{{short description|Historic house in Louisiana, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2018}} {{Infobox NRHP | name = Kent Plantation House | nrhp_type = | image = Kent_Plantation_House.jpg | caption = | location = 3601 Bayou Rapides Road<br>[[Alexandria, Louisiana]] | coordinates = {{coord|31|18|22|N|92|29|01|W|display=inline,title}} | locmapin = Louisiana#USA | built = 1800 | area = {{convert|4|acre|ha}}<ref>{{cite book|title=The Pelican Guide to Louisiana|last=Sternberg|first=Mary Ann|edition=2|publisher=Firebird Press|date=June 30, 1993|isbn=978-0-88289-901-5|page=59}}</ref> | architect = Pierre Baillio II | architecture = Greek Revival, Creole architecture | added = August 5, 1971<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref> | refnum = 71000362 }}
'''Kent Plantation House''' is the oldest standing structure in [[Central Louisiana]]. Listed since 1971 in the [[National Register of Historic Places]], Kent House is located in [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]] in [[Rapides Parish, Louisiana|Rapides Parish]]. The [[Plantation house in the Southern United States|plantation house]] is a representation of [[History of the United States (1789–1849)|southern plantation life]] between 1795 and 1855. The [[bouzillage|bousillage]] [[Creole peoples|Creole]] house and restored period outbuildings are now a showcase for tourists.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wegoplaces.com/Attraction_54967.aspx|title=Alexandria LA Historic Site - Kent Plantation House|accessdate=August 21, 2009}}</ref>
==History== Kent Plantation House displays original [[Cultural artifact|artifacts]] from people who worked and lived at the house during its operation.<ref name=mainoutbuildings>{{cite web|url=http://www.louisianabeautiful.com/crossroads/kent-plantation-house.html |title=Kent Plantation House - Alexandria, Louisiana |work=Louisiana Tourism |accessdate=August 21, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090509073847/http://www.louisianabeautiful.com/crossroads/kent-plantation-house.html |archivedate= May 9, 2009 }}</ref>
===Buildings=== H. Parrott Bacot, former director of the Anglo-American Art Museum at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge, Louisiana]], led the interior restoration.<ref>{{cite book|last=DuFour|first=Darlene|title=Kent House Alexandria, Louisiana|publisher=DD Management Corporation|year=1994|location=Pineville Louisiana|page=60}}</ref>
The several outbuildings surrounding the main structure are furnished with [[Federal furniture|Federal]], [[Sheraton style|Sheraton]], and [[Empire style|Empire]] pieces.<ref>{{cite web|work=MuseumRegister|title=Kent Plantation House - Alexandria, Louisiana|url=http://www.museumregister.com/US/Louisiana/KentPlantationHouse/Info.html|accessdate=August 22, 2009}}</ref>
The Milk House was built between 1820 and 1830; [[dairy product]]s, such as [[cheese]], [[milk]], and [[butter]], were prepared and stored there.<ref name=mainoutbuildings/> The Blacksmith Shop was constructed about 1815. The Kitchen contains an open hearth fireplace for cooking.
===Marker text=== The marker at the front entrance of the Kent Plantation House reads: <blockquote>''Kent House, the oldest known standing structure in Rapides Parish, was built by Pierre Baillio, completed in 1800. Baillio constructed the house on land received through a Spanish land grant circa 1794.''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM6EYH_Kent_Plantation_House_Alexandria_LA|title=Kent Plantation House - Alexandria LA - Louisiana Historical Markers on Waymarking.com|accessdate=August 21, 2009}}</ref></blockquote> <ref>{{Cite web|last=Wilson|first=Samuel Jr.|date=5 August 1971|title=Inventory Nomination Form - Kent Plantation House|url=https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/c94e745b-beb7-4da7-856d-8cb9e0712304|access-date=6 October 2021|website=[[National Register of Historic Places]]}}</ref>
==Gallery== <gallery>
Kent House, Alexandria, LA, closeup of building IMG_4211.JPG|Close-up of the plantation house
Kent Plantation House Visitor Center, Alexandria, LA IMG_4182.JPG|Visitor Center
Tour guide at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4216.JPG|Outdoor tour guide at Kent House
Milk House, Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4212.JPG|Milk House (constructed prior to 1830)
Utensils inside the Milk House at Kent Plantation House IMG_4186.JPG|Various utensils inside the Milk House
Kitchen at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4214.JPG|Kitchen
Open hearth cooking, Kent Plantation House IMG_4213.JPG|Open-hearth cooking on the plantation; still done on a weekly basis by the Kent House staff
Laundry facilities at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4219.JPG|Laundry room
Barn at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4234.JPG|Barn at Kent House
Blacksmith shop, Kent Plantation House IMG_4228.JPG|Blacksmith shop
Bamboo hammer, Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG 4227.JPG|A wooden hammer
Cotton plants at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4229.JPG|Cotton stalks at Kent House
Oak tree at Kent House in Alexandria, LA IMG_4245.JPG|Towering oak tree at Kent House
Syrup-making center at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4247.JPG|The center for the making of cane syrup at Kent House
Cane syrup at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA, IMG_4238.JPG|Cane syrup in trough is ready for use.
Bottle tree, Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4246.JPG|Bottle tree, according to southern tradition, would ward off evil spirits.
Bousillage exhibit, Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4188.JPG|[[Bousillage]], a mixture of clay and grass, is a key building material of Kent House.
Indoor tour guide at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4208.JPG|Indoor tour guide at Kent House
Dining table at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4191.JPG|Dining table; the wooden fan from the ceiling was attached to a rope and powered by servants for cooling the room.
Parlor at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4196.JPG|Parlor, where tea, an expensive item in that day, was served
Boys' bed at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4189.JPG|Boys' bedroom
Girls' bedroom at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4201.JPG|Girls' bedroom
Master bedroom at Kent Plantation House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4206.JPG|Master bedroom
Bathtub at Kent House, Alexandria, LA IMG_4207.JPG|Bathtub in master bedroom
</gallery>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.kenthouse.org Kent Plantation House] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002064803/http://www.kenthouse.org/ |date=October 2, 2011 }} - official site
{{Alexandria, Louisiana}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:Houses completed in 1800]] [[Category:Creole architecture in Louisiana]] [[Category:Houses on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana]] [[Category:Plantation houses in Louisiana]] [[Category:Houses in Alexandria, Louisiana]] [[Category:Museums in Rapides Parish, Louisiana]] [[Category:Historic house museums in Louisiana]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Alexandria, Louisiana]] [[Category:National Society of the Colonial Dames of America]] [[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Rapides Parish, Louisiana]] [[Category:Slave cabins and quarters in the United States]] [[Category:Blacksmith shops]]