Beneath the Oaks, Amidst the Cane: From Oasis Plantation to Episcopal School of Acadiana

Robert Cade established Oasis Plantation as a sugar plantation in 1863. He purchased the land from the government and proceeded to add more acreage to the plantation by buying out individuals in the area. He moved to Louisiana from South Carolina in 1820 and established three plantations in the area from Youngsville to Lafayette, including Oasis Plantation. In the 1870s, Cade donated around fifty to sixty acres of land to build a railroad. Robert Cade’s daughter, Sara Cade married Evert Banker Smede in 1830 linking the Cade and Smede families. The Smede family created a storehouse for the sugar under the name “Smede Brothers Sugar Refinery.” This building was eventually turned into a chapel for the school that would eventually take over the plantation, Episcopal School of Acadiana.

In 1980, Mrs. Betty Smede Jardine donated sixteen acres to the new, one year old school, ESA, as a permanent location. This school has since remained on this campus. There was a long line of educators in the Smede family, as well as Episcopal ministers which is why Betty Smede Jardine decided to donate the property. Today, the Episocpal School of Acadiana has expanded its education to include an elementary campus located in Lafayette, LA.