Friday, February 6, 2009

Fun in Baton Rouge Louisianna!

Wow, we are so lucky to be able to see things we would never have a chance to see on our own!  Last night we spoke to the Baton Rouge EO group.  We arrived the day before so we could explore a little.  We loved driving over the Mississippi River Bridge to Louisiana State University where the Sorority and Fraternity houses were just incredible...credits to the Old South!  Yesterday we went to see a couple of the old Plantations which are now museums.  The one below was our favorite and was called "The Oak Alley Plantation".  These trees called Live Oaks were planted at least three hundred years ago (and can live as many as a thousand years) by the plantation owner and were simply spectacular! The roots spread out just like the branches do.  The house was cool but the grounds covered with these incredible trees and it was awe-inspiring!

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Here are the slave quarters.  At least they had great trees to look at!

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It was so sad to see a mother with 5 children sold for "$1200 altogether", which wasn't as bad as selling them separately.  A good 35 year old slave went for up to $1000 but the really old ones (55) only brought $50 and the really really old ones (60) could be bought for $25.  What a totally tragic idea! 

We bought some great books though to read to the grandkids next summer with the original tales from Brer Rabbit as well as Little Black Sambo (politically correct or not), all stories that Dad and I grew up with which were Folk Tales from the slaves.  Fun Days!

3 comments:

bostonshumways said...

How interesting mom....and how warm and sunny and green it looks!

Shawni said...

Oh my gosh I want to go there! If I could only take pictures at that gorgeous house. I love those trees!

Weaver Family said...

That picture is amazing! The first place my mind went to was the story of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" one of the plantations in the story was described exactly like that picture. I couldn't believe it when I saw it, and then I read your comments and had to laugh.
What a neat experience that must have been.