Lakeport Plantation
Lakeport Plantation
4.5
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
About
Lakeport Plantation is an Arkansas State University Heritage Site near Lake Village and Greenville, MS. The house was constructed ca. 1859 for Lycurgus and Lydia Johnson. It is the only remaining Arkansas antebellum plantation home on the Mississippi River. ASU began restoration of the house in 2003 and the house opened to the public in September 2007. Tours are given on the hour Mon-Fri 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Duration: < 1 hour
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
38 reviews
Excellent
29
Very good
7
Average
2
Poor
0
Terrible
0
RickDude
Cedar Hill, TX68 contributions
Sept 2022
Take the guided tour it is well worth it. The tour is all about the story telling. I apologize for not remembering the guide's name but she grew up locally in Greenville, MS and knew her stuff. What struck me about the house are the 10 ft solid wood, original, doors and the 14 foot ceilings. The previous reviews describe the experience well.
Written 27 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robin B
Phoenix, AZ1,445 contributions
Feb 2022
You won’t find a completely restored, fully furnished antebellum mansion here, but that is what makes it interesting. There were only three families who lived here before it was donated and restored. We opted for the guided tour and I am glad we did. The docent was able to give us many more details about the families, the house and the restoration than we would have gotten had we just done a self-guided tour. We spent about 1-1/2 hours.
Written 17 February 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nanb820
Jacksonville, FL64 contributions
Aug 2015 • Family
On a recent cross country road trip, I happened to see the road sign for Lakeport about the time we needed get out and stretch our legs. Our quick stop turned into a guided tour of the house for my son and I. Our guide was very knowledgeable and willing to answer every question. Well worth the stop.
Written 10 August 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SEAFARER404
Charleston, SC51 contributions
Jul 2017 • Couples
Antebellum plantation house - good restoration, literally on the edge of the Mississippi River right across from Greenville. A little remote - off the main road, but easily accessible. Built in the 1850's.
But really not a lot of 'there, there.' The house is big and farily well-maintained, but the grounds and surroundings.....not so much. Fair amount of history and good explanation, but actually fairly bleak. Would probably go elsewhere.
But really not a lot of 'there, there.' The house is big and farily well-maintained, but the grounds and surroundings.....not so much. Fair amount of history and good explanation, but actually fairly bleak. Would probably go elsewhere.
Written 10 August 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting Lakeport. We appreciate your compliments on our "good explanation" of history and "good restoration." However, it is not clear from your comments that you actually toured the house and we are confused by your critical emphasis on the house's surroundings. Lakeport is an important place for understanding the Delta's transformation from a frontier in the 1830s into a slave-based cotton economy by the late 1850s. In short, there is "there there" at Lakeport.
First, the house is still in its original agricultural setting; the fields surrounding Lakeport have been in continuous cotton cultivation since 1831. The current landscape, although not unchanged from 1860, would still be recognizable to the 155 enslaved labors that cleared and toiled in the fields surrounding the Big House. This agricultural setting you drove by in July and call "bleak" is quite a sight in September when the cotton bolls open.
Second, we have never set out to interpret Lakeport as another pretty house. Our goal has always been to maintain the historic integrity and authenticity of the house. While many antebellum houses have suffered numerous updates and remodels, Lakeport has not. It is remarkable for its architectural purity and authenticity. Carefully restored using the highest standards of the U.S. Department of Interior, the house retains much of its original architecture and historic finishes. After 157 years, you can still view the entryway's original oil cloth, the kitchen's original cast iron brick-set stove, faux graining & marbling on doors and mantels, servants bell hardware, and plaster molding. At Lakeport we don't make up history or dress up the house with "period furniture"; we tell the house's stories from research in primary sources: WPA era slave narratives, family papers, USCT pension files, courthouse records, memoirs, oral histories, etc.
