1811 Kid Ory Historic House

Museum in LaPlace, Louisiana

The Bonnet Carre Historical Center, also known as the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House, is a museum in LaPlace, Louisiana, housed in a historic plantation house formerly known by names including Andry Plantation and Woodland Plantation. It focuses on the 1811 German Coast uprising, which Charles Deslondes started there, and the life of jazz pioneer Kid Ory, born here in 1886. Other exhibits include antique phonographs and history of plantation life.

The museum was originally operated by former journalist John McCusker and, after a temporary closure during the COVID-19 pandemic, reopened under the auspices of the historical center with support from the agribusiness firm Greenfield Louisiana.^[1]

The museum once again closed in October of 2022 due prohibitive costs resulting from the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, despite the support from Greenfield. Owner Timothy Sheehan sold the property to sisters Joy and Jo Banner of The Descendants Project in January of 2024, who intend to utilize the property to preserve local Black history and environmental health.^[2]^[3]

References

^ "Kid Ory museum, site of slave revolt, reopens in Louisiana". AP NEWS. October 31, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2023.
^ Verite, Drew Costley (March 2, 2024). "A museum on a former plantation shut down. These environmental activists want to transform it. • Louisiana Illuminator". Louisiana Illuminator. Retrieved September 10, 2024.
^ "Woodland Plantation". Descendants Project. Retrieved September 10, 2024.

External links

At 1811 Kid Ory Historic House in St. John, a slave revolt was born, and a musician grew up NOLA.com article 17 August 2021
Former Woodland Plantation now serves as the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House March 2021, Preservation in Print
Kid Ory Finally Gets the Encore He Deserves Smithsonian, January 2021
How a museum founder battled Ida to save precious pieces of the history of Louisiana's enslaved people CNN, 31 August 2021