Lost and Forgotten Places of Acadiana
When it comes to physical history, many times the old buildings are torn down to make room for new and modern ones or sites are redeveloped. The problem with this line of thought is that many old buildings or sites have a story to tell. These untold stories and places for various reasons end up lost to the community, such as for the cost for upkeep, the time it would take to process the land or building to save and ultimately peoples’ memories. “Lost and Forgotten Places of Acadiana” is a tour that exists to give back these stories of places that are either lost or forgotten to the public so that these pieces of heritage do not truly become lost in memory.
The tour “Lost and Forgotten Places of Acadiana,” will showcase various stories of Acadiana’s past and heritage. Within these stories that are in the tour are various historic themes. Such as the many lost Civil War sites that took place all over Louisiana, the remnants of the Acadians that settled in the area or the forgotten legacies of the Native Americans. Other broader themes included are the lifestyles of southern people and education that appear in the plantations, towns, and schools.
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Stories 18
The Famous Livable Corner Bank: Bank of Scott
Old corner bank turned into renovated AirBnB.
Evangeline's Gabriel Settled in Lafayette in 1765: Is Beau Bassin a Cajun Shangri-La?
One of the earliest settlers of Lafayette parish was Louis Arceneaux. Many believe that Louis was the real-life character, “Gabriel” in Longfellow’s famous poem, Evangeline. Back in Nova…
The Many Faces of a Store: Store to Museum
Like in many towns anywhere in the world, buildings can take on different faces throughout their lives.
"Saddest Funeral on the Teche": Mount Carmel Academy
A terrible funeral for a historic school.
The Resurrection of Darby Plantation: Darby Plantation is Reborn into a Beautiful Golf Club Community Development
One of the majestic gems that once graced the Spanish Lake area of New Iberia, Darby Plantation was built in 1813 by Louis St. Marc Darby and was an excellent example of the rural Louisiana colonial architecture that is found in large homes in the Teche region. Spanish Lake, at the time the home was built, was twice as large as it is today; it was drained and reformed during a drainage project over the years. While the home was not as elaborately detailed as many formal plantation homes on the Mississippi River, it was nonetheless a beautiful giant among the enormous branches of live oaks and miles of sugar cane fields. During the Civil War, Union troops stormed the home with horses, demolishing its contents, and this seemed to be the beginning of the end of the homestead since the plantation was never able to recover financially. Reluctantly its property was sold off, a portion at a time, to pay off its debts. The home was occupied until the late 1960s, but it was in poor condition and was donated to the Attakapas Historical Society in 1970. Plans were in the works to restore the home and use it as a museum, but it was tragically destroyed by fire in 1979. The original Darby Plantation was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1973. It has since been fully rebuilt as a private residence, the owners taking great care to use the original plans and footprint, and use whatever bricks that had survived the fire. Also, a beautiful golf course and luxury home development called Squirrel Run has been built on the property surrounding the home. As a result, many more individuals are now better able to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the old plantation home.
Thousands of German POWs in Acadiana During WWII: German POWs Helped with Severe Labor Shortages During WWII
Many of us are unaware that during WWII the US was housing over 425,000 enemy POWs (mostly Germans) in over 500 camps spread over 46 states. Over 2,000 of them were here in Acadiana, in side camps located in Youngsville, St. Martinsville, Rayne, and Kaplan. A temporary labor program was created to help replace the lost labor from those who were fighting overseas, and many farmers took advantage of that program. Surprisingly, the Nazis, who were about one-fifth of the German population, had to be segregated from the average German soldier because they would intimidate them not to cooperate with US officials. Generally, the German POWs were peaceful and did not believe in Hitler or his war, and some were even from other countries being forced to fight. Many of these soldiers eventually became friends with their new farmer employers. A few wild stories surfaced, like the farmer who bought his prisoners steaks in a nightclub because they weren’t being fed enough to do manual labor, or the POWs who would somehow “slip out” of camp to have a few hours “R&R” with local gals, or the POW who was given a machine gun and told to “guard the base” while the “real” guards enjoyed a Christmas party. No matter the rumors, what is certain is that after the war some POWs corresponded with their farmer families, some returned with their own families to visit many years later, and some stayed and made families of their own here in Acadiana.
The Oldest House in Lafayette Parish is Circa 1790.: The seventh generation of the Arceneaux family still lives in The Arceneaux House, circa 1790.
If one were to visit Vermillionville today, they would see what is known as the Beaubassin House which is incorrectly dated as 1840. In reality, it is much, much older, from as early as 1790, and its twin, known as the Arceneaux House, which is identical in its layout and construction, was built at the same time and is still occupied by members of the seventh generation of the Arceneaux family.
Hidden Town of Sherburne: Louisiana's Lumber Towns
Besides the name, the remains left of Sherburne are a few wooden frames of homes, steel equipment and a sawdust pile.
Sunken Steamboat in Bayou Teche
There sits a sunken steamboat below four feet of mud in Bayou Teche.
Forgotten History of the Calumet Plantation
The plantation is the site of a Civil War battle, sugar experiments, and racing planes.
The Lost History of Uncle Sam Plantation
The once large plantation is completely gone from the land today
The Lost Treasure of the Tunica Tribe
The Tunica Treasure contained thousands of artifacts the tribe made themselves or traded for.
The Lost Town of Morrisonville
The small, historic town of Morrisonville in Iberville Parish is not only lost to its past residences but also to history.
Every Child Should be Loved: St, Mary's Orphanage
A Louisiana Orphanage opens up its doors to abandoned children in hopes of creating a better life for them.
"Keep Holy Rosary Alive": Holy Rosary Institute
Historic school in Louisiana for African Americans strives to stay open for good.
Old Opelousas City Hall/Town Market
The abandoned building was once the center of commerce in Opelousas
Old City Hall: Lafayette's First City Hall and National Registered Historic Place
One of the first buildings in the town of Lafayette to be on the National Register of Historic Places was, the affectionately nicknamed, Old City Hall.
The Largest Plantation Ever Built: Belle Grove Plantation
One of the largest plantations to ever be built in Louisiana and in the South was the Belle Grove Plantation of White Castle. This southern mansion was 62 feet high and 122 feet wide that contained seventy-five rooms.Tour curated by: Rachel Blomquist, Ryan LeBlanc, Rusty Chastant, Kristen Harrison