A magnificent pictorial and history of the enchanting mansion, gardens, and buildings of Louisiana's Sugar Palace, Houmas House Plantation and Gardens. Artist, author, and photographer Jim Blanchard's compilation of recent and historic photography, archival research, and treasures from the Houmas Collection unfold in his tribute to the families of the great sugar barons Daniel Clark, Wade Hampton, John Burnside, and William Porcher Miles. The historic tribute also includes early explorers and settlers of the vast Louisiana Territory, and their encounters with the Houmas Indians during expeditions prior to the Louisiana Purchase. In 2003, New Orleans businessman Kevin Kelly rescued the historic property and took to task in renovating and restoring the Houmas to its former splendor, creating a tribute to the grand, bountiful lifestyles of the Sugar Barons. The thirty-eight spectacular acres surrounding Houmas House are filled with old and new gardens, massive moss-draped live oaks, ponds and fountains, statues and sculptures, enticing pathways, bridges, and an abundance of blossoming flowers that change with the seasons. Jim Blanchard's first visit to the Houmas was on a River Road day-trip with his parents in June of 1973. Since his early years, he has been captivated by the architectural importance of rural south Louisiana's homes and buildings, a passion that shaped his life's work. From his architectural archival watercolor drawings, featured in many important publications and collections, to his focus through the lens of the camera, Jim has amassed a tribute to Louisiana, then and now.
When Kevin Kelly purchased Houmas in 2003, Jim's architectural design knowledge and research were instrumental in accomplishing the restoration of the property, which continues to date. Through his ongoing research, documentation, information, and photographs from families of past owners, the history of the Houmas is continually unfolding. The bulk of the collection shown in Louisiana's Sugar Palace encompasses Jim Blanchard's photographic portraiture of the restored mansion and the gardens of Houmas.