History of the House

Built from the Land

Curly Pine in The Cady House

One of the most remarkable features of The Cady House is its extensive curly-pine woodwork. Found throughout the home, this rare figured lumber reflects both the extraordinary forests that once covered Louisiana and the exceptional craftsmanship of the state's great lumber era.

What Is Curly Pine?

Curly pine is not a separate species of tree. Instead, it is pine lumber with a naturally occurring wavy grain pattern known as figure.

As light moves across the wood, the changing direction of its fibers causes the surface to shimmer and appear almost three-dimensional. This optical effect, known as chatoyance, has been compared to rippling water, tiger stripes, and the distinctive figure found in curly maple. No two boards are exactly alike, making each piece a natural work of art.

A Product of Louisiana's Old-Growth Forests

The curly pine found in historic Louisiana homes typically came from old-growth southern yellow pine, particularly longleaf pine. These magnificent trees grew slowly for generations, producing dense, resin-rich heartwood prized for its strength, durability, and warm amber color.

What made curly pine truly special was its rarity. The figured grain was completely unpredictable—a tree could appear perfectly ordinary until it was sawn into boards, revealing dramatic waves hidden beneath the bark. Because only a small percentage of harvested trees displayed this unusual figure, curly pine was reserved for a home's finest architectural features.

A Showcase of Craftsmanship

During Louisiana's lumber boom, curly pine became one of the region's most sought-after finish materials. It was commonly used for:

Wall and ceiling paneling
Doors and mantels
Staircases and decorative posts
Window and door casings
Moldings and architectural trim
Cabinetry and fine furniture

A Louisiana publication promoting the state's timber industry praised polished curly pine as exceptionally beautiful, even comparing its appearance to mahogany. The wood was prestigious enough to be featured in Louisiana's forestry exhibit at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis, showcasing the beauty and quality of the state's forests to a national audience.

Because of its rarity and visual appeal, the finest curly pine was often reserved for the homes of lumber-company owners, managers, and other prominent residences. Historic examples still survive in a handful of Louisiana lumber communities, making the extensive curly-pine woodwork in The Cady House an increasingly uncommon treasure.

A Living Piece of Louisiana History

Today, authentic old-growth curly pine is extraordinarily rare. Most of Louisiana's original longleaf-pine forests were harvested during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the towering trees that produced this remarkable wood have largely disappeared.

The curly pine preserved throughout The Cady House is more than a beautiful decorative feature. It is a tangible connection to Louisiana's vanished forests, the craftsmen who transformed raw timber into works of lasting beauty, and the remarkable history of the lumber industry that gave rise to communities like McNary.

More than a century after these boards were milled and installed, their shimmering grain continues to tell the story of the forests—and the people—that shaped this remarkable home.

Original curly pine boards inside The Cady House — The distinctive grain of the house's original curly pine.

Close view of curly pine boards used in The Cady House — Curly pine boards preserved inside the house.

Historic photograph of The Cady House not long after it was built — The Cady House not long after it was built, early 1910s.

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Interior of a sleeping porch at The Cady House — One of The Cady House's sleeping porches.

Original Craftsmanship

The Hinged Sleeping Porches

Long before air conditioning came to McNary, the sleeping porches at The Cady House were designed to catch every bit of a Louisiana breeze. Rather than fixed walls, the lower half of each porch is fitted with hinged wooden panels — a simple, clever piece of early-1900s design built for comfort through the hot summer months.

Each panel is hinged along its bottom edge. Dropped open, it folds flat against the knee-wall below — inward or outward, depending on the porch — fully exposing the screened opening underneath. On a warm night, the porch could be opened almost entirely to the outdoors, turning the room into little more than a screened-in bed beneath the stars.

When closed, the panels are held secure from the inside with nothing more than simple metal slide bolts and cabin hooks — modest hardware for a house built to last, and a small reminder of just how resourcefully the original builders designed for Louisiana's climate.

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Original Illumination

Original Alabaster Bowl Chandelier

One of the most striking original features of The Cady House is its elegant suspended bowl chandelier. Crafted in the Neoclassical Revival style, the fixture reflects the optimism and craftsmanship of the early twentieth century, when electricity was transforming American homes.

Unlike earlier gas fixtures, these inverted bowl lights were designed specifically for electric illumination. Hidden bulbs projected light upward into a translucent alabaster bowl, where it was softly diffused across the ceiling before filling the room with a warm, even glow. The result was gentler and more refined than the harsh glare of early exposed light bulbs, making these fixtures both practical and fashionable.

The chandelier itself is rich with classical detail. A carved Greek key border symbolizes continuity and eternity, while the surrounding acanthus leaves—a decorative motif dating back to ancient Greece and Rome—represent enduring beauty and craftsmanship. Together, these elements reflect the Classical Revival style that dominated American architecture and interior design during the years when The Cady House was built.

Suspended from heavy chains and carved from translucent alabaster, the fixture would have served as both a source of light and a statement of modernity. Installing an electric chandelier of this quality in the early 1900s signaled that a home embraced the newest technology while maintaining the elegance expected of a prominent residence.

More than a century later, this chandelier continues to illuminate The Cady House much as it did when it was first installed—a rare surviving example of the artistry, innovation, and craftsmanship that defined Louisiana's lumber era.