Stories by author "Rusty Chastant": 4
Stories
Sort by:
The Oldest House in Lafayette Parish is Circa 1790.: The seventh generation of the Arceneaux family still lives in The Arceneaux House, circa 1790.
If one were to visit Vermillionville today, they would see what is known as the Beaubassin House which is incorrectly dated as 1840. In reality, it is much, much older, from as early as 1790, and its…
Thousands of German POWs in Acadiana During WWII: German POWs Helped with Severe Labor Shortages During WWII
Many of us are unaware that during WWII the US was housing over 425,000 enemy POWs (mostly Germans) in over 500 camps spread over 46 states. Over 2,000 of them were here in Acadiana, in side camps…
The Resurrection of Darby Plantation: Darby Plantation is Reborn into a Beautiful Golf Club Community Development
One of the majestic gems that once graced the Spanish Lake area of New Iberia, Darby Plantation was built in 1813 by Louis St. Marc Darby and was an excellent example of the rural Louisiana colonial…
Evangeline's Gabriel Settled in Lafayette in 1765: Is Beau Bassin a Cajun Shangri-La?
One of the earliest settlers of Lafayette parish was Louis Arceneaux. Many believe that Louis was the real-life character, “Gabriel” in Longfellow’s famous poem, Evangeline. Back in Nova…