Abbeville, Louisiana

1

• Abbeville, Louisiana

2

• Have you ever heard of Abbeville,
  Louisiana? If you have, did you know that a
  priest named Father Antoine Desire Megret was the
  founder of Abbeville. When it began though,
  Father Megret spelled Abbeville ("Abbville")
  without the "e". The "e" was added later on.

Statue of Father Antoine Desire Megret
3

• In 1842, Father Antoine Megret arrived
  in Louisiana. He lived in the Perry area a while
  then moved along the Vermilion Bayou. 
• On July 25, 1843, Father Megret bought
  land from Mr. Joseph Leblanc.  He paid 900.00
  for the land. Some say that he built a little
  church named "La Chapelle".  At that time, a few
  buildings were also built.  That is how this city
  began.
• Exactly how the community was named is
  not really known.  Some say it Some say it was a
  combination of "Abbe" for Abbé Mégret and "ville"
  for town or the Abbé's town, while others say
  Father Mégret named it after his hometown
  Abbeville, France.

Father Antoine Desire Megret (Photo from the
Vermilion Historical Society)
4

• Abbeville kept growing. In 1847, the
  Abbeville Post Office was established. Abbeville
  was incorporated a town in 1850. The first mayor
  at that time was Theophil Veazey. 
• Abbeville became the new Parish Seat in
  1850.  It was in Perry before this time.
  Abbeville was incorporated in 1850.
• In 1851, St. Mary Magdalen Catholic
  Church Parish was established. Father Megret died
  of yellow fever in December 5,1853. 

5
This is a picture of St. Mary Magdalen Catholic
Church. completed in 1884. This church stood
until 1907, when it was destroyed by fire. (Photo
from the Vermilion Historical Society)
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church today.
St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church completed in
1911. (Photo from the Vermilion Historical
Society)

• At that time, fires caused tragedies. 
  In 1854, the church burnt. St. Mary Magdalen
  Church was rebuilt. There was another fire later
  on as well.

6

• Abbeville is the largest city in
  Vermilion Parish and has over 11,000 people.  As
  the Parish Seat, it has the Vermilion Parish
  Court House. 

7

• The Court House in Abbeville has an
  interesting history. In 1847 a wooden structure
  was erected on property donated by Father Megret.
• On April 6, 1885, the Abbeville Court
  House burnt down and destroyed all documents. A
  replacement began in 1890 and lasted until 1951.
•   The structure that stands now was dedicated
  in 1952.

Old Vermilion Parish courthouse, completed 1891
and was torn down in 1951. (Photo from the
Vermilion Historical Society)
8

• On the evening of February 19, 1903, a
  huge fire on Concorde Street caused the National
  Bank of Abbeville and many businesses around the
  area to burn down. Several buildings on Jefferson
  and State Streets.

Group photograph of 22 uniformed firemen and two
little girls. Abbeville Volunteer Fire Dept. 1880
sic, the photograph was taken on July 4, 1889.
Photo courtesy of the Vermilion Historical
Society.
9

• Many tragedies happened in Abbeville
  through the years.  World War I began in 1917. In
  1940, Abbeville had a flood. In 1941 World War II
  began. The Korean War began in 1950 and men
  served in the Vietnam War too.  The Gulf War was
  in 1991. Some have served since the 9-11-01
  terrorists incidents. Many area men fought in
  these wars. Some lived to share stories and some
  died during the war.
• Sickness, hurricanes, and hard life
  brought tragedy to Abbeville also. Hurricanes
  Rita and Ike brought flood waters to Vermilion
  Parish and some Abbeville areas.

Dr. Easton Chauvin (Photo from the Vermilion
Historical Society)
10

• Abbeville has had many schools in the
  past.  The first Abbeville High School was built
  in 1902.
• The old Abbeville High School building is now
  the Vermilion Parish School Board Office. 

Abbeville High in 1902. Photo from the Vermilion
Historical Society.
Old Abbeville High Building is now the Vermilion
Parish School Board Office.
11

• Abbeville, Louisiana had six public
  schools. Those are Abbeville High, Eaton Park
  Elementary, James A. Herod, J.H. Williams Middle
  School. Both Eaton Park and Herod Elementary
  are feeder schools for JH Williams and Abbeville
  High.

J.H. Williams Middle School
Eaton Park Elementary
Abbeville High School
Herod Elementary
12
The two private schools in the Abbeville area
are Mount Carmel Elementary and Vermilion
Catholic High School.
Mount Carmel Elementary
Vermilion Catholic High School
13

• Abbeville has grown through the years and
  now has government buildings, many stores,
  businesses and places to visit.

14

• The resources are cattle, certain animals, crops,
  oil, hunting and fishing.

15
There is an Abbeville Museum with artifacts,
photographs and art.  It is called the Abbeville
Alliance Museum and Art History. This building
was once the Abbeville Parish Library.
If you are interested in learning about
Abbevilles history, You may want to look at the
Vermilion Historical Society Website!
16

• Abbeville has the Cattle Festival, Giant
  Omelette Festival, Day Lily Festival and other
  celebrations each year.
• The oldest is the Cattle Festival which
  started on September 24, 1949 by Roy R. Theriot,
  Sr. It was originally known as the Dairy
  Festival, the name was changed in 1979.
• The Annual Les Lumieres de Village
  festivités is another city event!

Click here to see Giant Omelette Video
Cattle Festival Parade
Les Lumieres de Village
17

• Sometime you can see people go to
  Magdalen Square to rest or visit. When they are
  there they see the statue of Father Antoine
  Desire Megret and remember that he started it
  all!

Statue of Father Antoine Desire Megret
18

• The End

19

• Internet References
• City of Abbeville
• Abbeville Walking Tour
• Vermilion Historical Society
• ABBEVILLE
• Abbeville, Louisiana - Wikipedia, the free
  encyclopedia
• Giant Omelette Video
• Vermillion Parish Louisiana Abbeville Link
• Vermilion Parish Information
• Vermilion Parish Kids Page
• Vermilion Parish Schools
• Cattle Festival (Formerly the Dairy Festival)
• Giant Omelette Festival
• Vermilion Parish Clerk of Court Website
• St. Mary Magdalen Church
• Early Pictures form Abbeville, Vermilion Parish,
  Louisiana (Rootsweb Site)
• Historical Images (Vermilion Historical Society)

• Photo Credits
• Vermilion Historical Society
• Stacy Bodin
• Jude Dubois
• Kimberly C. Etie
• Theresa Hardy

Story Written by Miranda Hebert, Joseph
Oliva.Revised by Stacy Bodin to update
information.