The founding of radio station KEUN in Eunice occurred as Cajun and zydeco music were gaining prominence in the mid to late twentieth century. However, both genres struggled to get airtime anywhere because Cajun music was long considered a “novelty” and zydeco was seen as “too black” for French stations and “too French” for black stations (1). When KEUN began airing in 1952, “two daily French newscasts” were aired between Monday and Saturday (2). Gradually, the station added more shows between 1955-1957 that played “French recordings” like Fais do-do, The Church Point Jamboree and Bon Ton Roule hosted by Houston LeJeune (3). By 1958, according to Elizabeth Mae Roberts, KEUN had dedicated five hours weekly to playing French music (4). The station, then, had a considerable audience willing to listen to French music and programs. In 1962, KEUN began “weekly remote” broadcasts on Saturdays in Mamou, which were hosted by Revon Reed and aired live Cajun music being played at Fred’s Lounge (5). These performances attracted large crowds who spent their Saturday mornings dancing to Cajun music, carrying on the dancehall tradition associated with the music. As a result, the station was credited as beginning a “Cajun renaissance” which, according to Barry Jean Ancelet, helped Cajuns in “validating their culture” (6). These were some of the many live recordings that KEUN conducted to give airtime to local musicians. KEUN maintained its connection to Cajun music, as seen in the KEUN Cajun Music Day fundraiser which occurred from 1987 to 1989, and the station developing a show for zydeco music by 1992 (7). As of 2005, KVPI in Ville Platte continued the weekly broadcasts that KEUN had started from Fred’s Lounge (8). Today, Cajun music can still be heard on KEUN over 105.5 FM, making almost 70 years of playing the genre.

Perhaps what is most associated with Acadiana is the Cajun culture, which includes unique music, food, and traditions. The music is especially crucial because it provides the sound for a rich culture and people which a radio station, like KEUN, allows to be heard.

1. Making Waves: Louisiana’s Radio Story, directed by Tika Laudun (Louisiana Public Broadcasting, 2005), 33:33; 34:48-34:55, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keEkhOJR1FE, accessed April 18, 2022. 2. Elizabeth Mae Roberts, “French Radio Broadcasting in Louisiana, 1935-1958,” (master’s thesis, Louisiana State University, 1959), 61. 3. Roberts, “French Radio Broadcasting,” 61-62. Assumedly, “French recordings” means Cajun music. 4. Roberts, “French Radio Broadcasting,” 83. 5. Making Waves, 37:10-37:21. 6. Making Waves, 37:05-37:15; 37:47-37:55.

7. The Basile Weekly, May 21, 1992, newspapers.com. 8. Making Waves, 37:41-37:44.

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The Yellow Bowl was established in 1927 by a local woman, known as Mrs. Scanton, “as a bus stop for the Greyhound bus line” , formally known as Teche bus lines. However, this information is rivaled with the details found in Dennis Covington’s article in Southern Living. Covington states that, the Yellow Bowl was “’Originally a tea house for sugarcane planters who lived in area mansions,’” providing visitors an atmosphere similar to a country retreat. It is also up for debate on how Mrs. Scanton developed the name “Yellow Bowl”. According to the Franklin Banner, “One story is that during the initial excavation, the builders came across one of the huge kettles used in making a boucherie or jambalaya [and it] was painted a bright yellow.” On another hand, it is believed that “the word ‘Bowl’ was used as a code word for places that served alcohol during prohibition.” Places throughout the south were known as “green bowls” and “red bowls”, and it is possible that this one location was considered a “yellow bowl”. After being open for ninety-five years, we still don’t have a definitive answer to many of these statements. One undisputed claim is that the restaurant is situated in its original location between Franklin and Jeanerette, LA on the old Highway 90 “which is today known as Highway 182.” In 1953, Tony and Margaret Roberts purchased the Yellow Bowl to “move the lowly crawfish onto restaurant tables of Louisiana.” Since then, the Yellow Bowl has been a family owned and operated business serving up the finest Cajun cuisine in Jeanerette. Their recipes date back to 1953 when Tony and Margaret became the owners of the Yellow Bowl, and everything is made daily from scratch to provide a “truly authentic Cajun fare.” Some of the featured dishes are crawfish etouffee, seafood platters, chicken dinners, baked spaghetti, and chicken and oyster gumbo. Even though Tony and Margaret Roberts’ goal was to specialize in crawfish, their most popular dish is their seafood gumbo which was recognized in the winter issue of Southern Living in 1992. Dennis Covington notes that the Yellow Bowl’s seafood gumbo was a top contender after the different ones he tasted throughout Southern Louisiana. He stated that “The ingredients were fresh, the stock smooth and rich. The color was amber, the taste not too hot. No one seasoning dominated. The normally strong flavors of shrimp and okra had melted into the whole. And the gumbo was served right out of the pot --- not reconstituted, as in many restaurants.” While enjoying their delicious seafood options, guests can also spend time dancing the night away to the music playing on the dance floor that was added in. If you are looking to enjoy some delicious seafood in a historic and fun location, the Yellow Bowl may the right place for you!

