Louisiana Life Magazine September/October 2022 by Renaissance Publishing

2022SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER LA NOUVELLE LOUISIANE THE BEST OF WHAT’S NEW AND NOTABLE AROUND THE PELICAN STATE HAUNTED LA P.40 UtilityCompanyBrewinginRuston

La Nouvelle Louisiane Our annual list of the best of what’s new and notable around the Pelican State LouisianaHaunted34 40 FEATURES

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Louisiana Life (ISSN 1042-9980) is published bimonthly by Renaissance Publishing, LLC, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. Subscription rate: One year $10; no foreign subscrip tions Periodicals postage paid at Metairie, LA, and additional mailing entry offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Louisiana Life, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright © 2022 Louisiana Life. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark Louisiana Life is registered. Louisiana Life is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork, even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in Louisiana Life are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the magazine or owner. 28 HOME A New Orleans couple builds their new dream house on Bayou St. John with respect to the area’s history 32 KITCHEN GOURMET Your protein of choice or veggies speared and grilled on a skewer is delicious no matter what you call it — and we have a few flavorful suggestions 56 NATURAL STATE Louisiana isn’t known for good wine but two Ouachita Parish couples are crushing that notion with patience — and thoughtful blends 60 TRAVELER The popular Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in Lafayette brings the fest to the people twice in one year 62 FARTHER FLUNG Little Rock, Arkansas celebrates anniversaryanand historic changes 64 PHOTO CONTEST A small alligator peeks out from the water lilies on the Tchefuncte River near Madisonville 10 FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR’S DESK Fromage De Tete 18 PELICAN BRIEFS News and updates around the state SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER VOLUME 42 NUMBER 5 20 LITERARY LOUISIANA The signs of autumn are descending and leaves are starting to fall, which means spooky season is almost here. Dig into these mysterious reads to get in the mood for all things ghastly, ghostly and gleefully grim. 22 MADE IN LOUISIANA Tourism chandlerveteran-turnedChadBouttekeepshiscreativitylitinFranklin 26 ART Master palmetto basket maker Janie Verret Luster of Terrebone Parish teaches a tribal craft nearly lost to the people of the United Houma Nation 18 22 30

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ERROL LABORDE EXECUTIVE EDITOR

EPISODE 95

EPISODE 97 Cancer in Louisiana – The Statistics and Treatments

InsiderLouisiana

10 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 FROM THE EXECUTIVE EDITOR’S DESK PODCAST

Nearby was a long table around which workers — mostly women — prepared various parts that had been chopped and scraped from the hog. At one spot around the table a group of ladies were shoving seasoned pork pieces into a meat grinder that had a sausage casing attached to the end. There is an old political joke saying laws are like sausage, it is best not to watch either being made. Both go through a grinder and the process isn’t always pretty. In retrospect there is a real division of labor by gender. While the women made the sausage, some men stood over a boiling cauldron into which strips of pig skin were tossed as the first step to making cracklins or, as they say in the Cajun Country, gratons. The strips are cut in such a way that there is a bit of meat attached to the underside. The final product will combine the crispy skin, spiced by a sprinkle of salt, and the counterbalance of the fried meat which, by comparison, has a sweeter taste. While the Mayo Clinic has yet to adjudicate on cracklins as a health food the deep-fried strips do taste amazingly good, though my rule is not to consume more than four a year — maybe five.

It is the true Public Enemy Number One. In Louisiana, cancer takes many victims but there is an advance guard providing research and treatments. Guest: Jasmyne Watts, a cancer support manager for the American Cancer Society

Fromage De Tete

With all of this said, the main reason I asked you here is to discuss another item from the boucherie — hog’s head cheese, or as spoken in the old country, fromage de tete I did not want to think too hard about what innards from a pig the ladies were putting into their meat grinder. This is an ancient’s dish with variations and different names in practi cally every country, but the concept combines meats with delectables such as bone marrow, which when cooked properly can form a gelatin. The meat is contained in the jelly to form a somewhat wobbly mass. A final step was to put the mixture in cloth sacks and then hang them from a clothesline where a fermenting process would takeThereplace. are several commercial brands that can be purchased at groceries, some with a spicy option — and they’re not kidding.

ne Saturday morning when I was a kid and we were staying for the weekend with relatives near Moreauville in Avoyelles Parish, I was awakened early — way early — to prepare for the morning’s big event, a boucherie. I do not remember the exact date, but certainly it was in autumn because someone who lived down the road (these types of events always take place “down the road”) was hosting a ritual where a hog was being sacrificed to the culinary gods. By the time we got there a Godzilla-sized pig carcass had already been hoisted on a spit where a fire below would slow cook the pig over the next few hours, so the skin would become crispy and the inside juicy. (This was “slow cooking” long before that term had found respectability in the modern era as a preferred method for preparing meats.)

Natchitoches is known for its quaint architecture, plus one building that is hip and cutting edge. The building, which now houses the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the Northwest Louisiana History Museum, is so much of a discussion in the architecture world that it was featured on “How Did They Build That?” — a globetrotting series on the Smithsonian Channel

The website, Gastro Obscura says this about the dish, “Perhaps if they didn’t call it head cheese, we’d all have a greater appreciation for this delicious, terrine-like velvety meat spread that is at peril of becoming an endangered food.” “Endangered”? We’re in trouble. The website also describes the dish as a “glistening block of quivering meat.” With poetry like that we should never let hog’s head cheese be forgotten.

Increasingly the dish is listed on menus as just “head cheese,” minus the hog, served as an appetizer even at white tablecloth restau rants. At a place where I ate recently some meaty slabs were served with a Creole sauce for dipping, saltines and house specialty relish and tomato pickles. Truth is, after devouring the appetizer we really did not need the entree.

Some of the state’s most interesting places were built for everyday people to do great things. There were the Rosenwald Schools built by a wealthy Southerner who, in the pre-Civil Rights days, wanted to provide settings for Black kids to have a better learning environment.

EPISODE 96 Architect Trey Trahan’s Blueprint for Natchitoches

In Search of Places Worth Saving

Guest: Architect Victor “Trey” Trahan

Guest: Brian Davis, the executive director for the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation Catch up on the latest podcast episodes

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EDITORIAL EXECUTIVE EDITOR Errol Laborde MANAGING EDITOR Melanie Warner Spencer ASSOCIATE EDITOR Ashley McLellan COPY EDITOR Liz Clearman WEB EDITOR Kelly Massicot FOOD EDITOR Stanley Dry HOME EDITOR Lee Cutrone ART DIRECTOR Sarah George LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER Danley Romero SALES SALES MANAGER Rebecca Taylor (337) 298-4424 / (337) 235-7919 Ext. 7230 Rebecca@LouisianaLife.com RENAISSANCE PUBLISHING MARKETING COORDINATOR Abbie Whatley PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER Rosa Balaguer Arostegui SENIOR DESIGNER Meghan Rooney CIRCULATION SUBSCRIPTIONS Jessica Armand DISTRIBUTION John Holzer ADMINISTRATION OFFICE MANAGER Mallary Wolfe CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Todd Matherne For subscriptions call 877-221-3512 110 Veterans Blvd., Suite 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 128 Demanade, Suite 104 Lafayette, LA 70503 (337) 235-7919 xt 7230 LouisianaLife.com 12 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

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LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

Danley Romero

Stanley Dry Stanley Dry writes the “Kitchen Gourmet” column for Louisiana Life magazine and is author of “The Essential Louisiana Cookbook” and “The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook” and co-author of “Gulf South.” Formerly senior editor of Food & Wine and founding editor of Louisiana Cookin’ magazine, his articles have appeared in Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, The New York Times, The New York Times Book Review, Boston Magazine and Acadiana Profile, among others.

CONTRIBUTORS

Ashley McLellan

WRITER Ashley McLellan is the editor of New Orleans Magazine, associate editor of Louisiana Life and a contributor to Biz New Orleans Magazine McLellan has won multiple awards during her more than 20-year career. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Pontypridd in Wales and also holds a Diplôme de Sabreur from the Confrerie du Sabre d’Or, and will saber a bottle of Champagne in exchange for a glass of bubbly.

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER

Eugenia Uhl is a photographer and a native New Orleanian. Her photographs have been featured in New Orleans Magazine, New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles, Southern Accents, Metropolitan Home, GQ Magazine, Essence, Travel & Leisure and Vegetarian Times. Her clients include Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group, International House Hotel, Volunteers of America, Galatoire’s and Tulane University. She has completed multiple cookbooks, including "Commander’s Kitchen" for Commander’s Palace and "New Orleans Home Cooking" by Dale Curry, Pelican Publishing.

Jeffrey Roedel

Eugenia Uhl

WRITER

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FOOD WRITER

Jeffrey Roedel is a producer, director and journalist focused on Southern makers, artists and creative thought. A graduate of LSU and the University of Southern California’s Production Workshop, he’s the former editor of 225 in Baton Rouge. In 2020, he released a collection of mantras for creativity called “Life Is Gonna Try to Put a Lot of Polo Shirts on You.” His album of pandemic poetry and music called “Distance” was released in 2021.

A native of Lafayette currently residing in the Lake Charles area, Danley Romero specializes in portrait photography. Romero considers it an honor to contribute to his state’s flagship magazine, Louisiana Life, and takes a particular sense of pride in his association with its sister publication Acadiana Profile. Most gratifying are the experiences that collaborating with the two magazines afford: meeting and photographing many of Louisiana’s most talented, accomplished and interesting citizens — the people who help to make our state the wonder it is.

