The Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site was serene Thursday morning, as water meandered through the now-defunct lock chamber and bright sun reflected off the white glazed bricks of the lock house.
As recently as the 1940s, this critical structure and feat of engineering — which lifted boats so they could navigate changes in elevation — would have been bustling with watercraft transporting timber and oil. In 1942, the lock shepherded 3.5 million tons of cargo that traveled between the Mississippi River and the Atchafalaya Basin.
Volunteers and parish officials hope that 18 months of renovations, totaling $1.1 million, will restore the lock to its former glory and help commemorate the history of Plaquemine. The site will reopen to the public on June 13 with a redesigned, interactive exhibit about the lock, accessibility upgrades and building improvements.
The Bayou Plaquemine seen from Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
"It was key to the growth of our community at the time and to the commerce there,” Courtney Zito Elliott, consulting director of tourism for Iberville Parish, said. “Just from its architectural significance and its uniqueness, it became sort of an icon sitting in the middle of the community along by Plaquemine.”
The lock stopped being functional in 1961, replaced by the Port of Greater Baton Rouge in Port Allen. It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 after local newspaper editor Gary Hebert fought for the site's preservation.
The state legislature, ¶¶Ňőh State Parks, Iberville Parish and the city of Plaquemine all put funds toward the restoration project, which focused on lock house waterproofing and leak repairs, mechanical and electrical upgrades, compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and enhanced visitor experience.
“When you have this kind of architecture, and where we are, there’s just a lot to be done — and nothing had been done,” Heather Blanchard, vice president of the Friends of the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site, said. “It was almost closed down.”
Daniel Mooney, president of Friends of the Lock volunteer group, highlights some of the work done during the renovation of the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site like reinforcing the walls after they began to crack due to shifting soil over time on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
Maintaining the structure is a challenge, particularly given its location next to the Mississippi River. Friends of the Lock president Dan Mooney pointed out a long crack running through the inside of the lock house, a consequence of the shifting soils beneath the building’s foundation.
“You’re on Mississippi River alluvial soils,” Mooney said. “There’s no bedrock. Dirt, even though it moves slowly, it does move downhill.”
Lock project 'a sign of things to come'Â
In addition to the lock house, Friends of the Lock began cosmetic improvements to the property’s boathouse, where visitors can see boats like those that would have traveled through Plaquemine Lock in the 20th century. Renovation of the boathouse will be a priority for the next phase of the project, for which the organization hopes to raise another $200,000.
“We’re at the point that we’re imagining additional use of the space, always respecting the history and the preservation,” Blanchard said. “But it’s too rich and wonderful to have it locked and only an occasional school tour.”
Heather Blanchard, vice president of Friends of the Lock, describes her plans to add native vegetation to the land surrounding the Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
The volunteers also plan to make use of the outdoor area of the property, which overlooks the levee. Blanchard envisions hosting events there and providing a nature haven for the parish, with native landscaping.
The Plaquemine Lock grand reopening will begin at 9 a.m. on Friday with guided tours and a ceremony starting at 10 a.m. The historic site will be open to visitors Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Daniel Mooney, president of Friends of the Lock, walks past a boat light, electric pump and model ship during a tour of Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site on Thursday, June 5, 2025.
Zito Elliott said she’s excited that Iberville can offer a new interactive tourism attraction, appealing to young and old visitors alike.
“Our traveler today expects more,” Zito Elliott said. “To be able to deliver that in a rural community setting like Iberville Parish and Plaquemine, it’s great, and it’s a sign of things to come.”
