Elvin was born on Melrose Plantation in 1948 and moved to Oakland Plantation in 1954 where he lived until 1962. After serving in Vietnam, Elvin would marry his sweetheart Betty Robinson. Elvin would eventually go on to serve as a Supervisory Mechanical Engineer for the National Guard Bureau Army Installations at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C.
Since his retirement Elvin has volunteered at the National Park, sharing his childhood experiences with school groups and visitors of all ages. Elvin specializes in demonstrating the toy-making techniques used by his siblings and other plantation kids.
The cabin will be furnished to resemble the period when Elvin lived at Oakland, and will serve as one of the only examples in the United States of an original slave/tenant cabin furnished by a former plantation resident.
Prior to the grand-opening please join us at Oakland for holiday crafts and live music from Reverend Charley’s Patent Medicine Show from 1:00-2:30 p.m. This promises to be a truly memorable experience that you will not want to miss.
Cane River Creole NHP’s Oakland and Magnolia Plantations are open seven days a week from 8am-4pm except on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. To reach Oakland Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 127, Flora/Cypress. Head east on LA Highway 120 toward Cypress. Once you reach the LA Highway 1 intersection cross over LA Highway 1 onto LA Highway 494. The parking lot and entrance pavilion for Oakland are 4.5 miles east of Highway 1 on the left.
To reach the grounds of Magnolia Plantation, take I-49 to Exit 119, Derry. Head east on LA Highway 119. Cross over LA Highway 1 and proceed for two miles. The grounds of Magnolia Plantation are on the right. The main at house at Magnolia is privately owned and not open to the public.
For more information call 318 356-8441 or visit our website at: http://www.nps.gov/cari/