New Iberia's Historic Homes

A walk down Main Street in New Iberia, LA, is not to be rushed. This section of the sidewalk with its massive live oaks is made for strolling.

And stroll we did--past the Weeks Home (c. 1910), built as a copy of Shadows-on-the-Teche (below), an antebellum historic house museum property of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

We have toured this home on at least two earlier visits. Because some 17,000 invoices, receipts, business, legal, and personal letters exist, the docents are able to present a picture of a family whose joys, sorrows, celebrations, and pain made them seem like people we would have liked to have known.

The white-columned brick building was constructed between 1831 and 1834 and was described as "both a survivor and a reminder of another time." This photo was taken, looking through the entrance gate to the property.

This home was described as "a two-story Queen Anne Revival house with well-developed Eastlake details."

The Post and Porches Apartments (c. 1880) was dwarfed by the live oak along the sidewalk.

Another historic home that has undergone a slight change is the Queen Anne Revival with the mansard roof tower. This c. 1890's home was known as the Patout-Broussard home and is now one of the many Bed and Breakfasts in the area.

We were admiring this Queen Anne Revival residence (c. 1890), the live oak, and the landscaping in the front yard, when the homeowner greeted us from her front door.

After a brief introduction, she invited us to see their well-landscaped back yard. She pointed out the uneven terrain and explained that clay had been dug up from this space to make the bricks used by David Weeks to build the Shadows-on-the-Teche.

We were admiring the view of the Bayou Teche when our latest acquain-tance in Cajun Country invited us to have a seat on the bench and enjoy the river. After a few relaxing moments, we slowly made our way back to the street, taking a few minutes to photograph some of the flowers already in bloom in her back yard.



Set back a few yards from the sidewalk in the New Iberia Civic Center park is this Grotto. It is a replica of the Grotto in Lourdes France erected in 1941 as a memorial to the pioneer families of the parish.

A second Bed and Breakfast home, the Estorage-Norton Home (c. 1900s), is this three-story Bungalow-style home built by Edward Estorage completely of cypress.

Our walk continued past this White Pine-style Colonial (c. 1930) and

past this colorful window on another home.

The rocker on the porch of Maison Marseline (c. 1897) presented a welcoming scene.

Near the end of our stroll down Main Street, we came across the style that we are becoming more enamored with--the shotgun house. This one had an open side gallery and late Greek Revival details.

One of the more intriguing homes was the Steam Boat Gothic Architecture home (c. 1886). This urban mansion was the home of Paul Cyr, Lt. Governor under Huey Long.

Finally, the Gebert Oak presented quite an impressive sight. This Live Oak was planted in 1831 over the grave of an infant.

(Information from the brochure: "Historic Main Street, New Iberia".)