Step Into History At These 8 Arkansas Estates And Plantations

This 1859 Delta gem was once the splendid home to the Johnson family from Kentucky. Lakeport is now the last remaining Arkansas plantation home on the Mississippi River. The surrounding land is still used for cotton production and the plantation has been turned into a museum. Lakeport Plantation is located at 601 AR-142, Lake Village, AR 71653.

Built in 1866 by Dr. Samuel Jordon Jones, the plantation is one of the few to drift from the typical Greek Revival architecture and instead implements the Lousiana Cottage style. Today it is a premiere hunting lodge and is now part of the largest woman-owned and operated commercial duck hunting business in the south. The Elms Plantation is located at 400 W. Elm Plantation Rd., Altheimer, AR 72004.

Perhaps not a sprawling plantation, the Old State House is a depiction of fine living in the mid-19th century nevertheless. The original state capitol of Arkansas was a focal point for Arkansas' development from its induction to the Union in 1836 to its secession in 1861. Today the mansion can be toured and multiple exhibits can be viewed that showcase the early Arkansan lifestyle and celebrate the state's achievements. The Old State House Museum is located at 300 W Markham St., Little Rock, Arkansas 72201.

Experience the lavish living of the Dortch family at the Marlsgate Plantation. The Greek Revival mansion was built at the turn of the century and served as the Dortch home for over three decades. Tour the house and gardens or use the mansion for your next event. The Dortch family home is located at 2695 Bear Skin Lake Rd., Scott, AR 72142.

After experiencing the grandeur of Marlsgate, take a tour of the Scott Plantation Settlement for a unique chance to experience the other side of plantation life. The settlement has multiple buildings from the Civil War era including the Big House, which had been part of the Dortch's first home before they upgraded to the Marlsgate in 1905. The settlement is located at 15525 Alexander Rd., Scott, AR 72142.

Complete your day in Scott with a tour of yet another Dortch establishment. The Plantation Agriculture Museum is focused on the work associated with growing cotton as well as making gin. Robert L. Dortch created the museum in the early 1960s and the family's gin house and seed warehouse can be toured. The museum is located at 4815 Ark.161 S., Scott, AR 72142.

What now seems like an anachronism on Bentonville's main thoroughfare was once set on a sprawling 180 acre apple orchard on the outskirts of town. The Peel Mansion was built in 1875 by Colonel Samuel West Peel, the first native born Arkansan elected to the United States Congress. The mansion is open for tours as well as the gardens surrounding this grand piece of preserved history. You really can't miss it, the mansion is located at 400 S Walton Blvd., Bentonville, AR 72712.

For a more modern take on the Arkansas estate lifestyle, the P. Allen Smith Garden home and farm is the perfect stop. Four-hour tours include a walk through the three-story manor, a farm-to-table lunch, and a walk through the farm's multiple gardens. P. Allen Smith's estate is located at 23700 Ross Hollow Rd., Roland, AR 72135.