THIBODAUX on the map of Lafourche Parish Population: 14,125 Mayor: Warren J. Harang, Jr. (D) (318) 447-4640 Clerk: Tommy Eschete (318) 446-7200 P. O. Box 5418 THIBODAUX, LA 70302 Parish Info |
1838 - Thibodaux is incorporated as a town on March 10, 1838. Early records show settlement existed in late 1790s as an important trading post for the Lafourche country. Named for Henry Schuyler Thibodeaux (1769-1827), who gave the first land for the early village. 1840 - Originating as a 1775 Spanish grant to Etienne Boudreaux Laurel Valley Plantation is the largest nineteenth century sugar plantation complex still surviving. A self contained community of over 72 structures, it will survive the Civil war intact and continued to prosper under the ownership of the J. Wilson Lepine family which bought the 3,000-acre plantation in 1890. The Lepine family has established a non-profit corporation, Laurel Valley Village which includes most of the plantation’s original structures, built around 1840, on a 30 acre tract. Although the cabins and ruins of the old sugar mill are off-limits to tourists, visitors may drive through the village in Thibodaux, La. Located on the east bank of Bayou Lafourche in Thibodaux, The Rienzi Plantation house is built, according to legend, as a possible refuge for Queen Maria Louisa, Consort of Charles IV of Spain during this turbulent time in Spanish history. She prevails in the civil war and in 1803 the plantation is purchased by Juan Ygnacio de Egana who had been a representative of Maria Louisa. Later an Italian is said to have owned the plantation and named it after a fourteenth century Italian patriot Cola de Rienzi. The house has two intersecting center halls on each floor. One of the halls on the lower floor was originally a carriage-way through the center of the house, but has been closed in since the 1850s. Most of the details are atypical of this period of Louisiana architecture , such as the double exterior stairs in front that gracefully curve for part of their ascent away from the gallery.
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| Newspapers | West 5th St. & Jackson Ave. P. O. Drawer 5238 Thibodaux, LA 70302 504.336.0749 acasmg@aol.com Established 1887. Ed. Lou Zeigler Pub. Colly Charpentier |