Chatsworth
Construction of the palacial Chatsworth plantation house began just prior to
the Civil War. Although it was origially intended to have Italian marble
columns, these were intercepted by the Union naval blockade and impounded, and
construction was continued with local brick instead. Chatsworth was never
fully completed, but it was reputed to have 50 rooms (!), and it certainly
did have 20 foot high ceilings and silver fixtures. Chatsworth was purchased
in 1866 by Francois Gardere, and although the Garderes used it as one of their
residences for quite some time, by the early 20th century the house had become
semi-derelict. Chatsworth was doomed when the Army Corps of Engineers decided
to place the Mississippi River levee on or behind the site of the house. The
house was purchased by Jim Blanchard, who partially disassembled it for building
materials, before it was demolished in 1930.