English French J.S. Clark Memorial Walkway The J.S. Clark Memorial Walkway pays tribute to the former educators and students of the high school in Opelousas which served black students from 1953-1969 before desegregation. The school was named in honor of Joseph Samuel Clark, the first president of Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. While J.S.

Acadian House This building, which once served as the Opelousas Tourist Information Center, was constructed to resemble a typical Cajun home of the 1800s. Popular from 1765 to 1900, the Acadian House was made from Louisiana Cypress. This project has been financed in part with federal funds from the National Park Service, United States Department …

Pigeonnier, c. 1970s French for “dovecote,” they were very popular in Louisiana from the 1750s through the late 1800s. The architectural style was brought over from the Normandy, France area. Its original function was to house pigeons. In later years, they were used simply for storage. This project has been financed in part with federal …

English French Jarrell House, C. 1898 The history of this house dates back to 1898 when it was the property of Dr. Vincent Boagni, a noted Opelousas physician and cattle farmer. Featuring a Victorian Queen Anne Cottage style, which was popular between 1880 and 1910, the house is adorned with decorative gingerbread and spindle woodwork, …

English French St. Joseph Methodist Church for Colored People, c. 1948 This small, single frame wooden church was built in 1948 as a house of worship for the African-American Methodist congregation in the rural St. Landry Parish community of Palmetto.    The church purchased a parcel of land located at the end of Bihm Street …

English French Whiteville Schoolhouse, c. 1911 One of the few buildings of its kind in Louisiana, the schoolhouse was originally built in the small community of Whiteville, just northeast of Opelousas.  Featuring two rooms, it was common “in the early days” to have multiple grades taught in each room.   It was built at a time …

English French Mary Jane Steam Engine Train, 1904 The Mary Jane Steam Engine was a wood-burner and, at its best speed, traveled about 25 miles per hour.  Built in 1904 by the Davenport, Iowa Ironworks Company, the 10-ton train made its way to the Opelousas in 1959 where it served as an industrial monument after …

English French Union Pacific Freight Depot, c. 1900 Originally located on Court Street on the east-west route of the Union Pacific Railroad, this building was used as a freight depot until the late 1980s. Recognizing the importance that the railroad industry played in the development of modern Opelousas, the Opelousas Tourism and Activities Committee

English French 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 …