Old photographs sought for Destrehan Plantation’s annual Heritage Weekend

Destours Larue, a descendant of Jean Noel Destrehan, is shown riding in a carriage at Destrehan Plantation in 1893.

Candle and butter making, African dance and drumming, Native American dance and storytelling.

Each year in May the grounds of the Destrehan Plantation are host to Heritage Weekend, a two-day event where the public can engage in hands-on activities, participate in music and dance related to 19th century life in south Louisiana and observe demonstrations, reenactments and exhibits.

Heritage Weekend 2021 – to be held May 1 and 2 – will feature a special photograph display. The public is being asked to participate by contributing any photographs of people, places and events in St. Charles Parish that date prior to 1960.

“Since the mission of the River Road Historical Society is to preserve local history, we seek opportunities to preserve historic artifacts such as buildings, photographs and documents,” Heritage Education Coordinator Rachel Allemand said. “In addition, several groups such as the St. Charles Historical Association and individuals in the community have researched St. Charles Parish history. Their work inspired us to see if we could involve the community in adding to what is known about the parish’s past.”

Allemand said the display will be featured at the plantation during Heritage Weekend, and then later at the parish library. She plans to group the photos into categories for the exhibit, including travel, religious life, school, business and social life.

“We hope that the photos can add to the community’s understanding of its past and the contributions made by many different cultures,” Allemand said, adding the display will cover 150 years – from when St. Charles became a parish in 1807 until 1957.

All photos should be submitted by March 15, 2021.

There are several ways to submit photographs. Photos can be mailed to Destrehan Plantation at P. O. Box 5, Destrehan, LA 70047 or emailed to destreheritage@destrehanplantation.org. Photos can also be brought to the Destrehan Plantation Gift Shop or to any branch of the St. Charles Parish Library.

For more information or to schedule an appointment to have your photos scanned and returned to you, call Allemand at 985-764-9315.

 

About Monique Roth 919 Articles
Roth has both her undergraduate and graduate degree in journalism, which she has utilized in the past as an instructor at Southeastern Louisiana University and a reporter at various newspapers and online publications. She grew up in LaPlace, where she currently resides with her husband and three daughters.

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