Hermitage
1.75 mi. E of Darrow on LA 942, Darrow, LAHermitage Plantation has played a prominent part in the early agricultural development of the area in which it is situated. Prior to 1777, the land belonged to the Houmas Indians, and at this time was sold to Mr. Latil, who began farming the land. Originally, it was an indigo plantation and continued to have indigo as its main crop when it was purchased by the Bringier family in 1806. It continued on with indigo for a few more years and then when sugar manufacturing became feasible, the plantation switched to the growing of sugar cane. This plantation was the center of Michel Douradou Bringier's vast land holdings, even though this was one of his smaller plantations, as far as land area is concerned.
There is also an account, the Bringier papers at Tulane University, of the close relationship between the builder and General Andrew Jackson at the Battle of New Orleans. Bringier named his home after Jackson's plantation near Nashville, Tennessee. There is also an account of the steamboat Sultana landing at Hermitage with General Jackson, who visited with the family in the 1820s.
The property was well maintained and a very fine sugar mill was built which operated until the Civil War. At that time, the family was evicted by the Union Army, and the property was leased from the Union by a carpetbagger from New England. He remained for three years, and on departing stripped the property of everything movable in the form of livestock, machinery, etc.
The property was restored to the Bringier family and a son, Louis Amedee Bringier, undertook the task of restoring the house and plantation. This he accomplished quite well during the late 1860s and 1870s. A new mill was constructed, employing all of the latest equipment of the period, and this continued in operation until about 1916. At that time the mill was closed. The machinery was sold and moved away, and the building was demolished. However, the house remained intact and the main crop at this time was changed, to rice cultivation. This continued for approximately 15 years, and since that time the property has been used for cattle grazing and, more recently, a good portion of the land has been leased to farmers for cultivation of sugar cane and soybeans.
Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.