cane-river-creole | LA | Find park

A small cabin sits beneath the branches of a Live Oak in the Oakland Plantation Quarters.

One of two remaining cabins built for enslaved workers on Oakland Plantation. The cabin was lived in by sharecroppers into the 1960s.

A raised Creole cottage surrounded by oak trees.

Originally built as a hospital for the enslaved workers on Magnolia Plantation, this raised Creole cottage also served as home to the plantation Overseer.

The sunrise shines through Live Oak trees at Oakland Plantation.

Live Oak trees at sunrise on Oakland Plantation.

Brick cabins built to house enslaved workers, served as homes for tenant farmers into the 1960s.

These brick cabins were built in the 1840s to house enslaved workers on Magnolia Plantation. Following Emancipation the cabins served as homes for tenant farmers.

Two rows of Live Oak trees stretch from the Cane River to the Oakland Plantation Main House.

The Oak Allee, planted in the mid-1820s, stretches from the Cane River to the Oakland Plantation Main House.

This wood screw cotton press was used at Magnolia Plantation to form cotton into bales for market.

The Magnolia Plantation Gin Barn houses this rare wood screw cotton press.

Physical Address:

4386 Highway 494, Natchez, LA 71456 (Oakland )

5549 Highway 119, Cloutierville, LA 71416 (Magnolia)

Natchitoches Parish, LA 71457

Mailing Address:

PO Box 925

Natchitoches, LA 71458

contact-details

Phone Number: 318-352-0383 Voice

Email Address: cari_interp@nps.gov
Description:

Fees

Entrance Fees

Entrance Passes

The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells their stories and preserves the cultural landscape of Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in the United States.

park designation:National Historical Park

Directions:

To reach Oakland Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 127, Flora/Cypress. Head east on LA Highway 120 toward Cypress. Cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 494. The parking lot and entrance pavilion for Oakland is 4.5 miles east of Highway 1 on the left. To reach Magnolia Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 119, Cloutierville. Cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 119. Follow Highway 119 for 1.1 miles; the visitor parking lot will be on the right just before the plantation store.

For detailed directions, please visit this link.

Directions

Operating Hours:

Oakland and Magnolia Plantations

The Oakland Plantation and Magnolia Plantation grounds, trails, outbuildings and visitor restrooms are open daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Guided tours and shopping at the park store are available Wednesday through Sunday. The Oakland Plantation Main House is open for self-guided tours only on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed all federal holidays.

Exceptions:

Memorial Day (May 27, 2024 - May 27, 2024)

Juneteenth (June 19, 2024 - June 19, 2024)

Independence Day (July 4, 2024 - July 4, 2024)

Labor Day (September 6, 2024 - September 6, 2024)

Columbus Day (October 7, 2024 - October 7, 2024)

Veteran's Day (November 11, 2024 - November 11, 2024)

Thanksgiving (November 28, 2024 - November 28, 2024)

Christmas (December 25, 2024 - December 25, 2024)

New Year's Day (January 1, 2025 - January 1, 2025)

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (January 20, 2025 - January 20, 2025)

Washington's Birthday (February 17, 2025 - February 17, 2025)

Weather Information:

Weather in central Louisiana can be unpredictable. Summers are hot and humid. Winter is relatively mild with measurable snowfall every 5-10 years. Average rainfall is approximately 55-60 inches per year. The area is also subject to severe thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. Visitors might want to bring hats, umbrellas, and drink plenty of water. Please check the local weather forecast before planning your visit to the park.