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SALES Coming up! REBECCA TAYLOR Sales Manager (337) 298-4424 (337) 235-7919 Ext. 7230 Rebecca@LouisianaLife.com Top Doctors Annual Top Doctor’s peer review survey done by Castle and Connolly and published Holiday Sponsored Section Traveling around Louisiana for the Holidays events, festivals, dining and gift giving NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022 16 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

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JEANERETTE FIRST IN THE U.S.

LISA

Brick Fest Live in Shreveport is for Lego lovers of all ages BY LEBLANC-BERRY L

AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant dollardevelopmentcreateonofferingStation,unveiledrecentlyanewfacilityatAgCenterIberiaResearchthefirstofitskindinthenation,seafoodprocessorshands-trainingwithspecialequipmentthatcanbeusedtovalue-addedproductstoseafoodbeingcaughtinlocalwaters.Thefacilitywillalsobeusedasademonstrationlabforpeoplewhowanttostartaseafoodprocessingbusiness.Thefacilityisdesignedtoattractneweconomicwhileimprovingseafoodtechnologyandsafetyforabillion-industry(lsuagcenter.com).

The 33rd annual NOFF (helmed by new Executive Director, Sarah Escalante) returns Nov. 3-8 to a diversity of venues with in-person panels, parties and 500 filmmakers plus cash awards and prizes valued at over $150,000 (accessible globally Nov. 3-13 via NOFF Virtual Cinema). Submissions for NOFF’s 2023 edition will open in late November via (neworleansfilmsociety.org).FilmFreeway CALHOUN New Winery and Vineyard North Louisiana hasn’t been known as a wine-producing region, but times are changing thanks to Michael and Savanah Ray (devotees of Napa and Sanoma Valley). After years of planting, planning, and pioneering new varietals such as Caminnare Noir and Ambulo Blanc they have opened Thirsty Farmer Winery and Vineyard in Calhoun. Enjoy fruitforward wines to bold reds, hard cider and artisanal breads with charcuterie boards on Saturdays. Read more in Natural State on page 56 (thirstyfarmerwines.com).

NEW ORLEANS A Cachet of Cool MovieMaker Magazine named the Oscar-qualifying New Orleans Film Festival among the top “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World.”

EGO fans, get inspired with mind-boggling life-size creations and exhibits, live shows by master LEGO builders and hands-on building activities during Brick Fest Live (Oct. 8-9), a traveling show held at the Shreveport Convention Center (brickfestlive.com). The LSU

PELICAN BRIEFS ADDITIONAL NEWS BRIEFS ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

Do you need to blow off a little steam? Urban Axe Throwing recently opened in Lafayette featuring nine throwing bays each with a digital target system with a variety of interactive games for single throwers or groups. You’ll be able to not only throw axes at innovative projected targets but also try your hand at being a ninja. Great for team-building events, bachelor or bachelorette and divorce parties, dates and family reunions book-online).(urbanaxeacadiana.com/

18 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 Play Well

LAFAYETTE Axe Throwing Therapy

LOOKING FOR TROUBLE Dark and Shallow Lies

How can a teenager just disappear in a town full of psychics? That’s the mystery that 17-year-old Grey tries to unravel in “Dark and Shallow Lies.” La Cachette, Louisiana is known to be two things: a tiny town with a shadowy past, and the selfproclaimed “Psychic Capital of the World.” So, when Grey’s best friend vanishes, she starts to question everything, and everyone, to try to find out why and what happened. Secrets, lies and mystery set along the swamps, writer Ginny Myers Sain’s debut novel will enchant YA readers and more. Paperback, 432 pages, $11.99. Perfect for teens who love: watching Buzzfeed’s “Unsolved” and channeling their inner Nancy Drew

A mysterious mansion, a passionate love affair and an ancient history of magic and mayhem haunt readers in “The Witching Hour,” the first novel of the Mayfair Witches trio by iconic author Anne Rice. Soon to be made into an AMC TV series, this first in the series follows Rowan Mayfair, a brilliant neu rosurgeon with certain special powers, who must unlock and explore her own legacy of intrigue and heritage of witchery, and the unseen forces that guide her. Poetic, engrossing, over-the-top drama ensues. Mass market paperback, 1056 pages, $9.99. For those that love: the New Orleans Lower Gar den District, paranormal romance, witchy stuff and ‘90s camp couture BOOK REVIEWS ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

DESTINATION: DOOM A Haunted Road Atlas

“The Butcher and The Wren,” by Alaina Urqhart, co-host of the true crime podcast “Morbid,” and a former autopsy technician, is a psychic thriller that will have readers on edge from the first page to the lastcalled Hardcover, 256 pages, $27.00. Perfect for those who love: watching “Silence of the Lambs”

Congratulations to chef, cookbook author, restaurateur and Louisiana Life 2020 class Louisianian of the Year Melissa M. Martin for her recent James Beard Foundation win. Her book “Mosquito Supper Club: Cajun Recipes from a Disappearing Bayou,” titled after her New Orleans restaurant of the same name, brought home the top media award for “U.S. Foodways.”

A serial killer is on the loose in south Louisiana. Forensic pathologist Dr. Wren Muller is on the job. Muller must decode the motives and techniques of the killer with the hopes of preventing even more murders. When the intensity of the crimes rises, the investigation becomes a battle of wills and a race against time.

LITERARY LOUISIANA

ADDITIONAL

Spooky Season

MORBID MYSTERY THE BUTCHER AND THE WREN

BY ASHLEY MCLELLAN

The signs of autumn are descending and leaves are starting to fall, which means spooky season is almost here. Dig into these mysterious reads to get in the mood for all things ghastly, ghostly and gleefully grim.

BEWITCHING CLASSIC The Witching Hour

Take a road trip like no other with “A Haunted Road Atlas” by the spooky podcast team from “And That’s Why We Drink.” Christine Schiefer and Em Schulz guide readers and trip-planners through a terrifically terrifying trip across the country with stops, shocks, shops and more. From crime scenes to supernatural sightings, the Atlas is full of fun trivia and things to do along the way, including a visit to Louisiana with notorious sites and characters. Paperback, 304 pages, $24.99. Perfect for those that love: hearing scary sto ries around the campfire or from the backseat of the car (be sure to lock your doors!)

20 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Candle with Care Tourism veteran-turned chandler Chad Boutte keeps his creativity lit in Franklin BY JEFFREY ROEDEL BY ROMERO & ROMERO

link and you’ll miss the small, knee-high roadside “Candle Shop” sign out front. But off the main road, behind Frankin’s two-story Greek revival wonder known as the Shadowlawn house, on a slope of green that yawns right into the knobby cypress knees of Bayou Teche, hides Fifolet Candle Makers. Inside the white brick shop, ribboned with an American flag, a gold-plated welcome sign and one of those time-weathered wooden doors that takes a little extra oomph to twist open and ring the shop bell, a mother and daughter circle slowly around a long table lined with Satsumacandles.Blossom, Gardenia, Back Porch Herbs and a dozen more. This is where costumers come to drown happily in indecision and evocative fragrances.

The cool air of the shop is thick with garden aromas, but after one more inhale, eyes closed and patient, the little girl has made up her mind.

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PHOTOS

“This one, mama,” she says looking over her shoulder holding a candle with a woody, fresh mint scent. “It smells like Paw-Paw.”

That her decision rested on the emotion of a strong, personal memory isn’t lost on Fifolet founder Chad Boutte. The tourism industry veteran mixes and pours these candles himself, and his distinct, seasonal fragrances are nothing if not intentional.

AGE 49 OCCUPATION

Now, Fifolet ships out somewhere between 100-200 candles a day with some mixes utilizing locally-sourced woods and cane.Anative of tiny Charenton, 15 minutes down the road from Franklin, Boutte started Fifolet to put his idle hands to work in the early days of the pandemic that halted the private tours company, Tours by Steven, that he and his partner operated in the French Quarter for more than a decade (and have since relaunched).

HOMETOWN

The artist’s morning work begins just as he likes it best: with the pour. “Pouring is the exciting part for me,” says the entrepreneur who first made candles years ago helping his friend, a chandler in New Orleans, fulfill a mountain of holiday orders. “Pouring allows me to get in my zone, to play my music and make something that people will experience and appreciate for a long time.”

“These all spark some fantastic memory for me,” Boutte says. “Fresh Cut Grass, for example, takes me right back to my grandparents’ yard. One smell of it, and I can tell you who was playing at the house there, even what toys were laying around. It’s a powerful thing.”

WEB fifoletcandles.com AT A GLANCE

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For the name, Boutte was inspired by Cajun folklore’s fifolet (or feufollet) tale, a rumination on the Acadiana lights caused by phosphorescent swamp gas. Like Charenton, Louisiana Candlemaker, shop owner, Fifolet Candle Makers

When the shop was built circa 1810, it was a tavern, and traders anchored in Franklin arrived for a stiff rum or a whiskey before leaving with boatloads of Louisiana cypress and sugar.

