is a tradition that the factory work came from Cincinnati, On the north of the house is a kitchen that is no doubt earlier and was moved up to the main house at unknown dates. On the east is another wing that was added in 1859. Among the grounds are various dependencies such as a privy, milk-house, wood shed and office.
The original plan shows a main entrance hall with an elliptical stair to the second floor, a parlor to the right and a large bedroom to the left. To the rear is the dining room. This plan might be called French or Early Louisiana in contrast to the American scheme of a hall through the center of the house.
