Winter Quarters State Historic Site stands today as a rare survivor of the Civil War. The large, airy structure is the only one of its kind along the banks of scenic Lake St. Joseph to remain as a reflection of Louisiana's Antebellum history.

In 1805, Job Routh built a winter hunting lodge on a Spanish land grant located on the Mississippi River flood plain in what would become Tensas Parish. During the early 1830s, Routh's heirs added several more rooms and a gallery. Dr. Haller Nutt and his wife Julia (granddaughter of Job Routh) bought the property in 1850 and began the final phase of construction, which gives Winter Quarters Plantation its distinctive look. Surviving documents show that the plantation grew to over 2,000 acres, housed more than 300 slaves and included an extraordinary scope of operations including several cotton gins, a sawmill, barns, machine ships, a hospital, a smokehouse, boat docks, a milk house and various other supporting operations.

Dr. Nutt owned over 22 estates in his lifetime, including Winter Quarters Plantation and the famous Longwood Plantation in Natchez, Mississippi. His research led him to develop new methods of growing cotton, a new strain of cotton called "Egypto-Mexican" cotton, and a new design for a cotton press. He wrote many historically significant papers on cotton production and plantation life.

During the Vicksburg Campaign of 1863, General Ulysses S. Grant's powerful army marched south through Tensas Parish. The Union soldiers enthusiastically carried out General William Tecumseh Sherman's orders to destroy everything not needed by the Union troops. Fifteen plantation homes lined the banks of Lake St. Joseph before the Union troops came to Tensas Parish. After they left, Winter Quarters was the only plantation left standing. The Nutt family was in Natchez at the time; however, the overseer at Winter Quarters obtained letters of protection from two advance officers of this army, General McPherson and General Smith.

In 1978, Winter Quarters State Historic Site was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Winter Quarters State Historic Site

There are over 3,000 acres of water surface on Lake Bruin, and the visitors to Lake Bruin State Park have access to every acre for incomparable freshwater fishing, superb water sports and fine outdoor living. The 53-acre site was originally established in 1928 as a fish hatchery.

Three large fishing piers, a year-round boat launch, and a boat shed for docking make things convenient for the casual or serious fisherman. Rental boats are available. Largemouth bass fishing is popular all year round, but the best months are April, May, June, September and October. Crappie (white perch) are taken around the piers and mats in the early spring. Bluegill fishing is best in the shallower waters at both ends of the lake.

Water sports and pleasure boating are also popular activities at Lake Bruin. A water playground offers a great way to cool off during warm spring and summer months, with a bathhouse located nearby. Lake Bruin's day use area offers picnic tables and barbeque grills situated near the lake and adjacent to two of the fishing piers, restrooms and playground areas. A covered pavilion allows park visitors to enjoy their meals whatever the weather. Most facilities are wheelchair accessible. 

Lake Bruin State Park

The 2,700-acre, man-made lake that is the centerpiece for Poverty Point Reservoir State Park offers visitors an outlet for a variety of water sports and a scenic backdrop for waterfowl migration each spring and fall.

The fish and wildlife species inhabiting or migrating through the reservoir are numerous. Anglers can fish the lake year-round for largemouth bass, black crappie, bluegill and channel catfish. The region falls within the Mississippi Flyway for many winged species. Depending on the season, visitors will see cormorants, ducks, geese and pelicans.

Overnight guests can choose from two-bedroom waterfront cabins, spacious lodges with loft bedrooms, or RV camping. A water playground in the campground area provides a place for our younger visitors to beat the heat.

A nature trail winds along an off-shoot of Bayou Macon. Special attention should be given to any Louisiana black bear sightings on or near the reservoir. The eastern edge of the park, along Bayou Macon, contains attractive bear habitat and visitors are cautioned to keep all exterior cabin areas and day-use areas cleared of accessible food products and refuse. Bear-proof containers are provided for waste disposal throughout the park.

North Marina Complex
The North Marina Complex, off La. 17 on the northwest corner of the lake, features a swimming beach area, boat launch, marina with 48 covered boat slips, concession area, fishing pier and fish cleaning station. The marina complex is open daily from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. (open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday).

The rental boat slips in the marina complex are available on an annual lease basis. Lease rental fee information can be obtained by contacting the Reservation Center at 1-877-226-7652. Each boat slip provides connections for electricity and water.

Poverty Point Reservoir State Park

The time was eight centuries after Egyptian laborers dragged huge stones across the desert to build the Great Pyramids, and before the great Mayan pyramids were constructed. The place was a site in what is now northeastern Louisiana. The people were a sophisticated group who left behind one of the most important archaeological sites in North America.

The Poverty Point inhabitants set for themselves an enormous task as they built a complex array of earthen mounds and ridges overlooking the Mississippi River flood plain. This accomplishment is particularly impressive for a pre-agricultural society. The central construction consists of six rows of concentric ridges, parts of which were as high as five feet. The ridges form a semi-ellipse or C-shape, divided into sections by at least four aisles. The diameter of the outermost ridge measures nearly three-quarters of a mile. It is thought that these ridges served as foundations for dwellings although little evidence of structures has been found. However, features and midden deposits uncovered during excavations support this hypothesis.

