Albania Plantation House
Encyclopedia
Albania Plantation is a plantation home located on the Bayou Teche
right outside of the town of Jeanerette, Louisiana
. The home was built between 1837 and 1842 by Charles Alexandre Grevemberg, who operated a successful sugar plantation on the surrounding 6500 acres (2,630.5 ha). The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
After Charles Alexandre Grevemberg’s death at Albania in 1851, his wife, Euphemie Fuselier (d. 1886), managed the plantation. Records of the sugar crops made in Louisiana 1859-1860 shows Mrs. Charles Grevemberg producing 475 hogsheads of sugar on the Bayou Teche.
Samuel and Isaac Delgado
acquired the property in 1885. Isaac Delgado bequeathed it to the City of New Orleans which operated the sugar plantation through the Delgado-Albania Plantation Commission.
In 1957 the City of New Orleans sold the plantation house and surrounding acreage at public auction. It was acquired by Emily Cyr Bridges, who restored Albania Mansion and opened it to the public showcasing her well-known collection. Miss Emily was an enthusiastic antiquarian who traveled the countryside knocking on doors to add to her collection of Southern plantation furniture and Acadian artifacts, at a time before such objects were highly prized.
Miss Emily was the daughter of Paul N. Cyr
, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1931, under Governor Huey Long. In one of the more colorful Long era incidents, Cyr had himself sworn in as Governor in October 1931, stating that Long had vacated the office when he was elected U.S. Senator. Long called out the National Guard and the State Police to bar Cyr from the Governor’s Mansion. Miss Emily shared her father’s disdain for Huey Long, and banned his name from being spoken at Albania.
Never a conventional woman, Miss Emily was a pioneer aviatrix who flew patrol missions over the Louisiana coast as a member of the Civil Air Patrol
during World War II.
In Miss Emily’s heyday at Albania she loved to entertain on the galleries; her coterie included artist-in-residence Lucius Lacour. In her later years Miss Emily became reclusive, rarely receiving guests and never leaving her beloved Albania.
Bayou Teche
The Bayou Teche is a waterway of great cultural significance in south central Louisiana in the United States. Bayou Teche was the Mississippi River's main course when it developed a delta about 2,800 to 4,500 years ago...
right outside of the town of Jeanerette, Louisiana
Jeanerette, Louisiana
Jeanerette is a city in Iberia Parish, Louisiana, United States. Known as "Sugar City", it had a population of 5,997 at the 2000 census. It is part of the New Iberia Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Early years:...
. The home was built between 1837 and 1842 by Charles Alexandre Grevemberg, who operated a successful sugar plantation on the surrounding 6500 acres (2,630.5 ha). The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
After Charles Alexandre Grevemberg’s death at Albania in 1851, his wife, Euphemie Fuselier (d. 1886), managed the plantation. Records of the sugar crops made in Louisiana 1859-1860 shows Mrs. Charles Grevemberg producing 475 hogsheads of sugar on the Bayou Teche.
Samuel and Isaac Delgado
Isaac Delgado
Isaac Delgado was a businessman and sugar planter who migrated from Jamaica to New Orleans in the late 19th century. His success in business made him sufficiently wealthy to become a significant benefactor with philanthropic interests in the arts, medicine, and education.He founded the New...
acquired the property in 1885. Isaac Delgado bequeathed it to the City of New Orleans which operated the sugar plantation through the Delgado-Albania Plantation Commission.
In 1957 the City of New Orleans sold the plantation house and surrounding acreage at public auction. It was acquired by Emily Cyr Bridges, who restored Albania Mansion and opened it to the public showcasing her well-known collection. Miss Emily was an enthusiastic antiquarian who traveled the countryside knocking on doors to add to her collection of Southern plantation furniture and Acadian artifacts, at a time before such objects were highly prized.
Miss Emily was the daughter of Paul N. Cyr
Paul N. Cyr
Paul Narcisse Cyr was the elected lieutenant governor in the Huey Pierce Long, Jr., gubernatorial administration who quarreled with the self-designated "Kingfish" throughout most of their tenure...
, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1931, under Governor Huey Long. In one of the more colorful Long era incidents, Cyr had himself sworn in as Governor in October 1931, stating that Long had vacated the office when he was elected U.S. Senator. Long called out the National Guard and the State Police to bar Cyr from the Governor’s Mansion. Miss Emily shared her father’s disdain for Huey Long, and banned his name from being spoken at Albania.
Never a conventional woman, Miss Emily was a pioneer aviatrix who flew patrol missions over the Louisiana coast as a member of the Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
during World War II.
In Miss Emily’s heyday at Albania she loved to entertain on the galleries; her coterie included artist-in-residence Lucius Lacour. In her later years Miss Emily became reclusive, rarely receiving guests and never leaving her beloved Albania.