Roberts Cove (formerly ''German Cove''; french: Anse-Robert) is an

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

Louisiana Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...

, United States. Roberts Cove is not a town, but rather a scattered rural community with the St. Leo's Catholic church complex as a community and cultural center which is located three miles northwest of Rayne in

Acadia Parish Acadia Parish (french: link=no, Paroisse de l'Acadie) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 57,576. The parish seat is Crowley. The parish was founded from parts of St. Landry Parish in ...

.www.louisianafolklife.org "A Kinder, Gentler St. Nicholas: Transformation and Meaning in a "Louisiana German" Tradition"
/ref> It is part of the

Crowley Crowley may refer to: Places * Crowley, Mendocino County, California, an unincorporated community *Crowley County, Colorado * Crowley, Colorado, a town in Crowley County *Crowley, Louisiana, a city * Crowley, Oregon (disambiguation) * Crowley, Te ...

Micropolitan Statistical Area.

History

In 1867, Rev. Peter Leonard Thevis, a native priest of Langbroich,

Nordrhein-Westfalen North Rhine-Westphalia (german: Nordrhein-Westfalen, ; li, Noordrien-Wesfale ; nds, Noordrhien-Westfalen; ksh, Noodrhing-Wäßßfaale), commonly shortened to NRW (), is a state (''Land'') in Western Germany. With more than 18 million inhabi ...

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

, was asked to come to

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans
Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...

by Archbishop Jean-Marie Odin, mainly because of the large number of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...

immigrants there. It was on January 13, 1880 that Fr. Thevis, accompanied by his brother Peter Joseph Thevis, his nephew, John Gerhard Thevis and Herman Grein, came on this railway to Rayne, and to the prairie land three miles north of Rayne to look over the area. The site selected for the future colony was known as "Roberts Cove" named for Benjamin Roberts, the original owner of a Spanish land grant. Thereafter, thirteen families joined them in 1881. These German

Catholics The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

were fleeing the

Gangelt Gangelt is a municipality in the district of Heinsberg, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is on the border with the Netherlands and about 10 km east of Sittard and 10 km south-west of Heinsberg. Its most well-known resident was c ...

Geilenkirchen Geilenkirchen (, Ripuarian: ) is a town in the district Heinsberg, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated near the border with the Netherlands, on the river Wurm, approx. 15 km (9.3 mi) north-east of Heerlen and 20 k ...

district of Germany to avoid religious persecution and military impressments. Fr. Hennemann purchased land that included a house which served as both rectory and chapel and another building which served as a school house in the spring of 1883. The Benedictines helped to established the parish of St. Leo IV in 1885. Roberts Cove was staunchly German until the

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

era when harsh anti-German wartime legislation initiated a decline of the

German language German ( ) is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and Official language, official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Ita ...

and other cultural elements. The

state legislature passed Act 114 which made all expressions of German culture and heritage, especially the printed or spoken use of the German language, illegal in the state. Consequently, there are few remaining German speakers and relatively few overt manifestations of German culture yet the community is still viewed as a German

ethnic enclave In sociology, an ethnic enclave is a geographic area with high ethnic concentration, characteristic cultural identity, and economic activity. The term is usually used to refer to either a residential area or a workspace with a high concentration ...

Culture

Roberts Cove is known for its annual Germanfest in October. The event is held the first weekend in October at St. Leo's Catholic Church. Visitors are treated to local German food, heritage and genealogy. German singing and German Folk dancing performed by descendants from 8 to 80 years old are special attractions. The Roberts Cove German Heritage Museum is open for visitors.www.hoffpauirhouse.com "Area Points of Interest"
/ref>

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Acadia Parish, Louisiana Populated places established in 1880 Unincorporated communities in Louisiana German-American culture in Louisiana 1880 establishments in Louisiana

History

Culture

See also

References