Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site (french: Site historique d'État Longfellow-Evangeline), located in

St. Martinville, Louisiana St. Martinville (french: Saint-Martin)Jack A. Reynolds. "St. Martinville" entry i"Louisiana Placenames of Romance Origin."LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses #7852. 1942. p. 480. is a city in and the parish seat of St. Martin Parish, Louisiana ...

, showcases the cultural significance of the

Bayou Teche Bayou Teche (Louisiana French: ''Bayou Têche'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed June 20, 2011 waterway of great cultural significance in south central Louisiana in t ...

region. It is the oldest state park site in Louisiana, founded in 1934 as the Longfellow-Evangeline State Commemorative Area. ''

Evangeline ''Evangeline, A Tale of Acadie'' is an epic poem by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, written in English and published in 1847. The poem follows an Acadian girl named Evangeline and her search for her lost love Gabriel, set during t ...

'' was

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include "Paul Revere's Ride", ''The Song of Hiawatha'', and ''Evangeline''. He was the first American to completely transl ...

's enormously popular 1847 epic poem about Acadian lovers, who are now figures in local history. In the town center, the Evangeline Oak is the legendary meeting place of the two lovers, Evangeline and Gabriel. A statue of Evangeline marks her supposed grave next to St. Martin of Tours Church. The state historic site commemorates the broader historical setting of the poem in the Acadian and Creole culture of this region of Louisiana. Several historic buildings are showcased at Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site, which cover : Maison Olivier, designated a

National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...

(as Acadian House) in 1974, is a plantation home built c. 1815 by Pierre Olivier Duclozel de Vezin, a wealthy Creole at the time. The structure is an excellent example of a Raised Creole Cottage, a simple and distinctive architectural form which shows a mixture of Creole, Caribbean, and French influences. Maison Olivier is located behind the Visitor's Center. Also near Maison Olivier is a blacksmith shop. There is also a c. 1790 Acadian cabin, which reveals the contrast between Acadian and Creole architecture. A reproduction Acadian farmstead lies near Bayou Teche. It is representative of a single-family farm in the early 19th century. It includes a family home, a barn, a privy, an outdoor kitchen, and a bread oven.

References

External links

Official web site
* {{Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Louisiana State Historic Sites Protected areas of St. Martin Parish, Louisiana Museums in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana Historic house museums in Louisiana Atchafalaya National Heritage Area Houses in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana Acadian history Cajun culture National Historic Landmarks in Louisiana Historic American Buildings Survey in Louisiana National Register of Historic Places in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana Protected areas established in 1934 1934 establishments in Louisiana

See also

References

External links