LOUISIANA MADE

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Your candles are all in clear glass and the presentation is a minimal design. What inspired those choices? Most candles on the shelves use opaque material or tinted glass with large labels to hide imperfectionspossibleinthewax. I take pride in having perfect pours, and I’ve always liked clean, clear glass. I’m not a fan of labels. Even at home, with jars and containers, I always take labels off my things. You and your partner’s tours, and events at Fifolet, are contributing to culture in the small town of Franklin. Why was that important to you? There’s a new fire in this city. About 30 new businesses opened here last year. I have a lot of other ideas as well. We knew if we were going to make a go of it in Franklin, we wanted to volunteer in a lot of ways and to help establish more fun things to do. If you could create a candle for anyone in the world, who would you choose? Dolly Parton. She’s a legend. I visualize her in a cabin, secluded in the mountains of Tennessee, surrounded by snow, Christmas music on, in front of a fireplace with a Fifolet candle blended with a deep smoky, woodsy fragrance. She is an advocate for peace and equality for all, and I’d love for my light, to meet her light, and to pass it on. You work hard, but what’s your ideal day off? No schedule allowed! I love being on the water or driving to places and getting lost — taking less-traveled roads. But I truly just allow the day to happen, and to show me what it has got in store for me. sharing a good legend, Boutte wants his candles to give people a reason to slow down and experience the“Themoment.candle, the flickering of the flame, it provides something we all need a little more of: appreciating quiet time,” he says. That desire meets his meticulous nature in his production process, with each soy wax candle carefully poured, wicked with lead-free USA cotton, wax-sealed and boxed. He signs and dates each. With musky myrrh, smoky incense and polished wood scents, his first fragrance was Parish Church and recalled the Catholic liturgies, baptisms and weddings that filled his youth. It’s still one of his mostThepopular.pastyear has taught him to listen to customers, too. King Cake, a flavor he never would have made, is one of his top sellers and based on the recommendation and insistence of a customer who promised to buy the first 100 candles if he’d whip up something inspired by the seasonal treat. Looking ahead, Boutte hopes to expand to a new production space, while maintaining the tavern for retail. Training more candlemakers will boost Fifolet’s capacity, but he’s not completely ready to give up the pour just yet. This is about more than wax for Boutte. It’s about what he calls a “palette of memories.”

“This is what I’m here for, I’ve realized,” Boutte says. “When people go around the table like this, you should hear the stories. It’s beyond a candle. I’m trying to take you on a journey — whatever journey you want to go on.” n

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26 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 ART

every daily household activity, including carrying babies. In the early 1940s the practice disappeared. Though some members of the tribe continued to make baskets from river cane and cypress, the once popular palmetto baskets with their unusual half-hitch knotting construction were unique to the Houmas.

Now, thanks to Janie Verret Luster, teacher, healer, practitioner of tribal ways and member of the United Houma Nation, the half-hitch basket tradition of her people lives on. Fluent in the Houma French dialect, she credits that renaissance to Oradel Morris, the Coloradoborn educator who taught French as part of a revival effort by Louisiana’s Council for the Development of The Turtle Basket, so named for Janie Verret grandfather.Luster’s

ith assimilation and time many of Louisiana’s Native American folkways faded into history. Handmade tribal crafts gave way to mass-produced items purchased at local box stores. But somewhere deep in the DNA of tribal members, the old ways remain and now an ancient but long-forgotten method of basket weaving among South Louisiana’s Houma Indians has been revived and now flourishes. Weaving baskets from ubiquitous palmetto leaves was once commonplace among Louisiana’s Houma Indians, who have lived in Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes since the early 1800s. These baskets were used for almost Passing it

On Master palmetto basket maker Janie Verret Luster of Terrebone Parish teaches a tribal craft nearly lost to the people of the United Houma Nation

BY JOHN R. KEMP

“It assures it will not die again,” she says. “The Houma people have always been identified with palmetto. Our people made hats, fans, blowguns and even their houses with palmetto. My father lived in a palmetto house the first seven years of his life. It was a struggle for me, but I knew the importance of it to my people.”

NOLA Contemporary.Louisiana Statewide, contemporaryjuriedart ex hibition, through Jan. 8, 2023. Ogden Muse um of Southern ogdenmuseum.orgArt.

n (Above) Baby Basket (Left) Janie Verret Luster working on dried palmetto leaves. First the heart leaves need to be separated and split.

“I said we have to bring this back for our people,” says Luster, who was born in New Orleans in 1952 but grew up and still resides among the Houmas along Bayou Dularge in Terrebonne Parish. “So, I tried my hand at it and I put it down, saying I couldn’t do this. My good friend Corrine said, ‘But Janie.’ But Janie always gets me. So I went back and tried my hand again and got so stressed out I had this come to Jesus moment with palmetto. I had to sit down with palmetto, listen to it and feel it. When I did that, I was able to figure it out. Once I figured that out it works a whole lot better.”

“Where my dad use to harvest palmetto, that’s all gone,” she says. “It’s a loss. I even tried transplanting palmetto. When the levee system was coming through, I saw the palmetto being cut down. I stopped and asked the workers if I could get some of those palmettos and transplant them. I still have two of them. The saltwater driven by the winds coming from the southeast pushes the water into the yard. And the Gulf is getting closer to us and the saltwater is right there.”

NORTH Joey Slaughter Abstract works by Ruston, La., artist Joey Slaugh ter, through Nov. 5, Masur Museum of Art, masurmuseum.orgMonroe. more difficult. In some areas the palmetto is disap pearing due to climate change, the coming of a new levee system in Terrebonne Parish, hurricanes, saltwater intrusion and development.

French in Louisiana (CODOFIL). Morris’s 1993 bilingual book “I Hear the Song of the Houmas” (or “J’Entends La Chanson Des Houmas”) triggered interest in half-hitch palmetto baskets among local Houmas, including Luster. Morris introduced Luster and others to Richard Conn, curator of American Indian Art at the Denver Art Museum. The museum had several Houma baskets in its collec tion, one of which was unraveling. In late 1992, Conn brought it to Louisiana where he gave Luster and others, including her mother, grandmother and daughters, a one-day workshop on the half-hitch weaving method. She hoped fellow attendees would continue on, but they thought it too difficult and gave up.

PLANTATION

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Listening to palmetto first requires going out into the marshes and swamps to harvest it, which has become

Little FredPhotographsDrawingsThings:andbyPackard Works by founder of the University of Loui siana at gram,photographyLafayette’sprothroughApril 1, 2023. Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum, hilliardmuseum.orgLafayette.

CENTRAL 35th CompetitionSeptember Annual competition,juriedJuly 8 through Oct. 8. Alex andria Museum of Art. themuseum.org

With the tribal spirits of her ancestors coursing through her fingers, she demonstrated how to process the raw palmetto leaves to a finished half-hitched basket. Fixed on the motion of her fingers as the basket took shape, her students witnessed the rebirth of an almost forgotten Houma tradition. That revival has brought Luster considerable recognition. Luster is now a master palmetto basket maker whose work has been shown at the New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, the Louisiana Art & Folk Festival, and the Natchitoches-Northwestern State University Folk Festival. In 2011 she was inducted into the Louisiana Hall of Master Folk Artists. She is helping to keep the tradition alive by teaching “Passing It On” workshops sponsored by the Louisiana Folklife Program’s Division of the Arts and the Bayou Culture Collaborative.Inaddition to many others, her three daughters and two granddaughters now weave baskets.

1936-Present.AbstractTheBoundaries:BlurringWomenofAmericanArtists, Celebration of inter generational women abstract artists, through Oct. 23. LSU Museum of Art, Baton Rouge. lsumoa.org

CAJUNEXHIBITS

The couple bought the property in 2015 and in 2018, worked with architect Ken Gowland of MetroStudio to design a three-story house with traditional features and modern luxuries. Brandon Construction broke ground on the project in January 2019 and the owners moved in a year Doublelater.galleries, columns, tall windows, dormers and French doors overlooking the bayou, high ceilings and pine floors speak to the classic architectural precedents found in the surrounding area. A state-of-the-art kitchen and T he Bayou St. John area (officially Faubourg St. John) in New Orleans is known for its historic residences. Pitot House, the Old Spanish Custom House and The Sanctuary, all facing the bayou, are among the architecturally and culturally significant properties. So, when, Tania Hahn and Melissa Warren became the first homeowners to build a new house on Moss Street in 25 years, they did so with great respect for the houses that line both sides of the waterway.

“The goal was to fit in with the portage architecture of Bayou St. John,” said Warren, referring to 18th-and 19th-century plantation houses along the bayou that engaged in trade with boats moving goods along the bayou’s “portage route.”

The bayou connected Lake Pontchartrain and the Mississippi River and provided a shortcut for boats going from one to the other, although part of the route required carrying or “portaging” the boats over marsh land.

BY LEE CUTRONE BY SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

28 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 HOME

Coming Home

(Below) A raised walkway of Peacock Pavers forms a divider between the pool and jacuzzi. (Right) The kitchen is anchored by a La Cornue stove and a custom hood, both accented with brass.

A New Orleans couple builds their new dream house on Bayou St. John with respect to the area’s history

PHOTOS

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baths, a pool and patio with minimal contemporary lines and a whole-house generator provide creature comforts for the couple’s lifestyle. There is an outdoor kitchen for pool parties and al fresco gatherings, a wood burning and gas fireplace, an outdoor shower and a spacious elevator that accesses all three floors for aging in place.

The double mudroom.right)Melissa.bedroominandleft)exterior.gallery(BottomPatches(l)Harry(r)themasterwith(BottomRosieinthe

ADDITIONAL HOME IMAGES ONLINE AT

HOME LOUISIANALIFE.COM

“We like to say they came home,” said Warren.

30 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 (Top left)

“Melissa loves to cook and knew what she wanted; she ordered appliances before we began building,” said Hahn, of the kitchen, where a black La Cornue stove trimmed with brass is a focal point and a wine chiller and a Scotsman icemaker are also part of the amenities.

While Warren and Hahn initially wanted a French Country aesthetic, they decided instead on a “rustic industrial element” that relates to the area’s history of trade and boats. Ultimately that became what Warren calls “an industrial whisper.”

