Melrose in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)

Yucca House

(1812-1815)

Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, July 2, 2023

1. Yucca House Marker

Inscription.

Yucca House. Writers In Residence. Yucca House was occupied by two writers during the years when Cammie Henry ran Melrose Plantation as an artists' retreat. Lyle Saxon (1891-1946) began visiting in the early 1920s, and in 1933, he moved into Yucca House, even having some of his furnishings from New Orleans sent to Melrose. Saxon became a writer-in-residence and a catalyst for Melrose's emergence as a retreat for artists and authors. Saxon's best known work is Children of Strangers, a novel published in 1937 and set in the Cane River region of Natchitoches Parish. Saxon also served as director of the Louisiana Federal Writers Project during the Great Depression, producing travel guides such as New Orleans City Guide. History books written by Saxon while living at Yucca House include Father Mississippi, Lafitte the Pirate, Fabulous New Orleans and Old Louisiana. Francois Mignon (born Frank Mineah) had the longest residency of any writer, arriving for a short visit in 1939 and staying 32 years. Mignon moved into Yucca House following Lyle Saxon's death. Mignon's greatest contributions were his "Plantation Memo," which details daily life at Melrose in thousands of pages of journal entries, and his encouragement of Clementine Hunter who would become a nationally renowned folk artist., What is bousillage?. Yucca House was constructed with bousillage, a mixture of loess, soil, clay and straw, Spanish moss or animal hair which is used to form exterior walls and to seal gaps between boards. These thick walls provided insulation from the summer heat. This unique material reflects the Colonial heritage., Who named this building Yucca House?. The first reference to the name Yucca House appears in 1941 when the Historic American Buildings Survey team arrived to document the buildings at Melrose Plantation. Just as he did with the naming of African House, Francois Mignon invented the name., Within The Walls: A Timeline of Melrose's History. This timber-framed structure holds within its walls the stories of several eras of Melrose Plantation's history: . Yucca House is believed to be the first building constructed on the 911-acre plantation owned by Louis Metoyer between 1810-1815. This building was home to the Metoyer family until the Big House was built in 1833. . The house tells of Israel and Jane Suddath, the last two people enslaved at Melrose who remained after emancipation as tenant farmers, living in Yucca House until their deaths. The home underwent major repairs in 1923 following the death of Israel Suddath. . The story of Yucca House becomes prominent once again when John Hampton Henry and his wife, Carmelite (Cammie) Garrett Henry became the owners of Melrose in 1899. In the 1930s Cammie Henry oversaw extensive restoration of the property's buildings, including Yucca House. By this time, Cammie Henry had established Melrose as a creative haven for artists and authors. . Yucca House was restored again in the 1974 and 2012 by the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches.

Writers In Residence
Yucca House was occupied by two writers during the years when Cammie Henry ran Melrose Plantation as an artists' retreat.
Lyle Saxon (1891-1946) began visiting in the early 1920s, and in 1933, he moved into Yucca House, even having some of his furnishings from New Orleans sent to Melrose. Saxon became a writer-in-residence and a catalyst for Melrose's emergence as a retreat for artists and authors. Saxon's best known work is Children of Strangers, a novel published in 1937 and set in the Cane River region of Natchitoches Parish. Saxon also served as director of the Louisiana Federal Writers Project during the Great Depression, producing travel guides such as New Orleans City Guide. History books written by Saxon while living at Yucca House include Father Mississippi, Lafitte the Pirate, Fabulous New Orleans and Old Louisiana.
Francois Mignon (born Frank Mineah) had the longest residency of any writer, arriving for a short visit in 1939 and staying 32 years. Mignon moved into Yucca House following Lyle Saxon's death. Mignon's greatest contributions were his "Plantation Memo," which details daily life at Melrose in thousands of pages of journal entries, and his encouragement of Clementine Hunter who would become a nationally

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renowned folk artist.

What is bousillage? Yucca House was constructed with bousillage, a mixture of loess, soil, clay and straw, Spanish moss or animal hair which is used to form exterior walls and to seal gaps between boards. These thick walls provided insulation from the summer heat. This unique material reflects the Colonial heritage.

Who named this building Yucca House? The first reference to the name Yucca House appears in 1941 when the Historic American Buildings Survey team arrived to document the buildings at Melrose Plantation. Just as he did with the naming of African House, Francois Mignon invented the name.

Within The Walls: A Timeline of Melrose's History This timber-framed structure holds within its walls the stories of several eras of Melrose Plantation's history:
• Yucca House is believed to be the first building constructed on the 911-acre plantation owned by Louis Metoyer between 1810-1815. This building was home to the Metoyer family until the Big House was built in 1833.
• The house tells of Israel and Jane Suddath, the last two people enslaved at Melrose who remained after emancipation as tenant farmers, living in Yucca House until their deaths. The home underwent major repairs in 1923 following the death of Israel Suddath.
•

Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, July 2, 2023

2. Yucca House Marker

The story of Yucca House becomes prominent once again when John Hampton Henry and his wife, Carmelite (Cammie) Garrett Henry became the owners of Melrose in 1899. In the 1930s Cammie Henry oversaw extensive restoration of the property's buildings, including Yucca House. By this time, Cammie Henry had established Melrose as a creative haven for artists and authors.
• Yucca House was restored again in the 1974 and 2012 by the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Notable Buildings.

Location. 31° 36.008′ N, 92° 58.036′ W. Marker is in Melrose, Louisiana, in Natchitoches Parish. Marker can be reached from Louisiana 119, half a mile south of Route 493, on the left when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 3533 LA-119, Melrose LA 71452, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. African House and Clementine Hunter's Murals (within shouting distance of this marker); Clemetine Hunter Home and Studio (within shouting distance of this marker); Yucca Plantation (within shouting distance of this marker); The Bindry (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Weaving House (about 300 feet away);

Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, May 18, 2005

3. Yucca House

Photo of Yucca House taken c. 2006

Big House (about 300 feet away); Ghana House (about 400 feet away); Melrose Barn (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Melrose.

More about this marker. Located on the grounds of the Melrose Plantation. Admission required for either a self walking grounds tour, or guided tour of entire complex.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 9, 2023. It was originally submitted on July 9, 2023, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 99 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 9, 2023, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana.