This colorful mural stands proudly on the side of the Smith family barn in Eunice. Calvin Smith built the barn with his neighbors in 1962 and was known within his family as "The Barefoot Cajun". His son, Darrel, commissioned local artist Hannah Gumbo, to paint the mural as an homage to his father.
"It's an invitation," said Gumbo. "Come and see us, and meet the family who grew up here."
Throughout 2020, 2021, and 2022, ordinary metal traffic boxes in Opelousas were transformed into vibrant canvases. These works of art showcase the community's character and culture in celebration of the city's tricentennial.
Jerome Ford | 970 East Landry Street
Sue Boagni | 162 South Court Street
B.J. Smith | 1943 South Union Street
Gerry Soileau | Corner of Vine and Market
Ke'Shawn Collins | 499 West Church Street
Rebecca Henry | 199 East Bellevue Street
Alicia Jonson-Black | 6011 I-49 South
Theon Guillory | 201 South Bullard Street
Michelle Fontenot | 2364 South Union Street
Ayla Voitier | Intersection of Union Street and Creswell Lane
"Tee Don" Landry is famous for his Key of Z Rubboards. The frottoir, a wearable rubboard that is synonymous with zydeco music, was popularized by King of Zydeco Clifton Chenier and Cleveland, his brother who played that first rubboard masterfully. The story goes that in 1946, Chenier came to Willie Landry, Tee Don's father and a Cajun metal craftsman, with the plans for the frottoir. Now at his shop in Sunset, Tee Don practices his father's craft and is the reason the town is touted as the Rubboard Capital of the World.
On his website, you can purchase one of his rubboards or even have one custom made. Set up a time to visit his shop and see the process for yourself. Each one of his rubboards is numbered and registered, even the mini ones meant for decoration.
As you visit the communities along the Zydeco-Cajun Prairie Scenic Byway, you can still hear Cajun and Creole French spoken in shops and on the street, take delight in our famous cuisine, and dance to rhythms that run through our very life.
A visit to the Jean Lafitte Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice can provide a rich education into our folklore and folkways. Along the byway, you will find architecture ranging from quaint Acadian cottages to gracious antebellum mansions. Sportsmen and photographers alike will relish the unforgettable experience of visiting the Atchafalaya Basin, one of America's last great wilderness wetlands. Campers and fishermen will find delightful diversion at Chicot, Louisiana's largest and most popular state park located in Evangeline Parish.
The heart of the Cajun Prairie, Acadia Parish, has some of the most beautiful surroundings imaginable; catch a glimpse of wildlife as they migrate along a recognized fly-way, fields of golden rice, the world's oldest grain, crawfish fields, and the many museums and attractions that highlight the culture and heritage of this Louisiana paradise.
Bayous shaded by moss-draped oaks, flooded rice fields glistening in the sun, and prairies ablaze with wildflowers create a feast for the eye.
At Grand Coteau, a shrine to St. John Berchmans commemorates the only miracle in North America verified by the Vatican and it gives testimony to the abiding faith of this area's people.
All this and more can be found along the byway. Check out accommodations here.
Le Petit Musée is a museum dedicated to the history of the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau, Louisiana. In 1821, Saint Philippine Duchesne sent Sisters Eugenie Audé and Mary Layton to Grand Coteau to begin a school for young girls. Beginning in an unfurnished house on land donated to the religious order by Mary Sentee Smith, the school opened in October with just five students. Through hardships, natural disasters, disease and civil war, the school has persevered, grown and flourished. Explore artifacts, letters, and photographs that tell the story of the pioneering spirit of the foundresses and early life at the Academy. Learn about the enslaved persons who created the bricks, constructed the buildings, and worked alongside the sisters to make the Academy of the Sacred Heart what it is today.
While on campus, visit the Shrine of Saint John Berchmans, the site of the 1866 miraculous cure of a Religious of the Sacred Heart.
This unsuspecting 1880's era church has housed hundreds of plays in Opelousas since the Opelousas Little Theatre, a group formed in 1939, made it their home in 1959. The theatre is kept alive by a small group of ferverently dedicated individuals that range from teenagers to decades long members. With plays ranging from Christmas classics to the wonderous world of Lewis Caroll, these local players will put their heart and soul on the stage for its audience. Tours are available by Dana Reed the theatre's Volunteer Director. Call the number for more information.
This Opelousas airport–located just 30 minutes outside of Lafayette–services general aviation as well as corporate and military aircraft. With a pilot's lounge, $2 waffles on Saturday mornings from 8am-12pm, family-friendly air exhibitions, fly-in events, competitive gas prices as well as their uncontrolled airspace, this airport has something for pilots everywhere.
With their Young Eagles introductory plane rides, tours, and future exhibits, this airport is at the forefront of meeting the growing demand for pilots and air mechanics by sparking their imagination with these immersive activities. Check out their facebook for upcoming events or our Where to Stay Page to find the best stay when you fly in.
Mary Alice Fontenot's beloved children's story character now has a permanent spot in his hometown of Eunice right outside the Eunice Depot Museum as well as the Cajun French Music Hall of Fame Museum. Clovis Crawfish stands proudly as a testament to the children's books Fontenot brought to life that has taught to the world since 1961 a wonderful understanding of the Cajun French language as well as the colorful characters that populate her worlds.
This informational kiosk, located in Leonville mere steps away from Champagne's Marche, is one of many along the Teche, and one of two within St. Landry Parish. It details the winding path of the legendary bayou with stories of those who call it their home.
These kiosks were lovingly made by the stewards of the Bayou Teche, the TECHE Project. You can learn more about the TECHE Project's mission, and the history of the Tech itself, at the TECHE Project's website.
Here at the birthplace of the Bayou Teche in Port Barre, erected by the dedicated caretakers of the waterway at T.E.C.H.E. Project, stands a guiding kiosk. This structure is one of many along the Teche, and one of two within St. Landry Parish itself. It details the winding path of the legendary bayou with stories of those who call it their home.
Grab your boat or kayak and explore the start of the Teche with this kiosk as your guide.