“We were trying to pay homage to past and present,” addedWhenHahn.notspending quiet time at home with their pets, both Warren, a senior commercial real estate advisor with Stirling Properties and Hahn, who owns Hahn Enterprises,

Warren loves to cook and had specific ideas for the kitchen. She also designed the landscaping, which includes a kitchen garden.

Weighty rustic beams, salvaged from a textile mill and made of wood thought to be harvested in Southern Louisiana, add the look of age to the sunny kitchen, dining and great rooms overlooking the patio and pool and visually separate the kitchen from the other two areas. The couple like the idea that the repurposed beams have come full circle back to their Louisiana roots.

OUTSTANDINGFEATURES

AT A ARCHITECTGLANCE

“We agreed on almost everything,” said Hahn of the design decisions that went into the house. Both also agree that the finished house is everything they’d hoped it would be.

“Every minute of every day, it’s a dream,” said Warren.

Ken MetroStudioGowland, INTERIOR DESIGN Tania Hahn and Melissa Warren SQUARE FOOTAGE 3,800 with an extra 1,200 of exterior covered space

(Left) The flagstone patio/outdoor kitchen. (Right) The dining room left of the foyer. (Bottom) Tania Hahn (l), Melissa Warren (r). a playground, sports and recreation equipment company, like to entertain. Three bedrooms, three and a half baths and plenty of indoor and outdoor living spaces comfortably accom modate family and friends. During the high point of COVID-19, the couple hosted socially distanced gath erings in their front yard, which is graced with a lyrical Lin Emery sculpture they commissioned in 2018 and spectacular views of the bayou. The interior design blends pieces from Hahn and Warren’s respective families and former houses with modern finds and custom accents. The downstairs powder room features a playful pachyderm wallpaper, for example. In the elegant master bath, handcrafted mosaic tiles adorn the wall behind the vanities. The couple’s art collection, which includes works from New Orleans galleries such as Cole Pratt and Arthur Roger, provides a finishing layer.

Upper and lower galleries with tall windows overlooking bayou, state-of-theart kitchen with rustic patiobeams,repurposedpoolandwithoutdoorkitchen,whole-housegenerator.

■

LOUISIANALIFE.COMAVOCADOANDMANGOSALSA

CUT pork into small pieces, thread meat on four skewers and transfer to a platter or small sheet pan.

IN A MIXING BOWL, place avocado, mango, onion, olive oil and lime juice, and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Serve chilled. Makes about 2 cups.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

GRILL, frequently,turninguntil cooked through and crispy. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.

“Jim Beard’s Barbecue Cookbook,” published in 1958, calls it skewer cookery. Whatever term you prefer, this form of cooking on an outdoor grill yields delicious food that cooks quickly. Seasonings and marinades can vary greatly and the grilled food can be served with a variety of accompani ments, sauces, salsas and condiments.

IN A SMALL LIDDED JAR, combine olive oil, lemon juice and oregano and shake to form an emulsion. Pour over skewered meat. Season with salt and pepper and turn skewers to thoroughly coat meat.

2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

K ebab, kabab, kebob, shish kebob, souvlaki, shashlik or a variety of other terms refer to pieces of meat, poultry, fish or vegetables, threaded on skewers and grilled.

32 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

2 tablespoons olive oil

PORK KEBABS

“The Oxford Companion to Food” notes that “the custom of roasting meat in small chunks on a skewer seems to be very ancient in the Near East” and attri butes the practice primarily to the scarcity of fuel in that

A Kebab by Any Other Name Your protein of choice or veggies speared and grilled on a skewer is delicious no matter what you call it — and we have a few flavorful suggestions

1 pound boneless pork

2 teaspoons dried oregano coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper lemon wedges

KITCHEN GOURMET MORE RECIPE ONLINE AT

BY STANLEY DRY PHOTOS AND STYLING BY EUGENIA UHL

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and diced ¼ cup red onion, diced

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper cayenne pepper

COUSCOUS SALAD

2 small onions, peeled 1 bell pepper

PEPPERED PINEAPPLE AND BASIL RELISH

The recipes this month are designed so that each person is served three different skewers. The pork kebab is seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice and oregano. The chicken kebab is coated with olive oil flavored with sumac, the Mediterranean spice prized for its fruity, sour flavor. The vegetable kebab consists of bell pepper, onion, tomato and zucchini brushed with olive oil, salt and black pepper. The kebabs are served with a couscous salad flecked with the green of olives, bell pepper, parsley and capers. An avocado and mango salsa is sharpened with red onion, lime and cayenne. The pineapple and basil relish combines a range of taste sensations — acidic sweetness from the pineapple, smokiness from both the paprika and chipotle pepper, heat from the pepper and a soothing coolness from the basil. I would also serve a flatbread, such as pita, which can be brushed with olive oil and grilled, if desired. This is a meal that requires little last-minute prepara tion. The couscous salad, salsa and relish can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. The pork, chicken and vege tables can be cut, skewered, seasoned and refrigerated ahead of time. All that’s left is to prepare the grill, mix a cocktail while the charcoal is burning down to coals and then grill the kebabs.

CHICKEN KEBABS

CUT chicken into small pieces, thread on four skewers and transfer to a platter or small sheet pan.

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

PREPARE couscous according to package directions, using chicken broth in place of water, to yield 3½ cups of cooked couscous. Turn couscous into a large bowl and fluff with a fork while drizzling on olive oil. Add bell pepper, parsley, olives and capers, toss, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve cold or at room temperature. Makes 4 servings.

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs

CUT each onion in half lengthwise from the stem end, then cut each piece in half so you’ll have 4 wedges from each onion. Cut the bell pepper into squares. Cut the zucchini into cubes. Thread the vegetables on four skewers, alternating them to produce a pleasing combination. Transfer to a platter or small sheet pan. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

GRILL, turning frequently, until cooked through. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.

COMBINE pineapple, smoked paprika and chipotle chile pepper and toss to coat. Tear basil leaves over pineapple and toss. Serve chilled. Makes about 2 cups. TIP Unless you’re grilling beef or lamb kebabs that you want to serve medium rare, cutting the meat in small pieces has several advantages: seasonings and marinades are more effective, the grilling time is shorter and there is more surface area that will become crispy and flavorful.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 33 part of the world, unlike in Europe where there was an abundance of fuel available to cook larger cuts of meat.

KEBABS

1 medium zucchini

8 large cherry tomatoes 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive coarseoilsalt and freshly ground black lemonpepperwedges

3½ cups cooked couscous

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Since vegetables require different cooking times than meats, it’s preferable to cook them on separate skewers.

Often meat is combined with vegetables such as bell pepper, onion and tomatoes on the same skewer, and that is the image that one sees most often in photographs.

GRILL, turning frequently, until vegetables are softened. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 4 servings.

2 cups fresh pineapple, cubed ½ teaspoon smoked paprika ½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper 12-16 basil leaves

2 tablespoons chopped bell pepper

IN A SMALL BOWL, whisk olive oil and sumac together, then pour over the skewered chicken. Season with salt and pepper and turn the skewers to thoroughly coat chicken.

2 tablespoons chopped green olives

2 teaspoons capers coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground sumac coarse salt and freshly ground black lemonpepperwedges

VEGETABLE

La Nouvelle Louisiane Saint John’s double cut pork chop served with boudin dirt rice

BY MISTY MILIOTO

Louisiana is not only a sportsman’s paradise, but also a mecca for those who love the nightlife, food and hospitality our great state has to offer. Here at Louisiana Life, we’ve curated our annual list of the best of what’s new around the state from restaurants and chefs to hotels, outdoor activities and more.

CHEFNEWBEST WINNER BEST NATIONAL TV COVERAGE

“How Did That?”TheyBuild

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 35

Best New Restaurant WINNER

Chef Eric Cook (the talented chef and owner also behind the popular New Orleans restaurant, Gris-Gris) opened his second restaurant, Saint John, in the French Quarter last fall. As to be expected from Cook, the menu features dishes influenced by the melting pot of cultures found in the Crescent City — a style that Cook calls “haute Creole cuisine.” 1117 Decatur St., New Orleans, saintjohnnola.com

The second season of the United Kingdom series, “How Did They Build That?” (hosted by actor Jay Ellis and aired on the Smithsonian Channel), continues to elementscoveragediscussingepisodearchitecturalcoverwondersfromaroundtheglobe,butthisseasonfocusesonAmericanstructures.TheJuly31featuredTreyTrahanandpartnerBradMcWhirterofNewOrleans-basedTrahanArchitectsoneofthefirm’saward-winningprojects,theLouisianaStateMuseumandSportsHallofFame.ThisinternationalbringsintofocusTrahan’svisiontoincorporateLouisianadesignintothearchitecturalplans.trahanarchitects.com

Early this year, Baton Rouge welcomed a modern dining parlor, dubbed Supper Club, to Perkins Road. Expect posh decor and a decadent menu of dishes prepared with premium ingredients. Caviar and Alaskan king crab, anyone? Count us in! 10480 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, supperclubbtr.com

Delta Biscuit Company

RUNNERS UP Supper Club

After working as a pop-up and food hall vendor, Chef Manish Patel opened his first restaurant, Tava Indian Street Food, in late March. The menu features dishes like street corn and a variety of dosas (fermented rice and lentil crepes), while the cocktails also feature an Indian twist (try the Masala Old Fashioned). 611 O’Keefe Ave., Unit 8, New Orleans, tavanola.com

Monroe’s newest brunch spot, Delta Biscuit Company, offers lunch and all-day breakfast Tuesday through Sunday. In addition to the shareable Mess of Biscuits (served with whipped cane butter), other biscuit dishes include the sowbelly sliders and the biscuits and gravy. 2252 Tower Drive, Ste. 101, Monroe, deltabiscuit.com

