The River Road, which runs on both sides of the Mississippi River from Baton Rouge to New Orleans, is such an architecturally fascinating place. Home to many of the most famous and well-known plantation houses from the antebellum south, it’s a must see for one interested in historic architecture. Among the most well known of these houses is San Francisco, located in Convent, Louisiana. Built in what has become known as Steamboat Gothic Style, the house is ornate and rich with detail. Since it was built so close to the river, it sits up high and the “basement” is actually on the first floor. The living quarters are on the second floor, above typical flood stage. Colorful and highly detailed, the house resembles a festive steamboat that might have been steaming by on the Mississippi just a few yards away. Built in 1859, the house reflects the opulence of the prewar south and is preserved today as a museum.
Image : © Brian Vanden Brink
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