Historic Crescent Farm was established in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana in 1827 by William Alexander Shaffer from South Carolina and was the center of operations for the Shaffer family land holdings. The present building occupying the home site was constructed in 1849 and was the centerpiece of a sugar cane farm that included its own sugar mill. Crescent Farm continued to be a major producer of sugar cane until the 1920’s and was then acquired by corporate processors in the 1930’s. The home is colonial and was designed by a Philadelphia architect. Its defining feature is a grand center hall that runs the length of the house. It is built of locally milled cypress.
Wooden columns, a balustrade and louvered shutters grace the front of this historic home which sits high atop a brick foundation. The windows, transoms and sidelights across the front elevation have the original glass panes intact. Two of the original panes bear the signatures of children of the original owner who scratched their names into the glass with diamonds in the mid 1800's.
During a renovation, an inscription was discovered behind one of the fireplaces written by a carpenter who worked on the original construction predicting that the house he built would long outlast him and his descendants. That has come true.
Still standing on the grounds are a fifteen foot cistern, and a “milk house” where the farm's dairy was processed into milk, cream, butter, etc.
An archaeologist survey done in the late 1980’s showed the original cart path in front of the house and evidence of the location of a carriage house and several cabins to the rear of the property which was additional housing.
Over the years, significant interior square footage was added to accommodate modern life, and hundreds of oaks, cypress and pine trees were planted around the home. There are several mature oak trees on the grounds that exceed 400 years old. The land adjacent to the home has a stocked fish pond with gazebo, a sunken garden and a mature fruit orchard.
This statuesque home site and exquisite land is a tribute to Southern elegance.
Wooden columns, a balustrade and louvered shutters grace the front of this historic home which sits high atop a brick foundation. The windows, transoms and sidelights across the front elevation have the original glass panes intact. Two of the original panes bear the signatures of children of the original owner who scratched their names into the glass with diamonds in the mid 1800's.
During a renovation, an inscription was discovered behind one of the fireplaces written by a carpenter who worked on the original construction predicting that the house he built would long outlast him and his descendants. That has come true.
Still standing on the grounds are a fifteen foot cistern, and a “milk house” where the farm's dairy was processed into milk, cream, butter, etc.
An archaeologist survey done in the late 1980’s showed the original cart path in front of the house and evidence of the location of a carriage house and several cabins to the rear of the property which was additional housing.
Over the years, significant interior square footage was added to accommodate modern life, and hundreds of oaks, cypress and pine trees were planted around the home. There are several mature oak trees on the grounds that exceed 400 years old. The land adjacent to the home has a stocked fish pond with gazebo, a sunken garden and a mature fruit orchard.
This statuesque home site and exquisite land is a tribute to Southern elegance.