PHOTOS COURTESY: ST. JOHN; TAVA

This new brewery and tasting room in Shreveport features a vast menu of craft beers, with everything from lagers and saisons to goses and stouts represented. 2640 Linwood enthtap.comShreveport,Ave.,thesev BreweryMiel Taproom& Offering craft beer, hard seltzer, nitro coffee, slushees and

Utility Brewing Company in downtown Ruston offers a continually rotating menu of craft brews, paired with wood-fired pizza — all made from scratch. Wine and cocktails also are available. Tip: Be sure to grab a 32-ounce crowler of suds to go. 206 N. Vienna St., Ruston, utilitybrewing.com

brewery.comNewyear.throughouteventstheBeOrleanshasBreweryholicnon-alcodrinks,Miel&TaproomtakenNewbystorm.suretocheckoutbevyoftaproomtakingplacethe4056thSt.,Orleans,miel PHOTO BY ROMERO & ROMERO PHOTOGRAPHY; MODELS TAYLOR FAUCHEAUX AND DUSTIN PARENT 36 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

RUNNERS UP The Seventh ProjectBrewingTap

BEST BREWERYNEW WINNER

WINNER

RUNNERS UP

West Monroe has created the new Highland Park Wetland Trails for walking and biking around the former Trenton Street Golf Course. The trails opened in February, spanning 1.25 miles, and the project is part of a plan to link trails from Kiroli Park to downtown. 316 Otis St., West Monroe

Located on the 34th floor of the Four Seasons Hotel New Orleans, this expansive observation deck and cultural exhibit offers panoramic views of the Mississippi River and beyond. Guests can also expect an extensive alcohol selection and excellent guest service. 2 Canal St., New Orleans, vueorleans.com

HIGHLAND PARK WETLAND TRAILS

VUE NEW ORLEANS

RENEWALBEST WINNER L’AUBERGE CASINO RESORT

Best New Attractions

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 37

BEST COMEBACK

Lake Charles Louisiana secured nearly $1.7 billion in federal disaster funding for storm recovery, including $450 million for Lake Charles’ ongoing recovery from hurricanes Laura and Delta in 2020. While recovery is still underway, Lake Charles has made major strides in rebuilding the community. visitlakecharles.org

ZipNOLA in Laplace features five zip lines, two sky bridges, a 2,000 square-foot elevated spectator deck and a spiral tree staircase built around the trunk of an old-growth bald cypress tree. The course covers a half mile through the Maurepas Swamp, allowing a bird’s eye view of alligators, turtles, snakes, waterfowl, wild boar and more. 301 Peavine Road, Laplace, zipnola.com

This historic Napoleon Avenue Catholic church in New Orleans has undergone a restoration and was named a minor basilica (distinguished for ceremonial purposes from other churches) this past summer — making it the third basilica in Louisiana.

RUNNERS UP ST. STEPHEN BASILICA

VIKING MISSISSIPPI Viking River Cruises has unveiled the Viking Mississippi, a custom-crafted vessel designed for voyages on the lower and upper Mississippi River. Hosting 386 guests in 193 all outside staterooms, the ship sails a number of different itineraries between New Orleans and St. Paul, Minnesota. vikingriver cruises.com

The L’Auberge Casino Resort in Lake Charles has undergone several property updates, including the addition of Drago’s among the many dining options. There’s also the Barstool Sportsbook (a new sports lounge that coincides with the legalization of sports betting in Louisiana) with a menu from Chef Lyle Broussard. Expect a great selection of salads, wings, burgers, flatbread pizzas and more. 777 Ave. L’Auberge, Lake Charles, llakecharles.com

THIRSTY FARMER Husband and wife Michael and Savannah Ray started this new winery and vineyard in Calhoun this past summer. The family-owned winery crafts a nice selection of fruit-forward wines, bold reds and hard ciders. 531 LA-144, Calhoun, thirstyfar merwines.com

PHOTO COURTESY: ZIPNOLA

1025 Napoleon Ave., New goodshepherdparishnola.comOrleans,

RUNNER UP

Best New Hotel

WINNER Lafayette’s new Moncus Park is a 100-acre green space featuring an amphitheater, a dog park, a weekly farmers’ market and ongoing public events (such as outdoor fitness and sign language classes). 2901 Johnston St., Lafayette, moncuspark.org ORLEANS;

Mountain Bike Trails at Kiroli Park

Best New Outdoor Space

MONCUS PARK 38 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

The new mountain bike trails at Kiroli Park in West Monroe span three miles through dense trees. Be on the lookout for more trails to be added in the future. In the meantime, guests also can enjoy the park’s playgrounds, conser vatory, dog park, tennis courts and more. 820 Kiroli Road, West Monroe, cityofwestmonroe.com

WINNER

Guests can expect nothing but style and panache from the Virgin brand, and the same is true for the new Virgin Hotels New Orleans. This posh hotel features The Pool Club (a rooftop pool and bar), Commons Club (a restaurant and bar with a menu from beloved Chef Alex Harrell), the Funny Library coffee shop and swanky design throughout. 550 Baronne St., New Orleans, virginhotels.com/new-orleans

PHOTOS COURTESY: VIRGIN HOTELS NEW

OrleansHotelSeasonsFourNew As the only luxury hotel in neworleansfourseasons.com/St.,aDonaldMerandChef(Misstop-ratedrestaurantspool,Bar,swankyCity.towelcomeOrleansSeasonsOrleans,NewtheFourHotelNewhasbeenaadditiontheCrescentItfeaturestheChandelieraresort-styletwosignaturefromchefsRiverfromAlonShayaCheminÀlafromChefLink)andluxespa.2CanalNewOrleans,

Last February, the New Orleans Saints DennisnamedAllenas the 17th head coach for the franchise. Allen, who spent the previous seven seasons as saints.comwin!anotherHere’sfromtheaspreviouslythecoordinatordefensiveforSaints,alsoservedheadcoachforOaklandRaiders2012-2014.hopingforSuperBowlneworleansStingleyDerek Jr.

BEST NEW EVENT Red, White & AirshowBlue

THE MAIN LOBBY This Black-owned bar in downtown Baton Rouge features a cozy lounge with brightly colored velvet seating and eclectic art, a rooftop bar with views of the state capitol and top-notch cocktails and bar bites. 668 Main St., Baton Rouge, themainlobbybr.com

BAR WINNER THE PANORAMA MUSIC HOUSE

RUNNERS UP AllenDennis

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 39

NEWBEST

After Hurricane Laura damaged the roof at The Panorama Music House in downtown Lake Charles, the owners decided to take things up a notch by creating a rooftop bar. Since reopening, it’s been a hopping spot for live music, beer and brunch. Be sure to check out the new music store on the first floor, dubbed Panorama Music Exchange, which features vintage vinyl, posters, instruments and more. 331 Broad St., Lake thepanoramamusichouse.comCharles,

Monroe’s Red, White & Blue Airshow — the largest airshow to be held in the area in 30 years — offers an opportunity to salute America’s heroes. The inaugural event was held in June and included the Air Force Demo Team F16 Viper, The Golden Knights, the Aeroshell Team, the Jelly Belly Team, Kevin Coleman, Charlotte’s Chariot and more. The Red, White & Blue Airshow will continue to be held annually. redwhiteandblueairshow.com

JOHN BATISTE PHOTO BY WINNE AU; DRINK PHOTO COURTESY PANORAMA MUSIC HOUSE

Cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., who attended The Dunham School in Baton Rouge, was a first round draft pick (selected No. 3 overall) in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Houston Texans. He played college football at LSU, and he joins defensive end houstontexans.cominpickedasJacksonTyson(2009)thehighestdefendersLSUhistory.

NEWLY NOTABLE PEOPLE WINNER Musician Jon Batiste , who grew up in Kenner, recently won five Grammy Awards — including Album of the Year for “We Are,” Best Music Video for “Freedom,” Best Score Soundtrack for Visual Media for “Soul” (shared with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross), and Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance for “Cry.” Batiste had 11 nominations, the most for any artist during the 64th Annual Grammy Awards. jonbatiste.com

RUNNERS UP HIDEAWAY ON LEE Hideaway on Lee is a bar, restaurant and music venue located within a converted home in Lafayette. The interior is reminiscent of old hotel bars, and the cocktails change with the seasons. However, some classics are always on the menu (such as the Manhattan and Negroni). The food menu leans heavily on burgers — serving classic burgers, regional burgers and a few unique creations — and we suggest trying the California Love (a smash burger with American cheese, secret sauce and pickles). 407 Lee Ave., Lafayette, hideawayonlee.com

LOUISIANA?HAUNTED WHAT’S THE TRUTH BEHIND

LOUISIANA?HAUNTED BY CHERÉ COEN PHOTOS BY HAYLEI SMITH & SARA ESSEX BRADLEY

OUISIANA has long been accused of being the most haunted state in America. New Orleans alone can nab that title in the city category with its haunted hotels, former slave markets and voodoo sites. ¶ But what are the truths supporting these tales of haints, the reality behind what ghost tours and Hollywood enjoy sharing?

“There are several accounts of the governess’ attire,” Bourgoyne writes. “Some have said that she wears a green bonnet, but since she is French, others maintain that it is a beret. One account holds that she wears a long, black dress with a high-boned collar and dangling jet earrings. It is probable that the earrings are sewed on the beret which she wears, according to many, because she has no ears.

