Sunnybrook, so named for its proximity to the river, and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was built in 1870 by a German immigrant who raised sheep on the original 150 acres. The home was constructed of material salvaged from a wrecked steamboat, including massive ship timbers and quaint, five-foot doors-complete with brass cabin numbers-that now serve as closet doors in the downstairs entryway.

The house has full front and rear galleries, both upstairs and down. It features traditional center hallways and fireplaces with 1840s cypress mantels. Sunnybrook is an accurate representation of rural Louisiana architecture; it shows the strength of the state's eighteenth century Renaissance revival raised cottage tradition.

Gibert's parents, William P. Gibert and Rosalie Johnston Gibert, purchased the post-Civil War home in 1957. The couple immediately began an extensive, three-year restoration project that included the laborious task of elevating the structure, since the original downstairs area had a floor-to-ceiling span of less than six feet.

During the massive renovation, great attention was paid to incorporating as much original woodwork and hardware as possible. In addition, building materials from the same period were obtained, such as the handmade bricks used to construct the heavy pillars and expansive walkways in the lower galleries. Made from mud and moss, the 1830s bricks, together with vintage heart-pine floorboards, were salvaged from the nearby Judge Jessie Jones home that Gibert's grandfather had purchased.

While spending much of his life in Covington, Gibert made a series of career decisions which eventually led him to other locales. He left Covington in 1992 and moved to Ft. Myers, Florida before returning to Sunnybrook in the summer of 2001 to assume ownership of the estate. With a keen interest in antiquity and preservation, Gibert enjoys sharing his heritage and the rich history of Sunnybrook.

"When you live in an old house with old things, past eras become a part of you," says Gibert, whose childhood experiences reflect his historical perspective. He fondly recalls the early 1960s and attending numerous social functions with family and friends in New Orleans, as well as visits to Oak Alley plantation and its former owner, Josephine Stewart, his great-aunt. He muses how she wasn't particularly fond of children and it was only during afternoon tea-and while on his best behavior-that he was allowed to see her.

Gibert's family ties, rooted in New Orleans and Virginia, can be traced back centuries to men such as Peter Johnston I, the first immigrant from his mother's side who came to America from Edinburgh, Scotland in 1727. He became a member of the House of Burgesses in colonial Virginia.

The first Gibert to immigrate from Europe was Gibert's great-grandfather, Leon Gustave Gibert, Sr., who came to New Orleans in the late 1800s. Each year, he and his wife would spend six months in France and the remainder in New Orleans. He presided over Gibert, Henican & Clay cotton brokers in New Orleans and brokered cotton at the New Orleans Cotton Exchange. Also prominent in the Paris Cotton Exchange, he was awarded the French Legion of Honor after World War I for insuring continued shipments of cotton to France during the war.

Gibert's mother was instrumental in documenting the family's history and Sunnybrook's notoriety. Legend has it that around 1814 Andrew Jackson camped at the site on his way to the Battle of New Orleans. During an archaeological dig many years ago, the Giberts were pleased to uncover several pre-Civil War artifacts that included lead musket balls and buttons from military uniforms. Jackson was even said to have hung two deserters from one of the centuries-old oaks that gracefully frame the grounds.

Indeed, it is the stately grove of towering oaks that first commands your attention upon entering the gate and viewing the plantation setting. On the grounds of Sunnybrook, the curtain of time seems to delicately sweep back and offer visitors an intriguing glimpse into the past.

Among Sunnybrook's impressive trees are six that were among the first 500 live oaks to be registered with the Live Oak Society, an organization established in 1934 that operates under the Louisiana Garden Club Federation. The society now boasts 4,267 trees in the 14 states where live oaks can be found. Sunnybrook's historic trees are named and prestigiously registered as Andrew Jackson, General Robert E. Lee, Bishop Leonidas Polk, John James Audubon, Jean Lafitte and Sunnybrook. Documented to be more than 300 years old, the grand oaks of Sunnybrook punctuate the dramatic setting that is an inspiring view from the upstairs gallery.

Reminiscent of the Old South, more than 70 camellia bushes line the property, many of which are unfamiliar varieties; some are nearly a century old. Gibert's prized camellias share the earth with rows of beautiful azaleas, sweet olives, and other native shrubbery.

Sunnybrook's interior reflects a notable family legacy, with items such as a framed certificate detailing the battle record in Napoleon's army of distant ancestor Leon Gibert. Paintings, sculpture and period furnishings are well-suited among cherished family heirlooms in the 6,000-square-foot home.

A reflection of his upbringing, Gibert's love of antiquity and respect for time-honored, southern traditions is apparent. In collaboration with Dixie Gallaspy's Smoky Creek Summer School for Girls, he plans to host formal luncheons at Sunnybrook for the purpose of instructing young ladies on the finer points of dining etiquette.

While greatly appreciative to be a part of Sunnybrook's history, and thankful for the opportunity to enjoy so many valued objects from the past, Gibert humbly maintains his priorities. "The thing that strikes me is that nothing is permanent. You realize how short a lifetime is, and that what you have isn't really yours; it's going to belong to someone else. You're part of the chain, but you're not the end."