Dr. Lafleur’s Office, c. 1908

April 22, 2021

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Doctor’s Office, 1908

Built at the turn of the 20th century in the rural community of Prairie Ronde, this quaint little building housed the medical clinic of Dr. Ertemon Lafleur. He also delivered babies, pulled teeth and mixed medicine.

Money was scarce back then and often times he took payment in the form of labor and goods such as chickens, eggs, pork, beef, grain and labor.

House calls were common at the time and Dr. Ertemon traveled by way of horse and buggy to see patients. As roads improved, he was able to buy a car, which he ordered from Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Dr. Ertemon practiced medicine until the time of his death in 1946.
His son, Dr. Nathan Curtis (N.C.) Lafleur, took over the practice until 1985, a year before his death.

Donated by the family of Dr. N.C. Lafleur, the building was relocated to Le Vieux Village in 1991. Funding for the move was provided by the Opelousas Womans Club, Opelousas Tourism and Activities Committee and local medical professionals.

Construit au tournant du 20e siècle dans le village rural de La Prairie Ronde, ce petit bâtiment servit de cabinet de médecine du Docteur Ertemon Lafleur. Il y mit des bébés au monde, arracha des dents et mélanga des remèdes.

L’argent se faisant rare à l’époque, il accepta souvent d’être payé en nature. Ses services furent payés avec des heures de travail, ainsi qu’avec des poules, des œufs, du porc, de la viande ou des céréales.

Les rendez-vous à la maison étant communs à l’époque, le Dr. Ertemon se déplaça en calèche pour rendre visite à ses patients. Au fur et à mesure que les routes furent améliorées, il réussit à s’acheter une voiture, qu’il commanda de Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Le Dr. Ertemon continua de pratiquer la médecine jusqu’à sa mort en 1946. Son fils, le Dr. Nathan Curtis (N.C) Lafleur, reprit le cabinet et y exerça jusqu’en 1985, un an avant son décès.

Un don de la famille du Dr. N.C. Lafleur, le bâtiment fut déplacé au Vieux Village en 1991, payé par l’Opelousas Women’s Club, l’Opelousas Tourism and Activities Committee et un groupe de professionnels du secteur médical.

This project has been financed in part with federal funds from the National Park Service, United States Department of the Interior, through the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, Office of Cultural Development, Division of Historic Preservation. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the United States Department of the Interior.