FOR YEARS, owners have marketed The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville as “America’s most haunted house.” Several apparitions apparently haunt The Myrtles, but the most famous is Chloe, an enslaved woman who purportedly had her left ear removed when she was caught eavesdrop ping on a business conversation between the owner, Clarke Woodruff, and area residents. To further the humiliation, Chloe lost her privileges as a “house slave” and was sent to the fields, according to “A Haunted History of Louisiana Plantations” by Shreveport professors Cheryl H. White and W. Ryan Smith. ¶ In retaliation, Chloe placed juice from the oleander plant inside a cake recipe to sicken the family, not realizing the strength of the poison. Two of the Woodruff children died and Chloe was hanged on the property. ¶ A photo taken at The Myrtles shows what looks like a young woman wearing a turban standing in the breezeway near the plantation’s kitchen. Is it Chloe? There’s no historic proof to back up the claim. In fact, in a 1968 article by J.E. Bourgoyne in the Sunday Advocate of Baton Rouge, the ghost is credited to a French governess, possibly biracial, brought to the plantation by Woodruff by 1826 to care for his only surviving daughter, since his wife and two other daughters had died.

THE MYRTLES

MYRTLES

“Althoughdied.there are numerous claims in the public imagination about multiple murders that took place on the site, the shooting of Winter is the only one that has been verified in the historical record of the home,” White and Smith write in their book. According to many who have had expe riences, the house is indeed haunted. In the second season of “Ghost Hunters,” a ghostly figure is seen moving across the camera in an area back of the house. Within a guest cottage, items moved on their own accord, also captured on film. On my 2019 trip to research “A Ghost Chaser” cocktail in the Myrtles Plantation’s Restaurant 1796, mixologist Ashley Vezina reported seeing a “shadow man” and hearing kids playing on the grounds outside the restaurant.

The story behind this is that her ears were cut by a cruel northern overseer in a fit of jealousSeveralrage.”murders have been thought to have occurred at The Myrtles, including the death of William Drew Winter, who was shot on the veranda in 1871 by an anonymous visitor and struggled up the interior staircase where he

LOYDPLANTATIONHALL

¶ But the stories of who haunts the place vary. The main tale is of a violin-playing ghost some call Harry frequenting the second-floor balcony at midnight. A large stain near the window on the third floor is said to have been left by a dying man. Founder William Loyd may have met his demise on a front yard oak tree when Union soldiers hanged him for treason.

¶ Today, the 1820 Cheneyville plantation is listed on the National Historic Register and serves as a bed and breakfast consisting of two suites on the second floor, cottages in the rear and an old commissary and kitchen used for accom modations.

¶ It’s also haunted. Guests have reported hearing weird sounds when no one was around and watching items move on their own accord.

WHEN WILLIAM LOYD was cast out of the Lloyd family of England, the ones associated with Lloyds of London, the purported black sheep of the family removed an “l” from his name upon arrival in America. He landed in central Louisiana where he built an impressive home and planted tobacco, corn, indigo and sugarcane on hundreds of acres.

PLANTATION

Melinda Fitzgerald Anderson, the Loyd Hall manager in 2005, was more of a believer. In a Town Talk article that year, she combined two tales into one.

In a 1982 Town Talk article, then-owner Virginia Fitzgerald related her views of the dark stain on the third floor, one that stubbornly refused to disappear no matter how hard she employed cleaners. Fitzgerald recounted the story of a woman spurned by a man — some claim William’s daughter Inez — who slit her wrists at that spot. She also had heard that Loyd’s wife killed a Union soldier there, throwing his body from the

“We have several ghosts,” she said. “The most famous, I guess, would be Harry. He is the Union soldier who was killed on the third floor and is buried under the house. At times you can hear him playing the violin from the second-story balcony at midnight.”

“A bit of marble was at one end of a mound, and old rusty wire at the other,” the article stated. “No one seems to have heard of a grave, and it’s not surprising, for Loyd’s Hall underneath is so complex a maze it’s difficult to get Fitzgeraldthrough.”and her family never witnessed the paranormal, she told the Town Talk in 1982, and she doubted the house was haunted.

third-floor window and secretly burying him on the plantation property.

The last account may have been correct, for what appeared to be a grave site was found beneath the house in the mid-20th century, according to a 1969 article in the Shreveport Journal.

“I’ve spent a lot of time researching Loyd’s Hall since I first moved here,” she said. “Some of the things I’ve heard about this place have turned out to be as false as they could be.”

THE VIRGINIA-BORN Lafayette Robert Logan served as a colonel in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He later moved south where he served as president of Logan & Whaley hardware in nearby Marshall, Texas, and worked in Shreveport ice distri bution and brewing beer. He married Lavinia Wilson Seay in 1896 and moved into their palatial Queen Anne house on Christian Street, now known as 725 Austin Place, the following year. The gorgeous Shreveport home consists of five fireplaces, a grand staircase, beveled window glass and parquet floors. ¶ Over the years, the home has passed through many ownerships, including Shreveport Historic Preservation, Inc. and KCOZ radio station, otherwise known as “Cozy.” Bill and Vicki LeBrun ran a bed and breakfast on the spot until recently. ¶ Residents and visitors to the Logan Mansion have reported numerous paranormal activity such as unsettling feelings and the vision of a young girl, particu larly in the third-floor window. Vicki LeBrun told The Shreveport Times in 2010 that “unexplainable activity” included “doors closing, apparitions and just plain eerie feelings felt throughout the house.”

On a visit in 2013, LeBrun guided me through the home along with a group of tourists. As we paused in the kitchen, and LeBrun explained the home’s history, someone yelled behind us, “Hey!” We all turned around — it was that loud — but no one was there. Lebrun wondered if her cell phone had gone off but we weren’t convinced. The 11-year-old apparition in question is said to be Theodora Hunt, the daughter of Dr. Randell and Emily Hunt who lived across the street. Some believe Theodora fell from the attic window facing the street, others that she jumped to her death. Historic research has found that Theodora died in Hot Springs, Arkansas, in 1904. Her death certificate claims heart failure.

LOGAN

LOGANMANSION

Cheré Dastugue Coen is the author of “Haunted Lafayette, Louisiana.” Despite her journalistic drive to find the history behind stories of apparitions, she most definitely believes in ghosts.

“Given the historical record, it is not likely that Theodora Hunt committed suicide or even that she fell or otherwise jumped from the Logan Mansion,” write White and Gary D. Joiner in “Historic Haunts of Shreveport.” “The medical record is clear and unbiased in its report of a medical cause of death. The newspaper report suggests that no one expected Theodora’s illness to be fatal, even though she was receiving medical treatment in Hot Springs, which was known for its healing waters.”

“History can only chronicle the verifiable story of human beings preserved in written records,” the authors concluded. “If Theodora’s ghost does roam the massive rooms and halls of the mansion, it would be quite fitting for her to stand at that third-story window and gaze across the street where her family’s home once stood.”

The authors offer that Theodora may have had an illness that caused her fall, since oral traditions in Shreveport maintain her story. She could have later succumbed to her injuries in Hot Springs.

Stuff your stockings with these culinary creations from Renaissance Publishing Get yours today at renaissance-publishing.myshopify.com

The Essential Louisiana Seafood Cookbook

A collection of 50 traditional and contemporary recipes where top-notch ingredients are paired with fresh seafood. The easy-to-follow recipes emphasize Louisiana seafood and quality, local ingredients. Inspired, innovative and delicious, the seafood dishes in this collection are sure to become favorites in your kitchen.

Culinary Louisiana Calendar

The Essential New Orleans Cookbook

Savory stews, roasts and grilled dishes, fresh takes on garden harvests, and to-die-for desserts are just a taste of the delectable dishes you’ll find in the latest installment of Culinary Louisiana. From appetizers to the main course and dessert, this full-color, 15-month calendar — a Louisiana Life magazine publication — ensures that every month will kick off with a fresh, fabulous recipe.

Creole or Cajun? Pompano or trout? Red sauce or brown gravy? Pasta or rice? This book helps by offering recipes from the kitchen of Dale Curry, the city’s senior culinary writer, who has served as food editor for The TimesPicayune and then New Orleans Magazine Adding spice to the mix is the splendid work of veteran photographer Eugenia Uhl, who captures the colors and textures of grand meals. Enjoy the experience with a book that is good for cookin’ and great for lookin’.

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 49

50 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Food festivals abound, highlighting BBQ, Food Trucks, German food and drink, gumbo, gratons and more. Meanwhile fall festivals celebrating pumpkins, sugarcane, and wooden boats bring families together for good times while celebrating local culture. Carnival rides and haunted houses round out more activities available to Louisiana’s residents and visitors looking for thrills this season. Plan out your weekends now and enjoy activities and events extending from Shreveport-Bossier down through Central Louisiana, Cajun Country, Baton Rouge, and Greater New Orleans. Get ready for the annual Smokin’ Oldies BBQ Cook-off, a State Championship cook-off for the best smokers, grillers, and slow-cookers across Louisiana. Taking center stage at the West Baton Rouge Tourist Information & Conference Center grounds on September 10th, this event will draw BBQ enthusiasts to West Baton Rouge, where they can enjoy delicious tender BBQ with a side of stiff competition. Following South Toledo Bend

AroundTravelingLouisiana

Fall is descending across Louisiana and cities and towns across the state are welcoming the harvest season with a variety of events. Whether you’re looking to enjoy the great outdoors under cooler temperatures or celebrate one of the state’s many unique foods or cultural activities, there’s plenty to do in the months of September and October.

