Graugnard farms plantation house

Vacherie, St. James Parish, Louisiana

Graugnard Farms Plantation is a raised French Creole plantation house built c. 1819 in St. James by George Webre (1761-1827). The wall construction is bousillage between post, a mixture of clay and straw or Spanish moss used for insulation, distinct but common material used in Louisiana's architectural past. The plantation was moved three times, due to changes in the Mississippi River's path, and was lowered during the last move around the 1880's. At that time, the interior was renovated with Victorian details; such as, doors, fireplaces, and moldings. Graugnard was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. When regional industry purchased the land, they gave the previous owners an opportunity to move the home and surrounding buildings before they cleared the property.

In 2017, Rolf Preservation Works, L.L.C. worked with the previous owner’s representative to conduct a feasibility study to move the historic plantation house out of the path of demolition to a similar setting and still qualify for historic rehabilitation tax credits. This study included stabilizing the structure and moving it without destroying the historic fabric.