Product Description

The great majority of the South's plantation homes have been destroyed over time, and many have long been forgotten. In Lost Plantations of the South, Marc R. Matrana weaves together photographs, diaries and letters, architectural renderings, and other rare documents to tell the story of sixty of these vanquished estates and the people who once called them home.

From plantations that were destroyed by natural disaster such as Alabama’s Forks of Cypress, to those that were intentionally demolished such as Seven Oaks in Louisiana and Mount Brilliant in Kentucky, Matrana resurrects these lost mansions. Including plantations throughout the South as well as border states, Matrana carefully tracks the histories of each from the earliest days of construction to the often contentious struggles to preserve these irreplaceable historic treasures. Lost Plantations of the South explores the root causes of demise and provides understanding and insight on how lessons learned in these sad losses can help prevent future preservation crises. Capturing the voices of masters and mistresses alongside those of slaves, and featuring more than one hundred elegant archival illustrations, this book explores the powerful and complex histories of these cardinal homes across the South.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #12227 in Books
• Published on: 2009-08-11
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 336 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781578069422
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From the Inside Flap
An illustrated history of the grand southern plantation homes lost to war, disaster, neglect, and progress

About the Author

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, Marc R. Matrana practices medicine at the Ochsner Medical Center and is an active preservationist and historian. He has published numerous articles and papers and is the author of Lost Plantation: The Rise and Fall of Seven Oaks.

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Wonderful!!
Absolutely Wonderful!!! I just got my copy a few days ago and was completely blown away. I love old houses and especially plantations, and STRONGLY reccomend this book to anyone intereseted in history, architecture, the South, or historic preservation. The book is truly beautiful and filled with crisp photos of dozens of grand old mansions that are no longer standing. The author has obviously spent many years extensively researching the history of these places and the narratives are exteremely interesting and enjoyable to read. The lives of these plantations and those who influenced them just jump right off the pages. Definitely a book I am proud to have in my bookcase, and one all of my friends will be getting as Christmas gifts!

Stunningly Beautiful
This is an outstanding book. It is both stunningly beautiful and exceptionally well researched and written. The rare photographs are haunting and absolutely breathtaking. But unlike many books in this genre, there is a substantial amount of real history to go behind the beautiful pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the plantation families and the slaves who lived on these estates. I relished the tales of Lucy Holcombe Pickens whose jaunts to Russia brought her much favor with the Czar and Cazrina, and Choctaw Chief Greenwood LeFleur who built a most impressive mansion called Malmaison. The tragic and hilarious history of Goat Castle and its insane inhabitants was wonderful, as were all of the other narratives. Dr. Marc Matrana does a great job of covering the history of lost plantations in every Southern state and provides strong and fresh ideas about preservation that can be utilized today. I hope this author will keep his great books coming!

A Good Primer on Lost Plantations, Not Definitive
I had high hopes when I heard of this tome. As someone interested in Southern Architecture, the long overdue creation and publication of a book on the lost plantations of the South met my ears with interest. I am not completely disappointed in Marc Matrana's work; it is simply too brief and uneven in coverage, often lacking in illustrations. While Texas has eight plantations in the book, Alabama has only three represented. Arkansas, although not well established in the antebellum plantation economy, just has three plantations listed with nary an illustration. Tennessee and Kentucky contain merely one plantation apiece. I realize that there can never be a comprehensive history of all the lost plantations in the South; however, more research could have doubled the number of houses found in those states. Matrana possibly knows the brevity of his book; he included a large bibliography at the conclusion of the book and suggested reading lists in the chapters. There is also a note to the reader alluding to the fact that this is not a definitive book on the subject. This is a good overview on the subject and is still a worthwhile purchase.