Destrehan Plantation (River Road Historical Society)

Destrehan Plantation was an important landmark during the German Coast Uprising/1811 Slave Revolt, one of the largest revolts by enslaved people in U.S. history.

When explorer René-Robert Cavalier, Sieur de La Salle claimed Louisiana as a territory for France, the banks of the Mississippi River promised riches to those who settled there. Decades after La Salle’s claim, Jean Baptiste Honoré Destrehan arrived in Louisiana and became treasurer of the colony. 

The plantation later played a key role in the history of Louisiana’s African American heritage. Charles Deslondes, an enslaved man from St. John the Baptist Parish, led a march of enslaved people  towards New Orleans with a message to abolish slavery in Louisiana.  Along the way, hundreds of enslaved people from other plantations joined the march.

Destrehan Plantation became the stage for the first trials of more than 150 men accused of participating in the revolt. The original plantation owner’s son, Jean Noël Destrehan, served on the tribunal that sentenced many of the enslaved people to death. The failed uprising ended in tragedy, but it remains a testament to the resistance and resilience of the enslaved people who fought for their freedom. 

Today, travelers can tour the Destrehan Plantation home and learn about the stories of men, women and children — both free and enslaved — who lived and worked on the plantation. Visitors can tour the property and the dependency buildings, and view the 1811 German Coast Uprising exhibit to see historical documents from this event, paintings and a diorama depicting this important event.