SPONSORED

Presale tickets and information are available now at 13thgate.com. Listen to 102.5 WFMF in Baton Rouge for free ticket giveaways. For $5 off your ticket price, bring an empty Monster Energy can to the box office. In addition to its annual haunted house, The 13th Gate is also home to yearround escape games. Always celebrating Louisiana’s native French language, Cajun culture, and Acadian heritage, Louisiane-Acadie is proud to announce the return of its premier event, the Grand Réveil Acadien (GRA), or “Great Acadian Awakening.” Patterned after the World Congress of Acadians’ festivities held in the Canadian Maritimes, GRA is a multi-day event with activities all around Acadiana.

Saturday’s cook-off, the rockin’ Oldies But Goodies music fest takes place on Sunday, September 11, from 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Special music performances this year will include That ‘70s Band (11 a.m.) and the Chase Tyler Band (2:30 p.m.). Sweets take the spotlight on October 2—the West Baton Rouge Museum’s annual sweet celebration of the sugar cane harvest will feature traditional folk-art demonstrations, live music, a sweets contest, and sugary treats. From educational opportunities to decadent desserts, enjoy some family fun that celebrates a main crop of the region. For more information on these events and more, visit westbatonrouge.net.

Opening ceremonies take place in Abbeville on Saturday, Oct. 1st followed by a week’s worth of events in St. Martinville, New Iberia, Arnaudville, Rayne, Church Point, Houma, Thibodeaux, Lafayette, Broussard and Port Allen. Closing cere monies are set for Sunday, Oct. 9 and will include a French mass at St. John’s Cathedral in Lafayette followed by a Tintamarre to Warehouse 535 and concluding activities at St. Luc’s Immersion School in Arnaudville.

Purchase art and celebrate competition winners at the Palette Party on Sunday October 16th. On Saturday October 22nd, visit one of the oldest intact sawmill towns in the country for the Southern Forest Heritage Museum Fall Festival. Located near Forest Hill, Louisiana, the 57-acre museum offers a unique opportunity to glimpse the golden age of lumbering and saw milling. This unique fall festival includes train rides, model steam engine displays, and museum tours. Enjoy gospel gold music, pony rides, vendors, and food trucks, followed by a classic Cajun cookout. Find more fall festivals, attractions, and activities at alexandriapinevillela.com.

SPONSORED (Left) Sugar Fest West Baton Rouge Museum (Below) Red River Revel Shreveport Lafayette truly comes alive in the fall with remarkable weather to complement the multitude of events and festivals. One thing unique to Lafayette is its free concert series taking place Wednesday through Saturday. But it’s not just the free concert series that makes Lafayette the self-proclaimed Free Music Capital of the World; the fall months alone host countless events that boast free music. Whether your passion is for Lafayette’s rich cultural history, the bustling culinary scene, or the distinctive blend of Cajun and Zydeco music, you can be sure you will leave Lafayette nourished. Visit LafayetteTravel. com/Fall-Festivals for a list of events. Fall is in the air, and it’s time to celebrate art, history, and the great outdoors in Central Louisiana.

The Red River Revel Arts Festival returns October 1-9 for the 46th year to Celebrate the Arts! The Red River Revel Arts Festival is the largest outdoor festival in Northwest Louisiana, attracting tens of thousands of locals and visitors to experience art, music, food, and culture. The festival brings an extensive array of exciting and unique experiences to the Shreveport Riverfront. This multi-awardwinning annual event features more than 75 juried visual artists from across the country, over 40 musical, theatrical, and performing arts entertainment acts on two stages, over 20 vendors serving delicious food, and an area dedicated to introducing children to theTherearts. is something for everyone at the Red River Revel Arts Festival. “Celebrate the Arts” with family and friends at the 46th Red River Revel Arts Festival. For more information, please visit redriverrevel.com. Have fishing on the brain? Louisiana State Parks offers the very best fishing. All you need to do is decide what kind of fishing you want to do. Every park is located on a body of water, from lakes to rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. With boat launches, piers, and beaches, there’s an opportunity for everyone to get out and catch fish. Keep the entire family happy, too—each Louisiana State Park features a variety amenities and overnight accommodations to keep the whole family entertained for the day or overnight. Overnight accom modations range from tent, RV, and even safari-style glamping tent campsites to deluxe cabins and group camp dormito ries complete with commercial kitchens to entertain a large group. Activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, disc golf, water playgrounds that operate year-round, nature activities, and more. What are you waiting for? Go to GoOutdoorsLouisiana.com or call 833-6090686 to book your next Louisiana State Parks adventure. Visit LAStateParks.com to learn more. Plan a trip to Beauregard Parish and the town of DeRidder, Louisiana, this Halloween season for an eerie tour of the Gothic Jail, one of the many storied sights from the Myths and Legends Byway in an area previously known as “No Man’s Land.” Built in 1914 by local lumber companies, the Gothic Jail was intended to establish law and order to a once lawless territory. The first jail in the 20th century to use Collegiate Gothic design, the imposing structure features shallow arches, dormer windows, and a central tower known also as the gallows. Called the “Hanging Jail,” by many locals, this former jail and execution site sat abandoned to all but the ghost of its jailer for nearly 40 years. Today, visitors can tour the jail and see how prisoners lived. While in the quaint town of DeRidder, enjoy the area’s southern hospitality with a twist of Cajun culture. Specialty shops line downtown along with the area’s museums. In addition to the Gothic Jail, area attrac tions include the Lois Loftin Doll Museum, America’s First USO, and Beauregard Museum. For more information, visit beaure gardtourism.com.

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Starting October 13th, the Alexandria Museum of Art invites you to celebrate their signature arts event, the Farm to Forest Plein Air Festival. This five-day festival will bring artists to Central Louisiana to paint “en plein air”—outdoors!

Louisiana isn’t known for two Ouachita Parish couples are RABALAIS

good wine but

avannah Ray left her home in Ouachita Parish one weekend and returned with a dream. Her husband, Michael, says, “She went to Sonoma Valley and thought it was pretty.” With timing that comedians spend years honing, he gestures toward one block of Thirsty Farmer Winery & Vineyard, a quar ter-acre in the family’s backyard in Calhoun. “This is what ‘pretty’ led to.”

Starting from scratch, the couple knew that it takes three years — three “leaves” — before vines will produce fruit of winemaking quality. They planted riesling, pinot noir, and chardonnay, all European varietals. “We planed those because we liked them,” Michael says. “We thought, OK, now we have three years to learn how to make wine. Then we met Jeff.” He pauses. “He hurt our feelings,” Michael says, flashing a grin.

crushing that notion with patience — and thoughtful blends STORY AND PHOTOS BY KEVIN

NATURAL STATE

56 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 Grape Expectations

Landry Vineyards had been established in West Monroe for more than a decade when Jeff received Savannah and Michael’s invitation to visit Thirsty Farmer. With vines approaching their third leaf, the Rays were excited to show off their work. Jeff walked through the vineyard and delivered a swift verdict: “It’s not a matter of if you’re going to get PD, but when.” Spread by insects, Pierce’s disease, or PD, is a patho genic bacterium that costs the California wine industry, on average, $100 million annually. It’s a particular threat to warm and subtropical grape-growing regions. Knowing YOU

KNOW? Facts and Figures

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 57

Jeff Landry and his wife, Libby — doyen and doyenne of Louisiana viticulture and the largest wine producers in the state — have been growing grapes and making wine for more than 20 years. They started Landry Vineyards in Folsom, where weather patterns mean increased rainfall in the leadup to harvest, an unfavorable seasonal rhythm for their work. Still, they persisted, but the south Louisiana climate kept their vineyard wet. And grape vines, Jeff says, “will not tolerate wet feet.” He drained the property. He increased the percentage of sand in the soil, but even in years without tropical storms or hurricanes, the vines struggled. Then came Katrina. The Landrys sought refuge in Ouachita Parish, finding a support system through a local Presbyterian church. Along with the rolling hills and weather patterns that bring drought conditions in summer, making the region more conducive for viticul ture, a new world opened. To Libby, he said, “This is the vision I’ve had.” More than a decade later, he looks upon one block of his 16-acre vineyard. “For Louisiana, it doesn’t get better than this for growing grapes.”

(Opposite) Lenoir, also called Black Spanish, is high-qualitya red wine grape that is PD-tolerant. (Left) Michael Ray and his son, Thompson, harvest grapes for the first time at Thirsty Farmer, their family vine yard in Calhoun.

• Landry produces,Vineyardsonaverage,60tonsofgrapeseachyear.

• Besides growing grapes and making wine, Thirsty Farmer Winery & Vineyard also makes blueberryapple, green apple, and appleraspberry-limecider.

DID

• Due to VineyardVineyardsdisease,Pierce’sLandryandThirstyFarmerWinery&importsomegrapesthatcannotbegrownsuccessfullyinLouisiana.Importedvarietalsincludemalbec,merlotandcabernetsauvignon.

• Jeff Landry refers to the weatherbeneficialpatterns of Ouachita Parish as the Monroe vortex. After July,west,movesprecipitationinfromtheit“fizzlesout”overMonroe,hesays,pickingupagainneartheDelta.RainfalldecreasesfromApriltoNovember.Intheareamovesintodrought-likeconditions,enablingsugarsinthegrapestorise.Toomuchrain,ontheotherhand,dilutessugarsanddecreasesthecharacterofthewine.

“We failed miserably,” Michael says. “It was a valuable lesson for me to learn that we need to grow a different grape here.”

ADDITIONAL IMAGES ONLINE AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM

Less than nine miles southeast of Thirsty Farmer, the Landrys — along with their son Noah, the vineyard manager — maintain a similar philosophy. Both families endeavor to make great wine and show that Louisiana can produce more than muscadine. Both believe that their work provides a chance to create community.

