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History
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      Greenwood
Plantation, one of the Barrow dynasty of homes in West Feliciana
Parish, Louisiana, was originally built in 1830 by William Ruffin
Barrow. In the 1830's, Greenwood, operating as a 3000 acre cotton
plantation, provided the Barrow's with a comfortable living.
      In
1850, Barrow switched to sugarcane. This was advantagous to the
Barrow's as Greenwood grew to 12,000 acres with 750 slaves.
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      In
the later part of the 1850's, the northern states and the abolitionist
began talk of freeing the slaves. Barrow entered politics and became
one of the instigator's of Louisiana's Succession from the Union.
Because of his involvement in the Succession, Barrow became a target
for the Union troops. On March 22, 1862, William Ruffin Barrow
died.
      After
the Civil War, the conditions of the Reconstruction government, coupled
with no labor, forced the Barrow family to sell the plantation. The
new owners fared no better than the Barrow's. As a result, no one
could keep the home for any length of time until Mr. and Mrs. Frank
Percy bought the home in 1915.
      With
the help of their large family, they worked Greenwood Plantation
as a family farm. The mansion became their home. Once again, Greenwood
prospered. Mr.
and Mrs. Percy opened the home to the public from 1940 until 1960.
On August 1, 1960, lightning struck the home and destroyed it.
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      Eight
years later, Walton Barnes purchased the plantation home and 300
acres. He and his son, Richard, set out to rebuild the home. They
wanted to restore Greenwood to its former glory. After spending
many years researching and locating photographs of the home, the
home was mostly finished by November, 1984. At this time, a French-Canadian
filmmaker contracted to use Greenwood for the movie "Louisiana".
During the filming of this movie, the filmmaker completed the landscaping
and decorating of the home. Greenwood Plantation has been the site
for five movies: Drango, Louisiana, North and South - Book I, North
and South - Book II, and Sister, Sister.
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|       Greenwood
Plantation is now the home of Richard and his family. Today Greenwood
Plantation is again open to the public. For more information on location,
hours, and rates, click here. |
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