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Title: Lost Plantation

Subtitle: The Rise and Fall of Seven Oaks

Author: Marc R. Matrana

Narrator: Charles Henderson Norman

Format: Unabridged

Length: 5 hrs and 14 mins

Language: English

Release date: 09-02-15

Publisher: University Press Audiobooks

Ratings: 5 of 5 out of 1 votes

Genres: History, American

Publisher's Summary:

Along the fertile banks of the Mississippi River across from New Orleans, planter Camille Zeringue transformed a mediocre colonial plantation into a thriving gem of antebellum sugar production, complete with a columned mansion known as Seven Oaks. Under the moss-strewn oaks, the privileged master nurtured his own family but enslaved many others. Excelling at agriculture, business, an ambitious canal enterprise, and local politics, Zeringue ascended to the very pinnacle of Southern society. But his empire soon came crashing down. After the ravages of the Civil War and a nasty battle with a railroad company, the family eventually lost the great estate. Seven Oaks ultimately ended up in the hands of distant railroad executives whose only desire was to rid themselves of this heap of history.

Lost Plantation: The Rise and Fall of Seven Oaks tells both of Zeringue's climb to the top and of his legacy's eventual ruin. Preservationists and community members abhorred the railroad's indifferent attitude, and the question of the plantation mansion's fate fueled years of fiery, political battles. These hard-fought confrontations ended in 1977, when the exasperated railroad executives sent bulldozers through the decaying house. By analyzing one failed effort, Lost Plantation provides insight into the complex workings of American historical preservation efforts as a whole while illustrating how Southerners deal with their multifaceted past. The rise and fall of Seven Oaks is much more than just a local tragedy - it is a glaring example of how any community can be robbed of its history. Now, as parishes around New Orleans recognize the great aesthetic and monetary value of restoring plantation homes and attracting tourism, Jefferson Parish mourns a manor lost.

Members Reviews:

As a Descendant of the Zeringue family....

As a Descendant of the Zeringue family, I might be slightly biased about the book, but in trying to be objective - it really was a well written book and very informative. I learned a lot about my Ancestors that I had never known before and even though it brings to light a very troubling past for my family, it is never the less a fact of history and I am also proud of many things about my Ancestors. I was born in 1966, just as Seven Oaks was crumbling to its death. I remember at a very young age, my family having discussions about how wrong it would be if we as a community lost the great treasure that used to be our ancestors home. I never got to go inside or even near the old house as a child because of it's advanced decay, but within the history of the old house within these pages, I felt the experience that was Seven Oaks, and in many ways it felt richer than if I had walked through the ruins as a child. I thank the writer for the time he took to bring this jewel to life in my mind and heart.

Five Stars

This book is a great in site to our family's heritage.

This book is well written

This book is well written. I love the details of the history of Seven Oaks. It does include some pictures which help to illustrate of a time and place long lost.

Five Stars

Excellent.

A very sad account of America's lost architecture

A very sad account of America's lost architecture. At one time, Mississippi was one of the most architecturally diverse states in the country.