Following deportation from Nova Scotia, the French Acadians moved to the southern colonies and settled in the Louisiana territory. They built small, unpretentious cottages along the bayous of Louisiana. These homes were typically raised on piers or an understory to protect the structures from frequently rising waters. Acadian homes were only slightly raised on piers with no usable space beneath the main level. Although the prototype for this residential design was unassuming and reserved, the Acadian style was later adapted to larger plantation homes, utilizing similar architectural elements, for the more affluent and prosperous residents of the area.      The ground level of the Acadian Plantation is usually constructed of brick or stone and the upper levels are typically framed in wood and covered with an exterior wood siding. The roof structure of the Acadian Plantation is steeply pitched with end gables and windows on the sides of the house allowing for light and fresh air to penetrate the attic level. The front roof structure of the Acadian Plantation rests on the thick walls that enclose the main floor and on a row of front porch columns. The roof overhanging the front porch is supported by wooden columns at the main floor level and brick piers on the ground floor level. The front porch provides sheltered outdoor living space for the occupants. An exterior staircase, at the front of the house, is a common feature on Acadian Plantation homes. The front staircase to the exterior gallery provides the only circulation between levels of the home.      The windows of the Acadian Plantation homes were very simple because these structures were the earliest style of plantation and tended to be more basic with less ornamentation than later examples. Large panes of glass were rare when the Acadian Plantations were initially constructed, so each of the double-hung window sashes was comprised of 8 or 12 small panes. Doors, like the windows, were surrounded with simple, wooden casings and usually lacked any other ornamentation.