The Acadian Village

About this activity

History comes to life at the Acadian Village! If you LOVE to step back in time and imagine a life different to yours now, then why not head back to 19th Century Louisiana? It's amazing how you will start to look at the state differently when you have seen how other people used to experience it.

The Acadian Village in Lafayette is the oldest authentic look into 19th century life in Southwest Louisiana. Kids and families can explore a number of fascinating historic homes on display, alongside the winding bayous. These homes really showcase the unique Acadian architecture of that time - that's over 100 years ago!

How do you think it would be different to live in that time?

You can explore the blacksmith shop, as well as a general store, and see the very simple lives they would have led.

So who are the people you will be learning about at the Acadian Village? The people were peace-loving, and really made the most of what they had around them. It's a good lesson for kids who might want all the latest products when here they can learn how to recycle, and understand the concept of waste.

From corn that was used to make dolls, hats and mattresses, to green moss that was used to create mule harnesses, insulation and upholstery.

Did you know back then even candles were made at home using beeswax that was melted? Pretty incredible isn't it!  All of the homes were locally made too, because transporting materials was hard and expensive. 

You can see some of the more larger homes which had dining rooms, and some even had a fan that was manually spun round by a little boy with a rope through the wall so flies wouldn't get on the food - can you imagine doing that now!?

History is alive at the Acadian Village, and it's a fascinating and historical family day out option in Louisiana! Who said history was boring!