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While over 5,300 German troops were lost during the Battle of Chateau Thierry, the Allied forces only lost 1,900 troops. Of these 1,900 who fell, sixteen were from Louisiana, six of whom were residents of Acadiana. Henry Binet, Joseph A. Logg, Murphy J. Cole (Deridder), Sidney Manuel (Mamou), Dorsle Richard (Cameron), and Isaac C. Savoie (Houma).

Murphy Cole was only 24 years old when he joined the U.S. Army. He was born and raised in DeRidder, LA and was the son of Joseph C. and Denise Augustine Cole. He served in many companies during his short time in France, and fell on July 18th during the Battle of Chateau-Thierry.

Four and a half miles southwest of the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery overlooking the valley of the Marne river resides a double colonnade that rises above a long terrace. Designed by Paul Phillip Cret and sculpted by French artist Alfred Bottiau in 1937, the monument sits on Hill 204, where heavy fighting had taken place in 1918, and commemorates the sacrifices and achievements of the Americans and French during the Aisne-Marne and Oise-Aisne offensives. On the east side of the terrace is a map showing American military operations and an operation table which helps visitors visualize where battles or events took place along the Marne. It also features a sculpture of two women who represent France, and a list of French Divisions who participated in the operations near the Hill. The West side of the terrace bears an inscription which reads in French and English:

“THIS MONUMENT HAS BEEN ERECTED BY THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA TO COMMEMORATE THE SERVICES OF HER TROOPS AND THOSE OF FRANCE WHO FOUGHT IN THIS REGION DURING THE WORLD WAR. IT STANDS AS A LASTING SYMBOL OF THE FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE FRENCH AND AMERICAN ARMIES.”

The west facade also features a sculpture of an American Eagle which represents America, and a list of American Divisions who participated in this sector of the war.

One of the first military actions of the AEF under General John J. “Black Jack” Pershing, 18 July, 1918, French and American troops launched a counter-assault against the German Spring offensive stretching over 25 miles between the villages Fontenoy and Chateau-Thierry as part of the Second Battle of the Marne. Upon their entry into the war, German leadership expected the AEF to be clumsy and inexperienced. At 04:45 the Allies silently and calmly went over the top of the trenches and attacked with precision, taking the German troops by surprise, as there was no preceding artillery bombardment which usually precluded an attack. The assault was successful with American troops breaking through German lines, and individual Americans even continued fighting despite being behind enemy lines. In doing so, the AEF found themselves in command of the main bridge in the village of Chateau Thierry, and American machine guns helped rescue the French positions, effectively forcing the Germans to retreat.

