(Opelousas, LA) – Opelousas Main Street, Inc. and the City of Opelousas Tourism are excited to present the 2023 collectible holiday ornament featuring the historic Joseph H. Wier Memorial Building. The building, also known as the Hebrard House, is located on the corner of Union and Bellevue Streets in Opelousas.
Built in Federal style, the Wier Memorial Building is one of the oldest buildings in Opelousas. The two-story brick building features a portico, arch entrance with a fanlight and four highly styled Federal mantels. At one time, there was also a cellar located at the rear entrance and several outbuildings, including a kitchen located behind the house and a set of outside stairs leading to the second floor.
The property is noted in a land purchase made by the County of Opelousas in 1805. When the land was divided into lots, one of the lots was purchased in 1809 by Thomas Bledsoe. According to local legend, the building on the property was constructed during the 1820s and used as a tavern, with living quarters on the second floor. According to one article, the tavern was called At the Sign of the Boar’s Head.
In 1826, Opelousas merchant Ludger Lastrapes purchased the property. It is believed that he may have been the one to construct the building. In 1858, Pierre Leonce Hebrard, a pharmacist and lawyer, purchased the home and property where it remained in the Hebrard family until 1944. In 1945, it was purchased by Opelousas businessman Harvey G. Wier. Following his death, the building was left to his son Joseph R. Wier.
In 1994, Nan Wier, widow of Joseph R. Wier, acquired the building. Wier, who was an art enthusiast and collector, restored the building and listed it on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1998, she opened the Opelousas Museum of Art and named the building the Joseph R. Wier Memorial Building. The museum operated for several years before closing in the early part of the 21st century. It was later purchased in 2016 where is has since been used as a commercial building.
This 2023 collectible ornament is the 12th in a series of collectible ornaments. The collectible Christmas ornaments include the famed Jim Bowie Oak and the old Homère Mouton Law Office (3012), Hope, Hook & Ladder Co. #1 (2013), St. Landry Catholic Church (2014), the Old St. Landry Parish Courthouse (2015), St. Landry Lumber (2016), Old Governor’s Mansion (2017), Michael Prudhomme Home (2018), Holy Ghost Catholic Church (2019), Old Federal Building-Post Office (2020), Twin Silos (2021) and Venus House (2022).
Priced at $16 each, the ornaments are available for purchase locally at Sebastien-Dupre Fine Jewelry, Back in Time, and Opelousas Tourist Info Center. Ornaments can also be purchased online by clicking HERE. Proceeds from the project go towards the preservation and promotional projects for downtown Opelousas.
For more information email tourism@cityofopelousas.com or call 1-800-424-5442.
Last modified: December 5, 2023
