Emar Andrepont Store, c. 1880
Built in the late 1880s, the Andrepont Store was a one-stop shop for nearly 100-years for the community of Prairie Ronde in St. Landry Parish. The store was first owned and operated by Emar Andrepont who was born in Prairie Ronde in 1863.
The store carried a broad range of dry goods, household items, farm equipment and textiles. To maximize storage and display of items, shelves were built onto the walls instead of glass display cases. For a time, some of the shelves served as post office boxes for the community.
Besides being a businessman, Emar was also a farmer, blacksmith and craftsman. As a hobby, he handmade dozens of orchestra-quality violins.
Emar and his wife, Alice Dupre, had seven children. When Emar passed way in 1941, his son-in-law, Evrand Brown, who was married to his daughter, Rose, took over the store. Evrand and Rose operated the store up until the time of their deaths in the 1980s.
The store then became the property Alice Andrepont Ledoux and her husband Dewey Ledoux. The family donated the store and rural out house to the village which were moved on site in 1992. The move was funded by the Opelousas Tourism & Activities Committee and Friends.
Magasin Emar Andrepont, environ 1880
Construit à la fin des années 1880, le Magasin Andrepont fut l’endroit où tout acheter dans le village de La Prairie Ronde dans la Paroisse St-Landry pendant presque 100 ans. Le magasin fut fondé et géré par Emar Andrepont, né à La Prairie Ronde en 1863.
Le magasin venda une variété de marchandises sèches, d’articles ménagers, de matériel agricole et de textiles. Afin de maximiser l’espace de stockage, les produits ne furent pas exposés dans des vitrines, mais sur des étagères construites sur les murs. Pendant un moment, certaines étagères firent office de boîtes postales pour les résidents.
En plus d’être un homme d’affaires, Emar fut fermier, forgeron et artisan. Comme passe-temps, il fabriqua des dizaines violons de haute qualité.
Emar et son épouse Alice Dupré furent les parents de sept enfants. À la mort d’Emar en 1941, son gendre Evrand Brown, le mari de sa fille Rose, reprit le magasin. Evran et Rose continuèrent d’en assurer la gestion jusqu’à leur disparition dans les années 1980.
Le magasin passa ensuite à Alice Andrepont Ledoux et son mari Dewey Ledoux. La famille fit don du magasin ainsi que de la toilette sèche qui furent déménagés ici en 1992. Le déplacement fut financé par l’Opelousas Tourism & Activities Committee and Friends.
Tour of Le Vieux Village
click map for larger view
Last modified: August 11, 2022
