Photograph: The Christman Building on West Landry Street in downtown Opelousas, shown not long after it was constructed. To the left on the corner of Court Street is the store of Robert Chachere, to the right is the Christman Bakery Building that was constructed in 1902. (Photograph courtesy of David Parnell.)
CAROLA LILLIE HARTLEY
Publisher and Contributing Writer
Our photo from the past today comes from David Parnell, a descendant of Antoine Christman with roots in Opelousas. This is a photograph from c. 1908-09 of the Christman Building on West Landry Street in downtown Opelousas. It was owned by Ben Christman, an Opelousas businessman who operated in town over a century ago.
In February of 1898, R. B. “Ben” Christman announced he moved to Opelousas from Rayne and was taking over the bakery of Conrad Brand, known as “Frank the Baker,” who had just retired. Ben Christman, the son of Antoine Christman, was a resident of Opelousas earlier, but had moved away for a while. He promised to serve the Opelousas community faithfully both in quality of bread, cakes, and pastry and on prices.[1] His bakery was very popular, and many referred to it as the City Bakery.[2] Eventually it was known as Christman’s Bakery.[3]
In the early part of May in 1902, Ben Christman made repairs to the old Park Hotel Building on West Landry Street, located on the eastern portion of the block between Court and Market streets, which he purchased just a few weeks before. He used it for his bakery until a new building could be constructed. (Although the St. Landry Clarion ran an article staying Christman was demolishing the old Park Hotel, that did not happen. Instead Christman build a one story building for his bakery next to the old hotel building at a later time.) Work on the old hotel building on West Landry Street was completed during late June of 1902, with Christman moved in and his new bakery opened by June 28, 1902.[5]
Five years later, in September of 1907, the St. Landry Clarion reported the following: The old office building located between Robert Chachere’s store and Christman’s Bakery was moved to a lot belonging to Mr. Ben Christman on Market Street this week, with Bob Coltrin doing the job. This was done so Christman could erect a big brick building on that lot.[6]
That three story Christman Building on West Landry Street was designed by T. G. Chachere, Architect, and was constructed by Thurston McKinney, under the architect’s supervision. The building was 25Ft. by 62 ft, three stories high, with a 60-foot extension at the rear for the bakery to use. It was equipped with all modern improvements and special features like the first floor that was finished in mosaic tile. (Interesting note: when the building was demolished in 1984, that mosaic tile was left and some of it is still visible today on the parking lot that is located on property where the Christman building once stood.)
The St Landry Clarion of June 20, 1908, reported Opelousas city officials would move into the Christman Building on July 1 of that year, provided the building was completed by that date.
At that time the city rented the entire second story of the building for $50.00 per month to use for the City Hall. The mayor had one room, the tax-collector and clerk another, and the City Judge the third. That was later changed, and the second floor was used for other business and professional offices.
The third story of the building was occupied jointly by the Knights of Pythias, the Woodmen of the World and the Improved Order of Red Men. The lower floor was occupied by B. R. Christmas for use as a confectionery story to go with his bakery.[7]
The Robert Chachere family had part of the large wooden Chachere Store building (shown to the left of this photo) demolished and a larger three-story brick building constructed right beside the Christman Building.
In 1913, Ben Christman converted the second and third floor of his building into bedrooms that he rented. Eventually the three story Christman brick building, the Chachere three story brick building and the small one story Christman building all became part of the Waldorf Hotel that many who are still in Opelousas will remember.
In 1920, a new smaller brick building was constructed on the corner of Court and Landry streets where part of that large Robert Chachere Store once stood. That new building housed the Parish Bank and Trust Company. That bank building today houses the coffee shop we know as Java Square.
The Chrisman Building and Chachere Building housed many other businesses and groups over the decades. As stated, many folks remember those buildings as the Waldorf Hotel. The hotel was demolished in 1984 so that the space could be used for parking. If you park on that lot today, you can still see the mosaic tile that was put down in 1908 when the Christman building was constructed. The building did not survive, but that tile sure did and is today a remnant of old Opelousas.
If you have a historic photograph of Old Opelousas that you would be willing to share with St. Landry Now, please email carola@StLandryNow.com or call 337-451-0568.
[1] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, February 5, 1898, Page 2.
[2] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, The Story of Uncle Josh, April 6, 1901, Page 2.
[3] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, Saturday, September 21, 1907.
[4]St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, Saturday, May 17, 1902, Page 1.
[5] The Opelousas Courier, Opelousas, LA, June 28, 1902, Page one.
[6] St. Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, Saturday, September 21, 1907
[7] St Landry Clarion, Opelousas, LA, June 20, 1908.