Third, our AASLH award-winning exhibits inside the house were extensively researched to broadly tell the story of the people who lived and worked on the plantation and the house itself. The minimalist exhibits attempt to do this without interfering with the architecture--you'll find a list of the names of over 180 enslaved laborers that were here in 1858, an 1839 map of plantations in the region, dendrochronology samples used to date the house, oral histories with sharecroppers and preservationists, carpenters' signatures, artifacts found behind mantels from the 1860s to the 1960s, etc.
Fourth, Lakeport's staff is very knowledgeable about this history and this place and is equipped to answer any questions visitors might have.
Written 15 August 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Robert P
Tuscumbia202 contributions
Sept 2016
Rather than create another "pretty house," this restoration focuses on the lifestyles and relationships between the people who lived and worked at Lakeport. This is the only remaining Arkansas Plantation home on the Mississippi River. It was built in 1859 for the Lycurgus Johnson family, remained in the family until 1927. The plantation was gifted to Arkansas State U. in 2001. It is an official project of the Save Americas Treasures program through the National Park Service and National Trust for Historic Preservation. Unfortunately, our only time available was a Sunday but the interpretive signs and brochures helped make the visit worthwhile. I noticed the brick walkway had been constructed to match the original brickwork near the house - which was cordoned off for preservation. The older brickwork encrusted with moss was beautiful.
Written 26 September 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sorry we missed you Robert. The herringbone pattern brick walkway does recreate the original. Most of the walkway was covered with dirt in grass when restoration started. Archaeologists uncovered and documented the remaining bricks. These old bricks are very fragile and would not hold up to use today. What's left of the original is under the new walkway. You might not of noticed the drainage system for the house original fed through the walkway into the two cisterns.
Written 28 September 2016
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Misterpj
Coudersport3 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
We visited the Plantation on 16 May and were given the 10am tour by Assistant Director Blake Wintory, Ph.D.
It was the BEST tour my wife and I can ever remember having and was extremely informative.
We would recommend this tour to anyone who is passing through the area.
It was the BEST tour my wife and I can ever remember having and was extremely informative.
We would recommend this tour to anyone who is passing through the area.
Written 16 May 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Godsblessing115
Las Vegas116 contributions
Jun 2015
If you love History than you must see this Plantation. I can just feel the lives that were in this place and also the sorrow. It is very well maintained and the staff were very knowledgeable and friendly.
Written 5 October 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Larry B
Little Rock, AR82 contributions
Oct 2014 • Business
The restored Lakeport Plantation Home provides visitors a unique and interactive look into the history of the plantations owners, the Johnsons, before, during, and after the Civil War. The home is surrounded by cotton fields which gives it an additional historical appeal. The staff of the Lakeport Plantation home is very knowledgeable and hospitable. The interactive displays inside the home are very user friendly and a treat for any age. A tour of the Lakeport Plantation Home is a most for anyone travelling through the area.
Written 20 October 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
misspNewJersey
new jersey186 contributions
Nov 2019
Lakeport Plantation should be included on the go to list of anyone interested in architecture. I took the self-guided tour on a Friday afternoon. The young lady in charge that day walked me up to the house from the visitor center - unlocked several doors and let me spend time immersing myself in the past. She returned as promised in a half hour to answer any questions. Then I toured the upstairs returning to the center with any additional questions. It was amazing to be able to have that level of access . I was not interrupted with other people - their thoughts or questions. The house is beautiful with a minimum amount of furnishings. One is able to really see the structure. There are additional folders filled with the various stages of restoration. Plan on a few hours at least depending on your interest level . I stayed well over an hour but had to leave due to prior commitments.
Written 16 December 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
asreed75
White Hall, AR171 contributions
Mar 2019 • Family
This place is beautiful! It’s not full of antique furnishings, it’s set up basically like it would have been when the original family moved in. There are some furnishings, most belonging to the original family. There is a lot of information to read and pictures of this Plantation and the area. The fact that this house is standing and is in the condition it’s in, after 160 yrs, is amazing. It only cost $5 adults, $3 seniors, not sure about children. It’s not far from Lake Village, so if you’re in the area, be sure to check this place out.
Written 23 March 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for visiting! Our child rate is $3. Hope to see you again!
Written 25 March 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience
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