| The house known as "Poplar Grove"
began life not as a home but as the Bankers' Pavilion at the World's Industrial and Cotton
Centennial Exposition of 1884 in New Orleans. The exposition was held at what is
today Audubon Park in uptown New Orleans. The
Victorian building was styled by architect Thomas Sully to reflect the western interest in
Oriental motifs. Poplar Grove's ornate Oriental-looking details include a pagoda inspired
roofline, carved dragons set in the gallery brackets, and screens of Eastlake spindles
which resemble Oriental abacus. In the entrance, carved cypress resembles bamboo. |
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In 1886, the building was
purchased from the Exposition, moved by barge on the Mississippi River to Poplar Grove
Plantation and became the home of sugar planter Horace Wilkinson and his wife, Julia. Five
generations of the Wilkinson family have called Poplar Grove home. |
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| Exquisite Victorian and Oriental inspired
furnishings highlight all the rooms in the main house, including a collection of ebonized,
Aesthetic Movement pieces and several bamboo pieces made in England. |
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| The front two parlours have been decorated with
authentic Victorian style wallpapers. The wallpapers cover both the walls and the ceilings
in an extremely intricate pattern following the fashion of the 1880's. |
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| The rear wing of the house is actually a
separate cottage and was attached to the main house in 1915. Originally, the cottage was
used as a school room for the Wilkinson children and had bedrooms for the governess and
guests. |
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| The Wilkinson family operated the sugar
plantation as the family business from 1886 until 1982. Today, some of the original
plantation lands are still used for sugarcane farming. |
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| Poplar Grove is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. |
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