With a tan Stetson hat shading Roy Lunk’s eyes from the soft sunlight shining on Des Allemands Friday afternoon, he stepped onto the threshold of a dream.
From the front steps of a 92-year-old building just off Highway 90 surrounded by moss-draped trees and the Des Allemands Elementary School across the street, the local historian told the story of this old cypress structure’s many incarnations and even travels.
Lunk hopes to raise enough money to turn this lingering remnant of a school into a museum.
Opened on Nov. 5, 1923, the 40-foot by 30-foot building served as the community of Des Allemands’ school for grades 1 – 7 until 1931 when it was replaced by a brick building.
It was barged 12 miles downstream to the Comardelle Village where it again served as a school until 1941. It was again placed on a barge and this time it traveled nine miles upstream to become Bayou Gauche’s school, Lunk said. When the school bus system started busing children to the Des Allemands School, the building was yet again moved to its present location at 1486 WPA Road.
This workhorse of a building became a meeting hall for the American Legion Post 316.
“It was used for town hall meetings, wedding receptions and social family events,” Lunk said pointing to the building, which now has boarded windows and two additions in ruins. “It hosted the first, second and third Des Allemands Catfish festivals in 1975, 1976 and 1977. “The building was also used by the St. Charles Council on Aging for serving seniors meals and finally by the St. Charles Recreation Department for baseball and football events.”
But on March 23, 2011, it appeared as though this historic building and its many memories might be demolished.
That was, until Lunk spoke up at a town hall meeting held on the structure’s fate and suggested it be used as a museum. When it was determined that the original portion of the building was structurally sound, a group of concerned citizens got some funds from the United Way of St. Charles and formed a nonprofit board in 2013.
“It’s preserving the original local culture and heritage of the people here,” said Lunk, who wrote “Des Allemands: A Bayou Runs Through It.”
The Des Allemands, Bayou Gauche, Paradis Museum Society was established and charged with restoring the schoolhouse as a museum.
In a Sept. 16, 2013 proclamation, the St. Charles City Council agreed to support the project, stating “ …the restoration of this building is in the best interest of these communities and will play a vital role in saving and promoting the culture….” It further praises the museum board’s efforts for taking the initiative to save the historical building and “hope that others in the community will provide both moral and financial support to this good cause.”
State Sen. Gary Smith Jr. (D-19) also wrote a letter of support, calling the effort “a historic value to the community.”
The St. Charles Parish Council has agreed to a 99-year lease on the building.
The board is charged with restoring 3,300 square feet of the original school building, and plan to fund the $171,000 project with corporate and government grants, individual donations and membership dues.
Lunk said to kick off the project they need $12,000 for operational expenses for items like liability insurance, permits and utilities, and that will clear the way to seek corporate donations that allow them to secure the location and renovation monies. Part of this money will be used to demolish two additions that are beyond repair. The next phase of the project will be roof repair.
Interior restoration will cost $37,500. The original building has 12-foot high ceiling. The room as covered with tongue-and-groove beaded cypress boards. All of the walls and ceiling would be removed and wherever practical the school will be restored. He said they hope to do the work with volunteers and skilled workers. At least six doors and windows will have to be reconditioned or replaced.
The project’s later phases will involve installing electrical wiring fixtures and a new HVAC system to be followed by plumbing work for the two new bathrooms, construction of the bathrooms and a reception area to the front entrance of the museum that will house the curator, volunteers, phone, computer and area for board meetings. During the remodeling, the existing ceiling will be replaced and new flooring installed.
A website has been established – desallemandsmuseum.org – for donations and to provide more information about the project.
If the board raises the money, the old school house will be new again and this time as a museum.
Lunk said the board plans to have seven permanent exhibits on display: Chitimacha tribe; school system; the trapping, fishing and lumber industries, oil companies, and the boat and boat building industries.
“We will open three days per week with attendants from local volunteers, as well as St. Charles Parish RSVP,” he said. “Special viewing times will be available for students in St. Charles, as well as neighboring parish schools.”Lunk said they will with the St. Charles Parish school system in providing quarterly exhibits of their schools, as well as past significant historical events.
“We’re all about historical preservation,” he said, “and trying to preserve what our forefathers done when they first arrived here in Des Allemands.”
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