Slave cabins at the Destrehan Plantation

Slave cabins were usually located in the sugar cane fields and formed small villages along a dirt road.

An inventory of the Plantation counts nineteen cabins on stilts, surrounded by fences.

The cabins that are now near the main house date from around 1840 and represent typical family dwellings, as well as a cooper’s workshop.

On the front of one of the cabins is a list of the slaves belonging to the various owners of the Destrehan Plantation.

The list includes the names of the slaves, their ages, origins, occupation or ailments, and their market value.