March 18, 2022
VERMILIONVILLE HISTORIC VILLAGE
300 Fisher Rd, Lafayette, LA 70508
“Vermilionville Historic Village, located in Lafayette, Louisiana, is a Cajun and Creole living history museum with restored historic structures.” – Wikipedia
After learning about the history of the people of southern Louisiana on the Cajun Food Tour and at the Acadian Cultural Center, it was only fitting to visit this living history museum showcasing area houses and other buildings from the 1700 and 1800s. Signs outside each building told the significance and/or historical nature of the structure. I enjoyed looking at the period furniture pieces along with the tools that would have been used by both men and women of the time. Two costumed artisans, an accordion player and a quilter, were available to answer questions and entertain.
I got to the museum mid-afternoon, therefore, I only had about 1.25 hours to tour the museum. I wish I would have had another 30 to 60 minutes to explore more leisurely.
Coussan House. Built around 1850.
The walls are filled in with bousillage, a mixture of mud and Spanish moss, which served as a locally-made plaster.
Workshop inside the Boat House.
A loom inside the Beau Bassin House. The house had several tools used in the Cajun textile trade.
An artisan next to the quilt she has made. She was very friendly and had a lot of information about quilt-making and the history of the house.
Inside the school building.
The blackboard inside the school. English-speaking people did not come to the area until the 1880s. When compulsory education started students had to speak English and not French.
An artisan showing the girls how to play the accordian.
Mouton House. The house of a middle class Acadian family.
Boucvalt House. An urban dwelling from the late 1800s
A rocking horse from the 1800s. The Mouton House had woodworking tools inside.
A display of antique lathe knives.
A kitchen, which was in a room away from the main house.
The forge.
Buller House. A Creole style house.
An early ironing machine.
Attakapas Chapel
Broussard House. A large Acadian Plantation Home.
Le Petit Bayou: Ferry. Simple technology for traversing bayous.