Published October 01, 2014
The University of Louisiana at Monroe will host the Louisiana State University Rural
Life Museum’s “Sharing the Sweet Life: 100 Years at the Chatsworth Sugar Plantation,
East Baton Rouge Parish,” from Oct. 1-31, in ULM’s Special Collections, located on
the fifth floor of the ULM Library.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. The exhibit is open from 7:30 a.m. to
5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 7:30-11:30 a.m. on Friday.
Julie Doucet, archaeologist with the Division of Archaeology, will present an accompanying
lecture, titled, "Searching for the Sweet Life: Chatsworth Plantation," from 7-8 p.m., on
Oct. 23, in Stubbs Hall, Room 100.
In reflection of Louisiana archaeology month, this traveling exhibit features artifacts,
visual displays, and a short media presentation about Southern plantation life over
100 years ago.
The Chatsworth Plantation existed as a major sugar producer from the 1830s through
the 1920s, before the “Big House” was demolished for the construction of the present
day levee in 1930.
Archaeological investigations at Chatsworth Plantation began in 2012 when L’Auberge
Casino partnered with LSU to document the history of the property as required by the
National Historic Preservation Act.
This included archaeology at the sugar mill and workers quarters that were overgrown
for almost 100 years. The artifacts and information are presented to illustrate a
way of life that was common in south Louisiana over a century ago, but now only truly
seen in exhibits like this one.
For more information, visit ulm.edu/library/archives/ or contact ULM Special Collections at 318-342-1054.
