Frogmore Plantation & Gins is not only on the National Register of Historic Places, but also a working 1800-acre cotton farm near Ferriday, Louisiana. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind destination that bridges over 200 years of history. Along with nearly perfect ratings by visitors, Frogmore Plantation has received multiple accolades and awards. Rand McNally named it a “Must See Site” in the South. AAA’s Southern Traveler magazine listed it as one of the top three favorite attractions in the tri-state area of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. And PBS featured it in a documentary on slavery, to name a few.
Frogmore Plantation gives visitors an in-depth look at the people and events of the past, as well as modern day cotton production. The plantation offers several different tours. The most comprehensive one is Cotton, Then & Now. Tours take place against a backdrop of well-preserved buildings, dating from the early 1800s. As you visit the authentically furnished living quarters, a cooking cabin, washhouse, and sharecroppers’ store, knowledgeable historic guides share the history of Frogmore Plantation. They paint a picture of life on a plantation as experienced by those who lived and labored here, contrasting the powerful cotton kingpins with the enslaved who made this wealth and power possible. As you tour the austere 1840s slave cabin turned post-war sharecroppers’ cabin, docents expertly weave together details of the harsh realities faced by these individuals by recounting their first-hand narratives. Tours include a look at a Smithsonian-quality, steam-powered gin that’s listed on the National Register.
The plantation’s history continues through the Civil War, the adoption of the 13th Amendment that abolished slavery, and the transition to sharecropping after the war. The tour brings visitors up to the present day, with the opportunity to pick cotton from mid-July to April and to see the state-of-the-art gin that produces 900 bales of cotton per day in the fall. On the Modern Ginning & Farming tour, you can learn even more about today’s cotton cultivation.
By the same token, those interested in a more in-depth look at the war between the states are invited to join the Plantation Civil War: Challenges and Changes tour. Guides offer a complete, but concise history of the war, including the encampment of Union soldiers that the plantation owner, a Union sympathizer, allowed.
During your visit, you’re invited to explore several other historic buildings including a mid-1800s church with original pews and furnishings. The church and nearby State of Louisiana Delta Music Museum are featured in The Delta Music group tour. Likewise, The Christmas on the Plantation group tour includes a live concert in the church interspersed with recollections of Christmas on the plantation by former slaves and mistresses. Your tour continues through authentically decorated living quarters.
No matter which guided tour you choose, a visit to Frogmore Plantation includes informative video presentations and a self-guided walking tour of some of the other historic dependency buildings. Complimentary golf carts are available for those with special needs.
