Oak Alley Plantation
Historic house in Louisiana. Added to the National Register in 1974, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
Oak Alley Plantation is a historic plantation located on the west bank of the Mississippi River, in the community of Vacherie, St. James Parish, Louisiana, U.S. Oak Alley is named for its distinguishing visual feature, an alley or canopied path, created by a double row of southern live oak trees about 800 feet long, planted in the early 18th century — long before the present house was built. The allée or tree avenue runs between the home and the River. The property was designated a National Historic Landmark for its architecture and landscaping, and for the agricultural innovation of grafting pecan trees, performed there in 1846–47 by an enslaved gardener. It was first known as Bon Séjour.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 2.5 mi. N of Vacherie, Vacherie vicinity, LA |
| Parish | St. James Parish |
| Listed | Dec 2, 1974 |
| Listed for | Landscape architecture, Architecture, Agriculture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Bon Sejour |
| Reference number | 74002187 |
| Type of place | plantation |
| Style | Greek Revival architecture |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 1 building, 1 structure |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 2.5 mi. N of Vacherie, Vacherie, LA |
| Website | oakalleyplantation.com ↗ |
| Coordinates | 30.0046° N, 90.7768° W · Directions ↗ |
| Nearest national park unit | Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve · 40 miles · on Park Atlas |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 1 record ↗
Map
Nearby in St. James Parish
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Guidebooks to historic places in Louisiana
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Oak Alley Plantation listed on the National Register?
Dec 2, 1974. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Can I visit Oak Alley Plantation?
Yes. Oak Alley Plantation is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is Oak Alley Plantation?
2.5 mi. N of Vacherie, Vacherie vicinity, St. James Parish, Louisiana. The nearest national park unit is Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, 40 miles away.
What does the Oak Alley Plantation listing include?
The listing counts 2 contributing resources. Those are 1 building and 1 structure. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.
Source: National Park Service
Are there historic photographs or drawings of Oak Alley Plantation?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for Oak Alley Plantation?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Oak Alley Plantation?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 74002187. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.