2022 about PD, Jeff has never attempted to grow non-resistant varietals. Knowing about Savannah’s dream, Michael resumed work, but that meant starting all over again.

Finally, the Rays enrolled in Wine College, a.k.a. Grayson College in Texas, where they learned about PD-resistant grapes and started to plant them. To hone his fermenting process, he started with pears. “I made gasoline out of that.”

“Nobody’s going to have a good time over a nasty bottle of wine,” Jeff says. “If you believe that God made the earth, which I do, you know He gave us grapes for wine making — and to be happy. It’s very clear in the Bible that drunkenness is a sin. But a buzz is a blessing from the Lord. Everybody’s together, having a good time.” If that latter sentiment has the ring of an unofficial state motto, the Landrys and Rays want to make sure that you have a good bottle of Louisiana wine while you’re at it. “I have a passion for sharing a bottle with someone,” Savannah says. “That’s my favorite part about all of this.”n STATE

LOCATION Ouachita Parish FLORA + FAUNA Great Plains ladies’ tresses, sunflower,rosinweeddownyphlox,rabbitsfoot,westernwormsnake,riverredhorse AT A GLANCE NATURAL

58 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER

Three leaves later, on the eve of their first harvest, Savannah brushes past Syrah, the Rays’ border collie mix, to pick up a 4-inch by 6-inch sign inscribed with the phrase “Be Still” beside a small vine. “We’re really proud of our babies,” she says. “This work is not about making a big decision overnight. It’s about constant, persistent work together.” Michael nods, saying, “It’s a constant babysitting of vines.”

(Left) Grape vines grow vigorously throughout the season and can become unruly if not managed. Here, Jeff Landry inspects his vineyard in West Monroe and combs the vines. This process prevents vines from clumping together and locking into neighboring canopies. It also minimizes over-shading and allows airflow. (Below and Opposite) Thompson and Porter Ray pick Lenoir grapes in one block of Thirsty Farmer, directly behind their family home.

The popular Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in Lafayette brings the fest to the people twice in one year

TRAVELER

The annual fall festival, which turns 50 in 2024, has been celebrating Cajun, Creole and Zydeco music and culture since 1974 when it began as “A Tribute to Cajun Music” in Lafayette’s Blackham Coliseum. But the idea hails back even further, to 1964. When Cajun musician

Double the Music and Double the Fall Festival Fun

Dewey Balfa was invited to perform — the first Cajun musician to do so — at the Newport Folk Festival, his reception at the Rhode Island event was astounding. At the time back home in Louisiana, folks didn’t appre ciate Cajun and Zydeco in the same way, so Balfa was determined to ignite a passion for South Louisiana music. The first concert was planned to coincide with a gathering of 150 French journalists in Lafayette in March 1974. No one knew how that first concert would I t’s an Acadiana tradition about to hit its golden anniversary. And even though it hit a speedbump during the pandemic, Festivals Acadiens et Créoles has returned. Twofold.

(Top) Pine Leaf Boys playing at Festivals Acadiens et Créoles (Bottom Left) Craft booths (Bottom Right) Dancers

BY CHERÉ COEN PHOTOS BY DAVID SIMPSON

60 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

“The reason we did the March festival was to make up for 2021,” Mould said. “But we went full festival. Everybody was so happy to be out.” Fest folks were a bit rusty after being out of the loop for so long, but it all came together, he said.

IF YOU GO Girard Park, festival central, is only a quick drive from downtown Lafayette, but not within walking distance. When the be received, but Acadiana residents embraced the event. It attracted a larger audience every year and was later moved to the city’s more spacious Girard Park. The name changed when it merged with other Lafayette festivals, such as the Louisiana Native Crafts Festival, later to become the Louisiana Native and Contemporary Crafts Festival, and the Bayou Food Festival. This combination of cultural festivals is why the name “Festivals Acadiens et Créoles” remains plural. Today, the annual fall celebration includes a Dance Hall Tent, the Chef’s Demo Stage called Culture Sur la Table, a sports tent where visitors may watch LSU, UL and Saints football and a revitalized children’s area known as La Place des Petites. Five stages sport contin uous music throughout each day of the festival.

“The hardest part was cranking the machine back up,” Mould explained. “It takes a lot of people to put on a festival.”Festivals

Acadiens et Créoles is now one of the oldest and largest festivals in the state. There are 75 craft booths, three types of food vendors, five music stages and numerous committees working marketing, merchandise and scheduling, among others. More than 350 volunteers work the weekend of the festival, Mould said.

This year, however, Festivals Acadiens et Créoles went double duty. The pandemic forced the festival to go vertical in 2020, then was cancelled in 2021 when omicron reared its ugly head. Festival Director Pat Mould decided to play catch up with fans by putting on the festival in March of this year, then again in its regular fall slot, Oct. 14-16 in Lafayette.

lafayettetravel.com.attractions,restaurantsofForCENTRALPop’sontryForat—chefanotherOrHoleSpoonbillcraftwinningConner’senjoygasspacefeetrestinstance,hasdowntowndiningoutfestival,plansWhatevermoremusicwhichBluedowntownaccommodationsfeatureandJulietnightTomusicopportunitiesforfestivalsometimesvenuesmanyconcludesfestivalatdusk,downtowncrankup,hostingmusiciansadditionalforanddancing.beclosetotheaction,theboutiquehotelBuchananLoftsupscalewhiletheMoonSaloon,doublesasalivevenue,offersacasualstay.yourforaprès-don’tmissontheexcitingoptionsthatLafayettetooffer.ForvisitorsmaytheirdancingintheoutdoorofaconvertedstationandChefJeremyaward-cuisineandcocktailsatWatering&Restaurant.enjoydishesfromacclaimedcreatingwavesChefRyanTrahanVestalRestaurant.somethingcasual,theeclectictakesoldstandardsatPoboysandPizza&Bar.acompletelistLafayettehotels,andvisit

For more information on the October event, visit festi valsacadiens.com. n

“My high school history book paid so little attention not even lip service — to those children,” Schwieger said.But the National Park Service aims to change that. The Little Rock Central High School site includes a visitor center with exhibits, the Magnolia Mobil Gas Station with its lone pay phone used by journalists during the event, the Commemorative Garden, a statue of the Little Rock Nine and the Elizabeth Eckford Bus Bench. Guided ranger tours take visitors inside the school. n

LA PETITE ROCHE

“I left the 11th grade thinking, here’s the hero, here’s the dark force and here’s the calvary,” Schwieger said. “I didn’t know anything about those nine students.” Schwieger made it his goal when assigned to Little Rock Central, now a National Historic Site although still a working high school, to learn of the brave students who faced angry anti-integration mobs in the fall of 1957. What he tells the tour group assembled outside the school is a story that will “impact your head and your heart.” He’s correct, for by the time the tour concludes, many eyes are moist with tears.

The school was dedicated in September 1927, and school board member Lillian McDermott proclaimed that the new building would “stand as a public school where ambition is fired, where personality is developed, where opportunity is presented, and where preparation in the solution of life’s problems is begun.”

National Guard to block the students from entering the building. Most of the African American students were driven to school that day. Elizabeth Eckford however, arrived by bus. She found herself within an angry mob, the famous photo of her walking silently while white women scream at her back making national news. On Sept. 24, Eisenhower went on TV announcing he was sending in federal troops to escort the Little Rock Nine into school. Over time, the mobs ceased. During tours, Schwieger explains the desegregation effort and what happened after the integration, detailing the student’s daily experiences, from constant verbal harassment to physical violence.

BY MISTY MILIOTO B rian Schwieger begins his tour of Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas by displaying a history book he studied in the 11th grade. The National Park Ranger from Tennessee learned how President Dwight D. Eisenhower and U.S. federal troops escorted nine African American students, then called the Little Rock Nine, into the high school in the state’s first wave of desegregation.

The city of Little Rock was founded for Europeans much like Louisiana, by French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe in 1722. The settlement named for a rock outcropping, the largest city in Arkansas and the state’s capital city celebrates its 300th anniversary this year.

Little Rock has been a major stop on the Trail of Tears, the gubernatorial home of former U.S. President Bill Clinton — as well as the current site of the Clinton Presidential Center — and the site of one of the most tumultuous desegregation events, which also marks its 65th anniversary this month. When Central High School opened in Little Rock, the Art Deco and Collegiate Gothic-designed high school was the largest in the country.

62 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022

Rock of Ages Little Rock, Arkansas celebrates an anniversary and historic changes

Just not for all residents of Little Rock.

FARTHER FLUNG

“Central High School was built to provide every advantage to white Americans,” Schwieger said. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional and efforts were put into action to desegregate Central High. Eighty students signed up but, due to harassment, the number dropped to nine. Then Gov. Orval Faubus called in the Arkansas

As the location of the state’s first wave of Rock,SchoolCentraldesegregation,HighinLittleArkansas is both a working high school and a National Historical Site. For informationmoreon the school visit nps. gov/chsc/index. htm

LOUISIANALIFE.COM 63

64 LOUISIANA LIFE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2022 Peek-A-Boo A small alligator peeks out from the water lilies on the Tchefuncte River near Madisonville. BY JOSEPH HAMNER, BOULDER, CO TO SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS, VISIT LOUISIANALIFE.COM PHOTO CONTEST

LOUISIANA LIFE’S VERY OWN PODCAST NOW IN SECONDOURYEAR,WITH29,000+LISTENSNEW EPISODES EVERY THURSDAY CATCH UP AT LOUISIANALIFE.COM/LOUISIANAINSIDER WANT TO SPONSOR AN EPISODE? CONTACT REBECCA TAYLOR REBECCA@LOUISIANALIFE.COM