Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Information Oakland Main House Self-Guided Tours

The interior of the Oakland Main House is ONLY open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All tours of the house are self-guided and occupancy within the building is limited. Please plan accordingly.

Information Park Operating Hours

Operating hours are 9:00 am to 3:30 pm Wednesday through Sunday until further notice.

Overview

The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells their stories and preserves the cultural landscape of Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in the United States.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Food
  • Picnicking
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Junior Ranger Program

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Oakland and Magnolia Plantations: The Texas & Pacific Railway Depot, Oakland Plantation and Magnolia Plantation are open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 am to 3:30 pm. Both self-guided and guided tours of the plantation grounds and outbuildings are available. In addition, the park store located in the Oakland Plantation store is open for shopping. The Oakland Plantation Main House is open for self-guided tours only on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Closed all federal holidays.

Getting there

To reach Oakland Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 127, Flora/Cypress. Head east on LA Highway 120 toward Cypress. Cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 494. The parking lot and entrance pavilion for Oakland is 4.5 miles east of Highway 1 on the left. To reach Magnolia Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 119, Cloutierville. Cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 119. Follow Highway 119 for 1.1 miles; the visitor parking lot will be on the right just before the plantation store.

Visitor centers

Weather

Weather in central Louisiana can be unpredictable. Summers are hot and humid. Winter is relatively mild with measurable snowfall every 5-10 years. Average rainfall is approximately 55-60 inches per year. The area is also subject to severe thunderstorms, hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes. Visitors might want to bring hats, umbrellas, and drink plenty of water. Please check the local weather forecast before planning your visit to the park.

Phone: 318-352-0383

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

A raised Creole cottage surrounded by oak trees.
Magnolia Plantation Overseer's House · NPS Photo
The sunrise shines through Live Oak trees at Oakland Plantation.
Live Oak Trees · NPS Photo
Brick cabins built to house enslaved workers, served as homes for tenant farmers into the 1960s.
Cabins in the Magnolia Plantation Quarters · NPS Photo
Two rows of Live Oak trees stretch from the Cane River to the Oakland Plantation Main House.
Oak Allee · NPS Photo
This wood screw cotton press was used at Magnolia Plantation to form cotton into bales for market.
Magnolia Plantation Cotton Gin and Press Barn · NPS Photo.

Pair it with