Organization

Liendo Plantation was built in 1853 by Leonard Waller Groce, the son of Jared Groce, who was one of the largest most respected land owners in Texas. Originally a Spanish land grant of 67,000 acres assigned to Justo Liendo, the plantation's namesake, Liendo was one of Texas' earliest cotton plantations.

It was considered the social center of Texas receiving and lavishly entertaining early Texas dignitaries and notorieties. Liendo was considered a typical Southern plantation, having over 300 slaves and being itself built by slave labor. Sufficient in all its needs; it was a self contained community. Like most Southern plantations, however, Liendo fell on hard times after the Civil War and changed owners several times thereafter.

In 1960 Carl and Phylis Detering purchased Liendo from Miss Willene Compton and began their 10 year job of restoring the plantation home. Traveling throughout the deep South and Europe, the Deterings acquired period furnishings and faithfully restored Liendo to its former glory. Liendo is recognized as a Texas historic landmark and is listed on the national register of historic places. Today, Will Detering owns and operates Liendo Plantation and continues the work of preserving and sharing this Texas landmark.