Poverty Point is indeed a rare remnant of an exceptional culture. It has been estimated that landscape preparation and earthworks construction may have required moving as many as 53 million cubic feet of soil. Considering that a cubic foot of soil weighs 75-100 pounds, and that the laborers carried this dirt in roughly 50-pound basket loads, it is obvious that this was a great communal engineering feat.

Poverty Point's inhabitants imported stone and ore over great distances. Projectile points and other stone tools found at Poverty Point were made from raw materials which originated in the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains and in the Ohio and Tennessee River valleys. Soapstone for vessels came from the Appalachian foothills of northern Alabama and Georgia. Other materials came from distant places in the eastern United States. The extensive trade network attests to the complex and sophisticated society that built the Poverty Point earthworks.

Dated between 1700 and 1100 B.C., this site is unique among archaeological sites on this continent. In 1962, Poverty Point was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The site also became a Smithsonian Affiliate in 2010 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014. An interpretive museum, special events, programs and guided tours, highlight activities at the park. Tram tours are available year-round, weather permitting; call the office for the daily schedule.

Poverty Point World Heritage Site

Chemin-A-Haut State Park is situated on a high bluff overlooking Bayou Bartholomew and is a natural paradise for lovers of unspoiled beauty. This acre site takes its name from the French word meaning "high road," which was the route used by Native Americans many years ago in their seasonal migrations.

Chemin-A-Haut State Park was designed with children in mind. Two playgrounds in the day-use area are a favorite spot of the younger patrons as is the wading pool in the swimming complex. Also, the park's swimming pool is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, so campers and picnickers can refresh themselves on hot summer days. In addition to RV and tent camping, overnight guests can also relax in cabins, some located convenient to the day-use area, while more-secluded units are located on the bayou.

The picnic area includes 35 family sites with grills and tables, five group sites (for up to 24 people), and three shelters. A hard-surfaced trail goes through the picnic area and along the high, scenic banks of Bayou Bartholomew. Rental boats afford visitors an even closer view.

Big Slough Lake, located near the edge of the park, offers an opportunity to fish from the shore. Several varieties of freshwater species can be found there. Take advantage of the beautiful seclusion of this ideal park site. 

Chemin-A-Haut State Park

Marksville was founded by accident. Here, in the 1790s, a Venetian peddler named Marco broke a wagon wheel along his travels, and decided to stay and set up a trading post. The resulting town offers visitors a patchwork of colonial history—and more. The 1820 Hypolite-Bordelon House is a window into the life of early European settlers. Fort De Russy was built during the Civil War to defend the Red River. On the prehistoric side, Marksville State Historic Site features a Native American ceremonial center. The first inhabitants of the Marksville area are honored with the annual Fete du Ble Indian Festival. The modern presence of Native Americans is on spectacular display at the 500-room Paragon Casino & Resort, owned by the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. Natural areas, such as Spring Bayou Wildlife Management Area and the Lake Ophelia and Grand Cote National Wildlife Preserves, give hunters, fishermen and nature lovers their due.

Marksville Prehistoric Indian Site, also known as the Marksville State Historic Site, is a Marksville culture archaeological site located 1 mile southeast of Marksville in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. The site features numerous earthworks built by the prehistoric indigenous peoples of southeastern North America.

Marksville State Historic Site

Located on a peninsula on Caney Lake, Jimmie Davis State Park offers two boat launches and a fishing pier that cater to the outdoors enthusiast looking for a prime freshwater fishing spot. Waterskiing is another way to enjoy the clear waters of the lake, which was created by damming Caney Creek in 1986. Don't forget to look back at the lakeshore to appreciate the beautiful mixed pine and hardwood forest surrounding the lake and the birds and animals that make the forest their home.

To ensure that there's never a dull moment, the park also has a playground for the kids after a day on the lake. Cyclists will enjoy the park as a starting point for biking treks through the hills of North Louisiana, and nature lovers are invited to discover the beauty of the wooded land and lakefront. Bring your binoculars to get a closer look at the wide variety of birds that live in or pass through the area.

After a day of fishing and exploring the park, stay the night in a cabin...or bring the extended family and sleepover in a lodge. For large groups, a group camp – including four dormitories and a dining hall – is available, with its own playground and fishing pier. RV campers have several scenic sites to choose from, for a closer visit with nature.

Opened in the fall of 1996, Jimmie Davis State Park was originally named Caney Creek Lake State Park. The 2003 Louisiana State Legislature approved renaming the park in honor of two-term Governor Jimmie H. Davis, who served from 1944 to 1948 and again from 1960 to 1964.

Winter Quarters State Historic Site Maps

Newellton, LA

Winter Quarters State Historic Site Description

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