This week, we are taking a look at Collection 45, the Jefferson Caffery Collection.
Caffery was a member of the first class enrolled in Southwestern Industrial Institute (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette) in 1902, and graduated from Tulane University in 1906. He read law with his father for three years and was admitted to the bar, but chose to pursue a career as a diplomat instead.
Today we will be talking about the anniversary of the Battle of Queue de Tortue.
Today in 1859, disputes between outlaws and vigilantes came to a head in the Battle of Queue de Tortue. This battle was the result of rising tensions between the Acadians and their “American” neighbors. The “Americans” formed a vigilante committee which grew to several hundred strong. They took 24 prisoners and gave the leaders a hundred lashes of the whip at the border between Lafayette and St. Landry parishes. In 1986, the movie Belizare the Cajun was released which chronicles this battle.
This week, we are highlighting two collections, the collections of Mary Alice Fontenot.
Born in 1910, she kicked off her best-known series with the publication of her first Clovis Crawfish book in 1961; however, she began her writing career as a journalist in the 1940s, writing features and book reviews for several Louisiana newspapers. In addition, she also hosted a radio show in Crowley and taught kindergarten.
This week we are looking at the Battle of Baton Rouge.
On Aug. 5, 1862, The Union halted the Confederate attempt to recapture Baton Rouge. In May of that year, the Confederate government decided to abandon Baton Rouge. This was the day before New Orleans fell to the US Navy fleet.
Today we are celebrating the anniversary of the creation of CODOFIL.
This week we are celebrating the founding of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette!
On July 14, 1898, the state legislature passed Act 162 of the Louisiana General Assembly, which was introduced by Robert Martin of St. Martin Parish. This act created the Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute (SLII). Lafayette was selected as the future home of the school on Jan. 5, 1900.
Today we are going to talk about the Interstate System.
Begun in 1956, the Interstate System was a way to connect major cities with populations over 50,000 together via four-lane, divided highways. Inspired by the Reichsautobahn system in Germany, President Eisenhower was a huge supporter. In 1919, he experienced a crossing of part of the Lincoln Highway. These both inspired Eisenhower to push for a federal highway system that could support more cars and would link the US in case of the need for defense purposes.
Today, we are going to highlight the Louisiana Colonial Records Collection here in Special Collections.
Collection 59 - Louisiana Colonial Records contains materials regarding mostly 18th-19th century events occurring in colonial Louisiana, especially governing processes and the Cabildo. The collection contains photocopies of correspondence, legal papers, and land and slave sales. This collection contains physical items that are available for study.
Today we are going to celebrate the creation of Evangeline parish!
On June 15, 1908, the Louisiana Legislature voted to carve Evangeline Parish out of Northern St. Landry Parish. It was passed by unanimous vote and signed into law by Governor Sanders.
An election was held in Dec. of 1909 for voter approval and for voters to determine the parish seat. Voters overwhelmingly approved the creation of the new parish and chose Ville Platte as the parish seat.
Despite these overwhelming victories for the new parish, there were also a few setbacks.
Today we are beginning a weekend celebration of Creole culture. We begin with today’s post and will end the weekend with a display at Vermilionville’s Creole Culture Day.
