Acadian Village (park) facts for kids
The Acadian Village is a special cultural park in Lafayette, Louisiana. It's like stepping back in time to see what a traditional Cajun village looked like in the 1800s. It's a great place to learn about the history and culture of the Acadian people.
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History of Acadian Village
The Acadian Village is built on 32 acres (130,000 m2) of land. This land belongs to LARC, which stands for the Lafayette Association for Retarded Citizens. In the early 1970s, some people at LARC had a great idea. They wanted to create a place that would attract visitors to Lafayette. This project would also help LARC by making money and creating jobs for people with developmental disabilities.
Dr. Norman Heard, Bob Lowe, and Glen Conrad came up with the idea. They wanted to use real homes from the 1800s. Many old homes in the area were empty or used for storage. So, they contacted families and arranged to move these homes. Some homes were bought with grants, and some were even given for free. The only cost was moving them!
To make the village look like a real 1800s community, they had to change 10 acres (40,000 m2) of farmland. This big job included digging waterways and building paths and bridges. U.S. Army Reservists helped with this huge task. After that, local builders, business people, and volunteers joined in. They worked hard to restore the old homes. The goal was to show how people lived long ago. As one director said, "the old ways are worth keeping alive."
Today, seven of the 11 buildings are real 19th-century homes. They were given by the families who used to live in them. These homes show how clever early Acadian builders were. They used wooden pegs, mud walls, and strong cypress wood. Each house was moved carefully, piece by piece, and then restored.
Now, Acadian Village is a popular spot for many events. It hosts Cajun festivals, weddings, and special gatherings. It's also home to "Noël Acadien au Village," a beautiful Christmas lighting event.
Explore the Art Gallery
The building known as the Art Gallery was once the home of Dr. Hypolite Salles. He was the first dentist in Lafayette, Louisiana. The way the gallery is set up today shows how the doctor practiced in the late 1890s.
Now, the Art Gallery displays amazing artwork from southwest Louisiana. You can see landscape paintings, still life art, and flower pictures. Artists who live at Acadian Village often work on their paintings right there. All the art in the gallery is original and available for sale.
Visit the Blacksmith Shop
At Acadian Village, you can see a copy of an old blacksmith shop. It was built using old, weathered cypress wood. Blacksmiths were very important people in old communities. They made many useful things out of iron. These included tools, horseshoes, nails, and door hinges.
The shop has tools like an anvil, a forge (where metal is heated), and bellows (to blow air into the fire). You'll also see tongs, pincers, and hammers hanging on the wall. These are like the tools blacksmiths used long ago. There are also old farming tools scattered around, showing what farmers used for many years.
Discover the Historic Houses
Acadian Village features several authentic 19th-century homes. Each house tells a unique story about Acadian life.
Thibodeaux House Details
The Thibodeaux House was built around 1820. It came to the village from the Breaux Bridge, Louisiana area. This house was made from cypress, a very strong wood that resists rot and insects. Each wooden beam was marked with Roman numerals to make it easy to put together. The small room at the back was for the daughter. It could only be reached through the parents' room. The boys slept in the attic or loft, which was called a garconnier. They reached it by an outside staircase.
Bernard House History
The Bernard House is the oldest building in the village. It was built in St. Martinville, Louisiana. The left side was built first, around 1800. The right side was added later, around 1840. Inside the newer part, you'll see a large painting. It shows the Acadians being forced to leave Nova Scotia (Canada) in 1755. In the small back room, another painting shows their arrival in Louisiana. It shows them settling along the bayous in 1764–1765. These paintings were created by Louisiana artist Robert Dafford. They were ordered by Bob Lowe, one of the village founders. The oldest part of the house has an exhibit about Cajun music. You can also see a great example of old insulation here. It's called bousillage entre poteaux, which means "mud between posts."
Billeaud House and Weaving
The Billeaud House came from the Billeaud Sugar Plantation in Broussard, Louisiana. It was built before the American Civil War. Today, this house is used as a spinning and weaving cottage. One of the looms inside is 150 years old! The other loom is a copy, built by a local man named Mr. Whitney Breaux. In the past, people wove blankets and clothes from cotton. They used white cotton, which grew in Louisiana. They also used brown cotton, which was brought from Mexico to the Acadians by the Spaniards.
Castille House Features
The Castille House was built around 1860 for Dorsene Castille in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. A European builder, whose name is mostly unknown, built it all by himself. It took him over a year to finish! During the Civil War, soldiers raided the house. But it survived through many years. The cypress mantels (fireplace shelves) in the home are very interesting. Each one has a carved symbol on the front. One symbol looks like a Christian fish. It means a long and happy life. The middle symbol looks like a rosette. It's called progression and means a large and successful family.
LeBlanc House and Senator LeBlanc
The LeBlanc house was built between 1821 and 1856. It is near Youngsville, Louisiana. This house is famous as the birthplace of Acadian Senator Dudley J. LeBlanc. Dudley J. "Couzin Dud" LeBlanc was a well-known Cajun politician. He was born on August 16, 1894. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I. Later, he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives. He also served as a state senator for several terms.
St. John House as a Schoolhouse
The St. John house dates back to about 1840. A local dentist donated it to the village. It was located on St. John Street in downtown Lafayette, which is how it got its name. It was built using salvaged cypress wood from another building. Today, the house is set up like an old schoolhouse. You can see old desks, including a three-seater desk. This desk came from an old schoolhouse near Sunset, Louisiana. Old books, inkwells, lunch pails, and a wooden stove complete the schoolhouse exhibit.
Noël Acadien au Village
Acadian Village becomes a magical place during the first three weeks of December. This is when it hosts Noël Acadien au Village, which means "Acadian Christmas at the Village." The event features local musicians, choirs, and bands. Every night, kids of all ages can take a photo with Santa Claus. You can even get your picture printed right away for a small fee.
A company called Christmas Depot is in charge of lighting up the entire village. They say it takes 10 to 12 people almost 2,000 hours to finish the job! They start planning in September. Then, they return in October and November to put up all the lights. By mid-November, the village is ready for the Christmas season.
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