Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site

Rosedown Plantation, a National Historic Landmark, is in St. Francisville along Louisiana’s Great River Road, the historic corridor designated an All-American Road by the U.S. Department of Transportation. 

The site’s garden contains over 100 mature live oaks as well as numerous mature specimens of loblolly pine, eastern red cedar, and southern magnolia. These large trees prove highly attractive to spring and fall migrating birds. Between March and May and August and October, look for Eastern Kingbird, Red-eyed Vireo, Eastern Bluebird, Wood Thrush, Orchard Oriole, Summer Tanager, and Indigo Bunting. 

Rosedown’s ponds and other water features attract wading birds such as Great Blue and Little Blue Herons and Great Egret, as well as Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Chimney Swift, Purple Martin, Barn, Cliff, and Tree Swallows. Other visitors include Carolina, House, and Winter Wrens, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Brown Thrasher, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated and Savannah Sparrows, Eastern Towhee, Hooded Warbler, and Common Yellowthroat. 

The site’s gardens were the province of Martha Turnbull, the wife of the site’s owner. David and Martha Turnbull honeymoon trip included tours of the great formal gardens of France and Italy, an influence seen in Martha’s horticultural activities at Rosedown. In the 19th century, Rosedown was one of the few privately maintained formal gardens in the United States. 

The main house, historic gardens and buildings, and remaining acres of Rosedown Plantation are preserved as a state historic site by the Louisiana Office of State Parks. Amenities include parking, restrooms/water, and gravel trails. The site is partially handicapped-accessible.