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Hermione House Hermione House was built in 1855 and now serves as the headquarters for the Madison Historical Society, Inc., and home to Madison Parish History. The antebellum home was completely restored as a museum and donated to the Historical Society in 1997. It showcases period pieces and exhibits depicting the history of the parish, including artifacts from the Civil War and also from the ancient Indian civilizations that once populated the area. The museum also has an exhibit on Madame C.J. Walker, the daughter of former slaves in Madison Parish, who became the nation's first female millionaire. The museum has featured exhibits including THE INFLUENCE OF AVIATION IN MADISON PARISH, which chronicles the history of the U.S. Experimental Station which began in 1930 to eradicate the boll weevil whose appearance in 1907 ultimately destroyed the cotton industry. As a by-product of this effort, Madison parish became a pioneer in developing the Ag Aviation industry as we know it today. This exhibit records the progress of the individuals and the success of the crop dusting industry from its beginning in 1913 to the present.
One past exhibit featured at the museum was the Roosevelt Room, which was dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt and the fabled two-week long bear hunt in 1907 in Madison and Tensas Parish. The museum bookstore is is an excellent resource for information about these exhibits. HERMIONE HOUSE in the Civil War In 1964, General Grant�s troops landed at Milliken�s Bend during the siege of Vicksburg and occupied the Sparta Plantation. During the course of the siege, the Hermoine House, on the Kell Plantation, was confiscated and used as a federal hospital, joining the fate of so many other plantation homes in the area. The Hermione House was one of the four structures that remained standing in Madison Parish that was built before the Civil war. Run by an all volunteer staff. Cost: Free, donations accepted. Hermione House Museum |
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