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One of the lost and forgotten cemeteries is maybe not so lost, but unfortunately becoming forgotten. The cemetery is famous but a search on Google maps reveals a simple word to describe this place: Graveyard. Upon further inspection, however, an entire world opens up. The cemetery is located in the small community of Oscar, Louisiana in Point Coupee Parish. Traveling down Louisiana Highway One, the road to the cemetery is barely visible. Once on the small, dirt road, it appears uninviting and you expect to see “No Trespassing” signs. The road is surrounded by sugarcane fields and about one mile down, a small tree covered area appears to the left. Inching closer, you can see the reflective white of the stones appearing through the trees. The cemetery appears taken care of and quite beautiful. Large oak trees shade most of the grounds and each are surrounded by beautiful, thick cast iron plants. Many of the sites look old and worn but several appear to have received a recent facelift. Some new, marble headstones sit next to the originals that were concrete and handwritten. The headstones speak of their owners as mothers, fathers, babies, soldiers, sports fans, and many other individualities. A particularly interesting headstone marks that of L. J. Johnson who died in 1924. The carved symbol above his name represents the Mosaic Templars of America (MTA). The MTA was founded in 1883 in Arkansas by two former slaves. For African Americans experiencing the Jim Crow South, times were tough and the MTA provided illness, death, and burial insurance to its members. The organization adopted its name from the Biblical story of Moses emancipating the Hebrew slaves. The local chapter name, number, and location are located at the bottom of the headstone.

One invisible disclosure within the cemetery of particular importance, is that the people buried there were either slaves or the descendants of slaves from Riverlake Plantation. The same house, built 200 years ago, still stands overlooking the cemetery. After emancipation, many former slaves stayed and worked on the grounds. Up until the 1980s, descendants still lived in the old slave quarters. They lived, they loved, they went to school, went to church, and still worked and lived on the property.

The cemetery’s most famous resident is that of Ernest J. Gaines, Louisiana’s own famous author who based most of his story’s setting and premise on Riverlake Plantation. Gaines is surrounded by many of his family and friends. His biggest fear was that the cemetery would disappear amongst the encroaching agriculture. He wanted to be buried there in hopes that his fame would draw attention to the place and those he was surrounded by were never forgotten. In the 1990s, Gaines and his wife created the Mount Zion Riverlake Cemetery Association in order to care for the cemetery. The association along with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Ernest J. Gaines Center hosted and successfully carried out a cleanup of the cemetery every year. Unfortunately, due to Gaines’ passing, other association board member deaths, and COVID-19, the last cleanup occurred in October of 2019 and there has been no mention of new cleanup dates.

Mount Zion Riverlake Cemetery is hugely important to Acadiana history. Instead of being labeled generically, it should be remembered as an open-air museum of African American slaves and their descendants who lived and left an indelible mark that should never be forgotten.

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The Richard family possesses a sort of dynastic quality in the world of Cajun bush tracks. Maurice Richard and his wife, Celestine, bought the property in 1902 in present-day Church Point, an area once known locally as Marais des Buller.

The Richard family's involvement with horse racing goes back to the early nineteenth century. A sharecropper by trade, Maurice loved racing his horses against those of his neighbors. He considered opening an unsanctioned quarter horse track, but with eleven children, life was hectic, and he needed the land to grow crops. However, as the great New York Yankee legend Yogi Berra once said, “When you get to a fork in the road, take it.” That is exactly what Maurice did. Choosing both routes, he divided his time—and land— between the farm and the track, which he aptly named Tee Maurice. Tee Maurice grew to be a bastion of quarter horse racing in Acadiana and a major entertainment hotspot.

In the 1930s, Maurice’s son Ellis opened a dance hall that the locals named “Richard’s Casino.” Food and music became an inseparable part of the landscape. Renowned musicians such as Happy Fats, Johnnie Allan, and Blackie Forestier played at the dance hall at Tee Maurice. One night could see as many as 700 people waltzing to the music of “Doc” Guidry. 

In addition to the original ten arpent straight quarter horse track, the Richards eventually built a one-half-mile thoroughbred track behind the dance hall. A stock car track was later added. Tee Maurice became known as the grandest and most renowned bush track in the area, with the ability to attract thousands of visitors in one weekend.

The family owned several trucks and would drive to Opelousas, Lewisburg, Lawtell, Sunset, and Carencro to pick racegoers up and bring them to watch the races and dance. Others would walk or arrive in their wagons. Tee Maurice and Richard's Club closed in 1983 when Ellis Richard passed away.

