Structures on the Property

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The Michel Prudhomme House, later known as Ringrose, is a rare surviving example of a Raised Creole Cottage that remains on its original site in Opelousas. Structures of this type are closely associated with early French and Creole building traditions in Louisiana.

Raised Creole cottages share several defining architectural features:

• Chimneys are located along the interior walls, typically near the center of the roofline, rather than on the exterior ends 
• The front of the house opens onto a gallery (porch), with multiple doors connecting directly to each room 
• Interior layouts lack a central hallway; instead, the gallery functions as the main passage between rooms 
• Staircases were originally placed on the exterior of the structure, though some were later enclosed 
• The raised elevation, hip roof, and full-width gallery reflect French architectural influence adapted to the Louisiana climate 

The earliest recorded land purchase by Michel Prudhomme dates to 1774. A U.S. Commissioner’s report from 1816 indicates that the family had lived on the property for approximately 22 years, suggesting that the house was likely constructed around 1790. Its structural details are consistent with building practices between 1790 and 1810.

Based on architectural similarities, the house may have been built by the same craftsman or builder responsible for several other regional structures, including the Live Oak Plantation house, the Poiret House, the “Halfway House,” and the Jacques Dupré House near Opelousas. While no direct documentation confirms this, the similarities in design are notable.

Other surviving examples of raised Creole plantation architecture in Louisiana include Laura Plantation (l’Habitation Duparc) near Vacherie, and Magnolia Mound in Baton Rouge.

 The property also includes a rare surviving pigeonnier, or pigeon house.

A pigeonnier is a two-story structure, with storage space below and nesting compartments for pigeons above. In Louisiana, pigeonniers served both practical and symbolic purposes. Young pigeons, known as squab, were a source of food, while pigeon droppings were valued as a natural fertilizer before the development of commercial alternatives.

In France, the right to own a pigeonnier was historically restricted to the nobility. In colonial Louisiana, however, the structure became a symbol of status among landowners. Today, only a small number of pigeonniers remain in the state.

The corn crib on the property reflects the agricultural function of the plantation.

Originally used for storing corn, the structure is raised above the ground to protect its contents from moisture and pests. Side areas could also be used to store tools and farming equipment, allowing the building to function as both a granary and a barn.

Corn played a central role on the plantation, serving as a primary food source for both livestock and enslaved people. We know potatoes were also grown on the property.

Plans are currently underway to restore and preserve this structure as part of the site’s ongoing conservation efforts.

This illustration of Bois de Fleche Plantation in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, provides a visual example of how cotton plantations in this region—including this site—were typically organized and operated.

Owned by the de L’Homme family, Bois de Fleche was a cotton-producing plantation similar to Prudhomme Plantation. To the left stands a cotton press tower, where mule-powered machinery compressed ginned cotton into dense bales measuring 5 to 6 feet tall and weighing up to 500 pounds. A comparable press at Prudhomme Plantation burned in 1859.

Cotton production relied on intensive manual labor. After the invention of the cotton gin, adults were often forced to pick between 200 and 300 pounds of cotton per day, while children were given a quota of 20-25 lbs. These figures reflect the broader labor system that sustained plantations like this one.

In the foreground, a kitchen garden illustrates how food was cultivated on-site, offering a glimpse into daily life within the plantation landscape.