Loyd Hall Plantation

Loyd Hall Plantation is a historic plantation property located near Cheneyville, Louisiana. The principal house was constructed around 1820 by William Loyd, whose name remains attached to the estate. The property is notable both for its antebellum architecture and for its association with the upheaval of the American Civil War. In 1864, Union troops executed William Loyd at the house after suspecting him of acting as a double agent for both Union and Confederate forces. Accounts describe him as having been tarred and feathered before being hanged in front of his home. The estate changed hands during the twentieth century. Mary Raxsdale acquired Loyd Hall in 1934, and her brother, John Clarence Raxsdale Sr., directed renovation work on the house. Following Mary's death in 1946, the property was sold to the Fitzgerald family. The available reference material does not identify the current individual or legal owner. Loyd Hall was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 29, 1977. Its historic significance is connected to the surviving plantation house, its association with William Loyd and the Civil War period, and its broader representation of Louisiana plantation history. The present estate reportedly encompasses approximately 640 acres, including a working farm and a bed-and-breakfast operation. It therefore functions as both a historic property and a hospitality destination rather than as a conventional consumer brand with packaged products or a broad commercial market. Local tradition has also contributed to the property's identity. Stories associated with the house include reports of William Loyd's spirit moving through the halls, the apparition of an enslaved woman named Sally Boston accompanied by the smell of cooking food, and the ghost of a Union Army deserter known as Harry. According to the legend, Harry hid in the attic, was fatally shot, and was buried on the grounds; his violin is purportedly heard at night. Another story concerns William Loyd's niece, Inez, who allegedly died after falling from a third-floor window and is said to continue playing the piano. These accounts are presented as folklore and paranormal legends, not as verified historical facts.

Loyd Hall Plantation was built around 1820 in the Cheneyville area of Louisiana by William Loyd. The surviving property is associated with the plantation landscape and architecture of nineteenth-century Louisiana. Its best-documented wartime episode occurred in 1864, during the American Civil War, when Union troops accused William Loyd of being a double spy serving both sides. He was reportedly tarred and feathered and executed by hanging in front of the house. The property remained in private hands after the Civil War. In 1934, Mary Raxsdale purchased the plantation. Her brother, John Clarence Raxsdale Sr., supervised renovations to the main house. After Mary Raxsdale died in 1946, the estate was sold to the Fitzgerald family. The available reference material does not establish the later ownership history or identify the present legal owner. Loyd Hall received formal historic recognition when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 29, 1977. The property is currently described as consisting of roughly 640 acres, a working farm, and a bed-and-breakfast. This combination gives the site a continuing operational role while preserving its identity as a historic plantation complex. The estate is also associated with a set of local ghost stories. Folklore says that William Loyd's spirit can be heard walking through the mansion. Another apparition, identified as the enslaved woman Sally Boston, is reportedly accompanied by the scent of food cooking. A Union Army deserter named Harry is said to have hidden in the attic, been shot, and been buried on the grounds; his violin is allegedly heard late at night. A further legend concerns William Loyd's niece Inez, who supposedly died after falling from a third-floor window and is said to play the piano after death. These stories form part of the property's cultural lore, although the reference material does not present them as independently verified events.

• 1977

  National Register listing

  [1]Loyd Hall Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Loyd Hall Plantation was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 29.

• 1946

  Property transferred after Mary Raxsdale's death

  [1]Loyd Hall Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Following Mary Raxsdale's death, the plantation was sold to the Fitzgerald family.

• 1934

  Mary Raxsdale acquired the plantation

  [1]Loyd Hall Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Mary Raxsdale purchased Loyd Hall, beginning a period of ownership associated with renovation of the house.

• 1864

  William Loyd executed during the Civil War

  [1]Loyd Hall Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Union troops executed William Loyd at the property after accusing him of acting as a double spy for Union and Confederate forces.

• 1820

  Loyd Hall constructed

  [1]Loyd Hall Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  William Loyd built the principal house at the plantation around this year.

A historic Louisiana plantation property combining heritage interpretation, a working farm, and bed-and-breakfast hospitality.

• Hospitality

  Bed-and-breakfast accommodation

  Loyd Hall Plantation operates, or is described as operating, a bed-and-breakfast within the historic plantation setting. The reference material does not provide room details, rates, booking channels, or service specifications.

• Agriculture

  Working farm

  The estate includes approximately 640 acres of working farmland. The available material does not identify the crops, livestock, production volumes, or commercial distribution associated with the farm.

• Heritage tourism

  Historic plantation experience

  The historic house and surrounding plantation landscape provide a heritage setting connected with nineteenth-century Louisiana history, Civil War-era events, preservation, and local folklore. Specific tours, admission arrangements, or programming are not documented in the supplied material.

• 1977

  Loyd Hall Plantation added to the National Register of Historic Places[1]Loyd Hall Plantationen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Loyd Hall Plantation was entered on the National Register of Historic Places on April 29, 1977, recognizing the historic importance of the Cheneyville property.

1. 1Loyd Hall Plantationen.wikipedia.org