A visit to the property to speak to Ellis’ son, Winston, daughter-in-law, Kathy, and daughter, Guinn, was an enjoyable experience. They knew the stories well. They sat around the kitchen table, reliving the glory days of Tee Maurice. The track and dance hall are as much a part of them as the family who came before them. They remembered people who are long gone, and exchanged stories with each other as if they were trading baseball cards. 

A stroll around the property was meaningful. I saw the old dance hall, which Winston converted into a barn for his horses. Walking into the shaded entrance on that bright April afternoon, I could not help feeling the excitement of a new day meeting old history. Mrs. Kathy must have been thinking the same thing. “I wonder how many feet danced right here,” she thought aloud.

120 years have come and gone since the first horses stepped onto the track at Tee Maurice. A slab foundation at the road serves as proof that a dance hall once existed. The dance hall is now a barn for the Richard’s horses. Its walls, which recently sustained hurricane damage, are a memorial to our ancestors who contributed so greatly to the music and horse culture of Cajun country— A perfect example of how the landscape is always changing and of how we live alongside our history.

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Raymond August Greig was born in St. Martinville, Louisiana, on November 28, 1914. Raymond was a bright boy but never received more than an 8th-grade education. Ray met Carrie Leigh Broussard at a county fair. They wed on November 30, 1935, before moving to Texas, where Raymond worked for the Southern Pacific Railroad. They moved all over Texas following the growth of the railroad. Raymond was indispensable to the railroad: he was unafraid of heights and skilled at his job; this allowed him to escape the draft into World War 2. The family returned to Louisiana in 1941 and eventually made their home in New Iberia, on 1200 West Main Street. Raymond built the property and store in the 1940s. There, they raised their three kids; their grandkids would also spend much of their childhood at the store and home.

Attached to their private residence, Greig's Grocery was a hotspot for cola, cigarettes, and cold beer. The front door opened to a small space; on either side of the door were two large windows. The store was small, boasting 1-2 isles in the middle and a long counter holding a large old-time cash register with a satisfying cha-ching when he pulled the lever. Below the register, Raymond kept track of purchases in a flip book, even opening tabs for regular customers.

Behind the long counter on the right side of the store was a wall of candy boasting all the latest brands: Snickers, Milky Way, M&M's, etc. Cigarettes and toothpaste were also waiting on the shelves for the desiring customer. The long counter held a deli with fresh meat and cheese to be sliced in the grocery's deli slicer. Raymond had chickens in the backyard; he pickled the eggs and sold them in the store. At the end of the counter were shelves holding packages of baked goods, not only bread but packaged Little Debbie treats. Various dried goods were on the far wall across from the long checkout counter. A big Coca-Cola icebox stood by the front door.

Greig's West Main Grocery served customers for nearly 50 years. Carrie Leigh passed away in 1995. Shortly after her death, the store was robbed. The offenders attacked Raymond and sprayed him with pepper spray. The store was closed and put up for sale by 1997. The property was sold and became May's Oriental Grocery. Raymond August's middle son had a small wooden cabin built for his father to live in for the remainder of his life, where Raymond resided until his passing on February 27, 2000. Raymond is buried beside his wife at the Nativity Mausoleum in New Iberia.

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Charles Howard Fenstermaker Jr. studied civil engineering at Louisiana State University from 1934-38. He fought in World War 2 at the Western Front, including the Battle of Anzio, and returned home in 1945. He worked as a surveyor for Texaco before becoming an independent contractor in 1950. In 1951, he was called back into service during the Korean War.

After returning stateside in 1952, Howard resumed his job as a civil engineer, working from his home at 317 Allen St., New Iberia. The job of a surveyor was a physical one. It required a minimum of three people to make a crew. One crewman cut a line through the swamp or dense forest using a machete. Two men were required to hold two poles with a link of chains 66 ft long stretched between them. Howard used his level - a surveyor's tool with a compass and a level - to calculate the land's bearing, direction, height, and fall using trigonometry. They used USGS monuments as control points, building catalogs of their work.

