Alma was the name of a community located in southeastern Pointe Coupee Parish

Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana

Pointe Coupee Parish, pronounced "Pwent Koo-Pay" and , is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is New Roads. As of 2000, the population was 22,763....

, Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

, United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. The community was located east of Lakeland

Lakeland, Louisiana

Lakeland , is a non-census designated place in southeastern Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana . The area is home to several plantation houses, such as Alma, and Poydras Plantations...

. The area is currently home to Pointe Coupee Parish's only operating sugar mill, Alma Plantation. Alma is one of only 12 sugar mills still operating in the state of Louisiana. It produces produces raw sugar and black strap molasses. During the harvesting of sugar cane, known locally as "the grinding season", Alma Plantation becomes one of the area's largest employers. Sugar cane is brought to this mill for processing from a number of surrounding parishes.

History

The community was located on land once owned by Pointe Coupee's celebrated philanthropist, Julien Poydras. The original Alma Plantation House was constructed in 1789 along the banks of False River

False River (Louisiana)

False River is an oxbow lake located in southeastern Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana centered at This lake was once the main channel of the Mississippi River in this area...

. After the death of Poydras, David Barrow, a member of one of Louisiana's most prominent families, purchased the property. In 1938, Alma Plantations's 13-ton locomotive, "Dixie" was sold off to the Mississippi River Sugar Belt Railroad. The Alma Plantation home is no longer open to the public, but the sugar mill and a country store are open to visitors.

External links

• Alma Plantation Contact Information