Photograph courtesy of Opelousas Tourism.
(Opelousas, LA) –In addition to history, visitors at Le Vieux Village Heritage Park in Opelousas can now learn more about native plants and trees. Some 34 interpretive signs identifying native trees and plants at the historic village were installed as part of a grant project. One of the city’s primary historic attractions, Le Vieux Village is a heritage site consisting of historic buildings dating back to the late 18th and 19th century. The village also houses the Opelousas Tourist Information Center. The project was funded in part by a matching grant in the amount of $3035 from the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area awarded to Opelousas Tourism. Grant work included documenting trees and plants at the village with photographs, hiring a consultant to help identify trees and plants, planting some native plants where needed, installing markers and creating a resource guide for plants and trees at the village. The markers include both the common and scientific family name of the plants and trees.
Opelousas is part of the Atchafalaya National Heritage Area, which spans 14 parishes in south central Louisiana and preserves local cuisine, music, traditions, language and cultural landscapes. The markers will help locals identify with native plants and trees that grow in this area and eventually, come to know the importance of native plants on our environment and species of local natural habitats. The signs will also allow us to promote the stories of the plants and our area to visitors. This will help to enhance local tourism efforts at Le Vieux Village and within the city and parish. Finally, the project is part of a larger scope which involves enhancing the city’s Hwy 190 gateway entrance, which is part of the Opelousas Downtown Development Master Plan adopted in August 2021.
Le Vieux Village offers a glimpse of early rural life in surrounding areas and serves as a strong example of preservation. Established in 1988, the buildings and structures at the village date back to the late 18th century and 19th century. Many of the structures have been adapted for reuse such as the Opelousas Tourist Information Center, LaChapelle House, St. Jospeh’s Chapel and the Louisiana Orphan Train Museum. Each year, thousands of people visit the village, which is located at the eastern entrance of the city between Vine and Landry Streets.
In a recent related project, new interpretive signage featuring QR codes were installed at Le Vieux Village as part of a Louisiana Certified Local Government Grant awarded to Opelousas Tourism. For more info about Le Vieux Village, visit Le Vieux Village Heritage Park & Museum in Opelousas.