Howard would gather his survey crew from a nearby bar at 3:30/4 in the morning. He would collect men who had been at the bar all night or knew to show up early seeking work. It was strenuous work and left the men exposed to the elements. There were snakes, hornets, sun, and humidity; it wasn't uncommon for the men to walk away with snake bites or stings. When they finished surveying for the day, Howard would return to his office and draw the data at his drafting table, often working late into the night to finish the job. He was known for his attention to detail and photographic memory, and his work earned him a reputation for reliability and excellence.

By 1954, Howard needed more space as his family and business grew, so he moved his office to three rooms in a commercial building at 127 Burke Street, New Iberia. The company moved twice more before settling its headquarters at 135 Regency Square, Lafayette, in the early 80s. In 1971, Howard's oldest son, William Fenstermaker, started working full-time with his father. Nine years later, William took over as C.E.O. and president of Fenstermaker. In 2019, Charles Howard Fenstermaker III, William's son, was named president of the company. The company has remained family-oriented, with three of Howard's sons and several of his grandchildren working for the company.

Howard Fenstermaker's incredible work drive and belief in development and growth built a company that has lasted nearly 75 years and will undoubtedly continue to grow over the next half-century. Fenstermaker has grown all across the South and it all started in the back bedroom of 317 Allen Street.

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        SSG Robert E “Pete” Sweat was born to William Ephriam and Rosetta Perkins Sweat on October 28, 1920, on a farm in Pitkin, Louisiana. He grew up assisting his father in their fields until his early 20s at the start of WWII. He trained at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was assigned to the 10th Armored Division of the 54th Infantry Regiment of the United States, also known as the “Tiger Division.” The 10th Armored Division was inactivated shortly after the war but operated under General George S. Patton in France.      After receiving training with his division in September of 1944, Sweat and his squadmates ravaged the Germans in France, taking hundreds of Nazi prisoners. In the Ardennes Forest on December 16, 1944, the 10th Armored Division served as support for their comrades, mobilizing to Bastogne and the Bulge in Luxembourg. It is unsure where Sweat ended up during the Battle of the Bulge, but he survived this German counteroffensive and what ended up being the largest and deadliest battle fought by the U.S. in WWII.      The next battle that Sweat and the 10th Armored Division would see was one at Heilbronn, a small city in southern Germany on the Neckar River, which was an important supply center for the German soldiers. The U.S. took the city and moved southward to Crailsheim, which is believed to be one of the most difficult battles of the war where the Germans would not let up. This battle would last a few days, but Sweat’s life would come to an end on April 5, 1945. As enemy artillery fire hit targets and bullets whizzed through the air, one of Sweat’s squadmates was wounded in the line of fire. He swooped down to rescue him but was killed while returning to cover.      The After Action report for April 1-5th, 1945 read “The enemy fought a delaying action entirely, using minefields covered by artillery and anti-tank weapons. Bridges were blown and artillery sighted in on important junctions and crossroads. Small arms fire ranged from light to moderate chiefly employed on outskirts of towns. Enemy tanks were in the area but moved about constantly. Towns which we occupied received light to moderate shelling to impede our progress. Results of Operations: 161 PoW captured, two 20mm. flak guns, four anti-tank guns, four trucks, two command cars and one prime mover captured or destroyed.”       According to Sweat’s great nephew, who found a letter, Sweat was listed as “missing in action” on that date, but it became the official date of death for the family. One of his nieces, Connie Britt, told The Leesville Daily Leader “the family attempted to find more information through the military records, but a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center destroyed millions of files, including many of those relating to Sweat. ‘All they could tell us was that he was killed in action.’”        After his death, the Allies won the war, and Sweat received a Purple Heart and two Silver Stars, the third-highest honor military personnel can receive. He is buried at Lorraine American Cemetery in St. Avold (Moselle), France.       The SSG Robert "Pete" Sweat Memorial Highway was introduced by Representative Dorothy Sue Hill and signed by Governor Bobby Jindal. The Representative presented Sweat’s two sisters Mittie and Jean Cloud with a replica of the highway sign.

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