607 williams avenue

Quite possibly the oldest home in the Louisiana Purchase, the Wells home is believed to have been built between 1727-1742. An example of French Creole construction, it was originally built by Lt. Gov. Demezier as a two room dwelling with a central fireplace, covered gallery on all four sides and a hipped roof. The home has a frame of ax hewn cypress timbers which have been mortised, tenoned and pegged together. The walls are of bousillage entre poteaux construction in which a plaster of red clay and Spanish Moss or animal hair fills the space between the timbers. In 1791, three galleries were enclosed and finally in 1914, gables were added to the ends of the home creating the current roof line. The Wells family purchased it in 1963 and Historian, Carol Wells, lovingly began uncovering and featuring the original construction elements of the home. Currently it features three living spaces and four bedrooms, each with its own fireplace, three bathrooms, eat-in kitchen and laundry room.