What is the historic mansion in Donaldsonville, Louisiana, and who built it?

The Magnolia Mound Plantation is a historic mansion located in Donaldsonville, Louisiana. It was built in the late 1700s by the French Creole plantation owner, Ambroise Heidel, who was also a veteran of the American Revolution. The mansion is a beautiful example of early Louisiana architecture, with influences from both French and Spanish styles. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The plantation was named Magnolia Mound by one of its later owners, Joseph Augustin D'Hemecourt, who added the Greek Revival columns to the mansion in the 1830s. The plantation remained in the D'Hemecourt family until the 20th century, when it was sold to the City of Baton Rouge. Today, Magnolia Mound Plantation is a museum that is open to the public, offering tours and educational programs that showcase the rich history of the plantation and the people who lived and worked there over the centuries.