The Weaving House ~ Melrose Plantation

The Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches   has undertaken the careful restoration of the eight structures composing the Melrose complex. In 1971, in the interest of maintaining Melrose as a monument to Louisiana history, Southdown Land Company, the owner of the plantation at that time, conveyed the property and complex of buildings to the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches. Since that time the organization has undertaken the careful restoration of the eight structures comprising the Melrose complex.  In 1974, the Cane River plantation was declared a National Historic Landmark.

A large loom was located in the weaving house where slaves created quilts and other textiles, many with African designs, for use on the plantation. 

I've been attempting more photographs in black and white and I couldn't decide which version I liked best, so I give them both to you. 

 

Melrose Live Oaks

Live oak trees are the focal point of the landscaping at Melrose Plantation.  As mentioned in yesterday's post, they are believed to be at least 250 years old.  Many of the branches are in excess of 100 feet long.  If you're wondering where is the Spanish moss, groundskeepers keep it pulled from the branches since it was found to harbor nests of redbugs (mites) which were biting the guests!

Melrose Plantation

South of Natchitoches (pronounced nakka-tush), Louisiana, in the heart of the Cane River Creole National Historical Park sits Melrose, a unique Southern plantation in that it was established by a freed black slave, Marie Therese Coincoin, in the late 1700s.  Many of the Creole descendants of Marie Therese (1742-1816) still live along the banks of the Cane River in this area.  There is some controversy over the history of the ownership and the dates of construction of various buildings and I would simply invite you, if you are interested, to read two brief histories found at the embedded links.  The history is indeed fascinating.  The original plantation house still sits on the property and the pictured main house was constructed in 1833.  The large live oak tree in front of the house is believed to be in excess of 250 years old.  Over the coming days and weeks I will try to sprinkle in a few pictures of Melrose and the city of Natchitoches.

Red-Lander

Imogene's Cafe in San Augustine, Texas, is now the occupant of the building which once housed The Red-Lander, one of the more prominent newspapers in the Republic of Texas during the 1840s. Sam Houston maintained a law office across the street from the Red-Lander for during most of the years of The Red-Lander's existence.

Clematis

One last bloom before winter.

Just a Touch of Red

Shootin' the Breeze

Fence No. 8

Flowering quince is a good contrast to this old weathered fence at my Aunt Ruth's farm.

Aunt Ruth is no longer with us but her farm and many of her plants and flowers

continue to thrive.

Ford Tractor

27/100 Strangers ~ Steve

I met Steve at First Monday Trade Days in Canton where he was a vendor offering demonstrations and selling a product called a Swiss peeler.  I'm always fascinated by what those guys can do and I shelled out 11 bucks for one of his little gizmos because I'm a sucker for kitchen gadgets.  Now, granted, it's an okay peeler and maybe with a little (I mean a lot) of practice I might be able to peel a potato, but never anything like Steve.  He actually made hashbrowns with this doohickey (notice the bottom right of the photo).  He fashioned curliques and rosettes and he even gave some lady in the audience a shag haircut and shaved her legs (don't believe everything you read on the Internet).

For those of you new to my blog, the 100 Strangers Project is a method to improve your street and portrait photography and make you more comfortable in approaching people and asking to take their photograph.  Just Google 100 Strangers Project and you'll find out more than you ever wanted to know.  It's fun but still rather intimidating.  If you want to look at my first 26 Strangers, just click on "100 Strangers" below or in the sidebar on the right.

Canton, Texas

Babbitt Brothers ~ Flagstaff, AZ

The Babbitt brothers - David, George, William, Charles, and Edward - came to Flagstaff in 1886 to go into the cattle ranching business.  They established the C.O. Bar Ranch on lands between Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon.  The historic C.O. Bar is one of the largest cattle ranches in the Southwest and continues in operation today.  It was named C.O. for the former Babbitt home of Cincinnati, Ohio.  

By 1889, the Babbitt brothers also had established a general mercantile store in Flagstaff.  This store supplied goods such as oil lamps, saddles, wool shears, canned food, hardware, and trade blankets to the trading posts which were beginning to spring up across the vast Indian Country of northeastern Arizona. The building is across the street from the historic Monte Vista Hotel, and the Coconino County Courthouse is hidden behind the trees in the upper right.

Romance

Windswept Beauty