Logan Mansion, Shreveport, LA - Pt. 1 - Marveling at the Workmanship

Walking into the Logan mansion one cannot help but notice the attention to detail in the original woodwork.  The sheer opulence of it all is astounding – from the natural swirling wood grain of the curly pine to the original picture rail molding from which hangs ornately framed pictures about the house. Throughout the first floor are custom plinth blocks with a one of a kind beer hop design.  Traditional bull’s-eye rosettes are seen in the rear of the house, which would have been the servants’ quarters when the house was built.  The upstairs, which is where the family would have spent much of their time, also bears the more commonly seen rosettes.  Still, every inch of this home is luxurious by today’s standards.  All of the woodwork throughout the home is the original (never painted) wood.  The house was built in 1897 by Lafayette Robert Logan, a beer and ice manufacturer who also owned a lumberyard granting him access to superior quality materials.  The floors are the original parquet floors which are over 100 years old.  The current owner, Vicki LeBrun pointed out that Logan had the floor boards nailed in place, instead of glued.  The beautiful workmanship of the floors were then covered in carpets.  Every window once had custom made wooden shutters that slid up and down on tracks.  Many of these shutters are still in place and functional.  In the front of the house in what was once the Ladies’ parlor, the curved windows are fitted with custom built curved shutters to match.  The detail and workmanship that went into building this grand old Victorian house is so incredible that I could go on about it forever.  

Mrs. LeBrun clearly loves the house as indicated in her passion and attention to detail; she knows every nook and cranny.  Vicki and her husband, Billy, bought the house in 2005.  It had been a long time dream to own a big old Victorian house, but she never thought it would become reality, even though the house was in poor condition.  Vicki and Billy spent over a decade lovingly restoring the house and did most of the work themselves, a little at a time.  The couple did not have a lot of money, but they worked hard and persisted to make their dream come true.  Mantles had been stolen from the house before the papers were signed, the newel post lamp had been given away decades ago, and parts of the front porch had collapsed.  A craftsman, the late Mr. LeBrun was able to rebuild the missing mantles true to the period.  In a stroke of luck, they located the exact newel post lamp in Arkansas and were able to buy it and reinstall it at the base of the stairway.  It is certainly the crowning jewel of the foyer.  Mrs. LeBrun will be putting her home on the market even as she continues to make restorations.

 The newel post lamp at the foot of the mahogany staircase. 

  

The foyer.

 

 The grand staircase in the foyer.

 The original mantle in the dining room.

 The library.

 The Gentleman's parlor.

 The lead crystal window in the Gentlemen's parlor 

The Lady's Parlor

 Elegantly curved windows and shutters in the Lady's parlor.

  

  Custom plinth blocks.

The plinth blocks on the closet door under the stairs are upside down and cut off to make them fit.

 

 Curly pine doors and woodwork.

Part of my tuition for the Artist UP! class was a pay-it-forward promise to paint a portrait of a resident of Shreveport Commons.  I chose to do a portrait of Logan Mansion, because houses have souls, too.  Check back for more updates along this journey!