Monte Verdi Plantation

Monte Verdi Plantation
Nearest city Cushing, Texas
Coordinates 31°54′06″N 94°52′15″W / 31.90167°N 94.87083°W / 31.90167; -94.87083Coordinates: 31°54′06″N 94°52′15″W / 31.90167°N 94.87083°W / 31.90167; -94.87083
Area 100 acres (40 ha)
Built 1857
NRHP Reference # 14000104[1]
RTHL # 11021
Significant dates
Added to NRHP March 31, 2014
Designated RTHL 1964

The Monte Verdi Plantation is a historic Southern plantation in Rusk County, Texas. It was used to grow cotton in the Antebellum South.

History

Julien Sidney Devereux, a member of the Sixth Texas Legislature, purchased land from 1845 onwards.[2] By 1849, he called it Monte Verdi, which means "green mountain" in Italian.[2] By 1850, seventy-four African slaves worked on the plantation.[2] They produced 120 bales of cotton every year, making it one of the 100 most productive plantations in Texas.[2] At its peak, the plantation covered 10,700 acres.[3]

The mansion was built from 1856 to 1857.[2] It was designed in the Greek Revival architectural style.[2] It is two story high, with six Doric columns and a balcony on the second floor.[2] It was restored by Emmett F. Lowry and his wife in the early 1960s.[2]

In 1962, historian Dorman H. Winfrey wrote a history of the plantation entitled Julien Sidney Devereux and His Monte Verdi Plantation, published by the Waco-based Texian Press.[4]

Historic site

The plantation house has been a Texas Historical Landmark since 1964.[2] Additionally, the 100 acre core of the plantation has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since March 31, 2014.[2] The historic core area preserves the history of a large cotton plantation, active for many years surrounding the Civil War. The Greek Revival plantation house is a good example of its type and retains much of its original materials. The main house, restored in 1960, has an L-shaped plan for the first floor and a rectangular plan for the second; a total of 2960 square feet. The plantation main house and a water well are historic structures at the site, which also includes a relocated house and several structures of more recent vintage that are not contributing resources.[3]

References

  1. ↑ "Weekly list of actions taken on properties: 3/31/14 through 4/05/14". National Park Service. April 11, 2014. Retrieved April 7, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Christopher Long, "MONTE VERDI PLANTATION," Handbook of Texas Online (http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ccm02), accessed April 04, 2015. Uploaded on June 15, 2010. Published by the Texas State Historical Association.
  3. 1 2 Jake McAdams; Carlyn Hammons (May 2013). "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Monte Verdi Plantation" (PDF). National Park Service. Retrieved 2015-04-07. Includes photos.
  4. ↑ Dorman H. Winfrey, Julien Sidney Devereux and His Monte Verdi Plantation (Waco: Texian Press, 1962)
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