Southern Hospitality Lives on at The Elms Plantation

The minute you enter the gates at the end of a dusty road which winds through acres of farmland, you immediately shut the door on the hustle and bustle of today’s world and enter an era over 130 years old.  You have arrived at The Elms Plantation in the sleepy little town of Altheimer.

The 20-room mansion is located on 40 secluded acres in the middle of the Freeman family farm.  Once past the gates, the first thing you notice is the expansive lawn almost totally shaded by huge old pecan and elm trees with redbuds lining the drive.  Talk about feeling like you’re in the Old South!  As you get closer to the house, you half-expect Scarlett O’Hara and the Tarleton Twins to be sitting on the steps of the front porch.

The house was built post-Civil War in 1866 but it has the look of one popular prior to the war.  It’s a Louisiana raised cottage-style design with a veranda that runs the length of the house.  Wide front stairs lead to the white columned porch and front door.

The stately home is now a bed and breakfast and special events property.  Host Travis Buerkle (his ancestors founded the nearby town of Stuttgart) greets visitors with a warm Southern drawl.  Three elegant suites are in the main house and there are fully equipped cottages on the property.