by Michael D. Wynne
The Bennett plantation home and store are not well-known in CenLa, but are magnificent historic treasures from a by-gone age, survivors of a time before the Civil War when all of a family’s world was then centered in a small farming community.
How both the home and store came about, and how they both survived the ravages of time, are a remarkable story in itself, reflecting the fascinating heritage of 19th century Rapides Parish.
Ezra Bennett, a native of New York, moved to Eldred’s Bend in the Bayou Bouef country near Cheneyville sometime around 1830. He came here originally to teach school, likely as a private tutor to some local plantation family. But after a few years,
Ezra started a new job, working as a clerk at the first store built at Eldred’s Bend, built by Joseph A. Robert. Sometime later, Ezra was able to save his money to buy the store from Robert, making a total of six yearly payments.
Ezra, well-known then locally for his thrift and business acumen, expanded his business and became an agent for cotton factors in New Orleans. Ezra’s careful records of his thriving business in the form of ledgers still survive today.
Although there is clear documentation that Ezra Bennett built his home in 1854, some architectural historians doubt that the current house is predominantly the same house as the original 1854 house. Most likely, the 1854 house was extensively remodeled circa 1870 rather than building a new house. Originally located on Bayou Bouef, between Cheneyville and Bunkie, inside the Rapides Parish line, the house is a rare domestic example of Italianate stylings from areas outside of New Orleans. This Italianate style is very seldom found anywhere in Louisiana and the Bennett house is the oldest, and finest, example in all of Central Louisiana of this style home. It was added to the National Register in 1979 based upon this unique and early design.
On the other hand, the Bennett store was likely built in the 1850s and still retains much of its beautiful 1850s character and charm with little noticeable modifications made over the years. This columnist well remembers visiting the store in the late 1960s with his parents when it once served as an antique store during the heyday of travelers passing down Highway 71 through Bunkie and Cheneyville. Legendary Jim Bowie purchased a knife there and the documentation of the purchase still survives. The store was placed on the National Register in 1979.
But by the late 20th century, both the house and store were prime candidates for demolition and had been vacant for years awaiting their salvation, or ultimate destruction. Preservationists from around the state had long been worried about their fate. In fact in 2003, the Louisiana Preservation Alliance listed both buildings among its Ten Most Endangered Sites. In July 2005, The Historical Association of Central Louisiana (HACL) leveraged a donation of the house and store to HACL, provided they be removed from their current location. HACL’s goal was to find an owner or owners for the two buildings and have them restored and reused. Scott and Kathryn Anderson then stepped forward and acquired the two buildings from HACL and moved them then to Inglewood Plantation on the old Baton Rouge Highway where they were members of a family corporation which owned Inglewood.
The commercial significance of the Bennettville home and store lies in the fact that it was part of the important Bayou Bouef navigation trade of Central Louisiana with New Orleans. Ezra Bennett, as an agent representing the local community to the cotton factors in New Orleans, and further for the east coast and Europe, made the store an important commercial focal point for the local planters. The house and store are now fully restored and are a crown jewel of preservation in CenLa.
