Opelousas, population 20,000, third oldest city in Louisiana, is the parish seat of St. Landry Parish. It is located at the juncture of Interstate 49 (exists 15-19) and U.S. Highway 190.
As far back as 1690, French traders carried on a lucrative trade
with the Opelousas Indians (the name Opelousas means Blackleg). In 1720, Opelousas was
established as a military garrison by the French. In 1769, Opelousas came under Spanish
rule before returning to French control. Opelousas was part of the Louisiana Purchase
acquired by the United States in 1803. It was incorporated as a town in 1821. During the
Civil War, Opelousas became the state capital after Baton Rouge fell under Union control.
This rich history is reflected in the traditions carried on by the people of Opelousas
today.
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Tourist Information
General Information. For information on exploring Opelousas, contact the Opelousas Tourist Center, (318) 948-6263 or 1-800-424-5442; or the Opelousas Tourism and Activities Committee, P. O. Box 712, Opelousas, LA 70571, (318) 948-4731. The list below is just a sampling of the many attractions in Opelousas and area towns.
Opelousas Museum and Interpretive Center. Located at 329 N. Main St., the museum
is open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 
The Civil War Room highlights the city's role as capital of Confederate
Louisiana and subsequently as a federal post and military depot. The Geraldine Smith Welch
Doll Collection contains more than 400 dolls. The main exhibit room covers history (and
prehistory), culture, business, and other aspects of life in Opelousas. 
The museum also is a repository for materials related to the Southwest
Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. For details, write the Opelousas Museum and Interpretive
Center, P. O. Box 712, Opelousas, LA 70571, or (318) 948-2589, fax: 318-948-2534.
| Jim Bowie Museum. Jim Bowie, the legendary adventurer and hero of the Battle of the Alamo, lived in Opelousas after moving there from Kentucky. The Opelousas Tourist Center, which houses the museum, is located at the city's eastern entrance on Highway 190. It contains old manuscripts, pictures, guns, and other relics. In addition to stopping by the museum, visitors can go by the site of the Bowie residence on South Union Street or see the Jim Bowie Oak on Landry Street. The tree is believed to be more than 300 years old. |  |
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St. Landry Catholic Church. The current structure, completed in 1909, is the fourth church building erected on the site since 1799. The history of the church goes back even farther: it was first established north of Opelousas in the mid-1700s. The first marriage of Jim Bowie is recorded in the church. |
Old Opelousas. The area around the Court House Square is a National Historic District. Visitors can walk on old brick sidewalks dating back to 1838, and some homes date from before the Civil War. For a guided tour of the city, pick up a map at the Opelousas Tourist Center (located in the Jim Bowie Museum) or contact the center at 1-800-424-5442. During early April until the end of May, musical groups perform downtown every Friday starting about 5:30 p.m.
Louisiana Yambilee Festival. Held during the last weekend in October, the festival celebrates the harvest of yams or sweet potatoes.
International Cajun Joke Telling Contest. Held at the Yambilee Building in April, the contest attracts a sell-out crowd every year. Phone (318) 948-4731 or 942-3562.
Attractions in Nearby Towns
| Southwest Louisiana Zydeco Music Festival. The festival is held the Saturday before Labor Day. Bring your lawn chairs and be prepared to enjoy more than 12 hours of music performed by top Zydeco artists. The festival site is just north of Plaisance on Highway 167. For more information, contact Wilbert Guillory, Rt. 4, Box 331, Opelousas, LA 70570; (318) 942-2392. Also, try this link. Guillory has inaugurated another Plaisance event, the Louisiana Goat Festival, held in April. |  Jo Jo Reed (at left) and the Happy Hill Playboys (with
Chris Ardoin on the frottoir) were among the many performers at the 1996 Zydeco Festival
near Plaisance. |
Malaki Jubilee. This festival, held in Plaisance in June, celebrates the rural
African American heritage, including food, arts, music, dance, and other activities. For
information, phone (318) 826-3934.
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Cracklin' Festival. The highlight of the festival, held in Port Barre in November and sponsored by the Lions Club, is the annual cracklin' cookoff. (Cracklings or gratons are fried pork skins.) Visitors have a chance to sample this Louisiana treat as prepared by the very best cracklin' cooks. Other Louisiana food items are also for sale. The festival includes a parade, music, carnival rides, and crafts. For details, phone (318) 585-6188. |
Historic Washington
Washington, located just down the road from Opelousas (and easily accessible from
I-49), still maintains much of the charm of an antebellum town that was settled about
1800. Before the Civil War, it was a turning point for steam vessels that traveled up the
Mississippi from New Orleans. The town has a number of fine old homes, some of which are
open for tours. The style of homes ranges from board and batten Acadian cottages to
plantation houses. 
Many stores in the commercial district
also retain the old shop fronts from late in the 19th century. For more information on
tour hours and admission charges, stop by the Washington Museum and Tourist Center 402 N.
Main. in downtown Washington. The museum features artifacts from steamboat era. M-F, 10
a.m.-noon & 1-3 p.m.; Sat. & Sun., 9 a.m.-noon & 1-4 p.m. (318) 826-3626 or
826-3627.
You can also browse through the many antique shops located downtown. In addition, many visitors enjoy the food and atmosphere of a restaurant located in a renovated steamboat warehouse. The Festival du Courtableau, held the third weekend in March, includes special tours of the old homes. In addition, a special Christmas tour of homes is scheduled the first weekend in December.
Economic Development
In 1989, local business people and the Opelousas-St. Landry Chamber of Commerce established the Greater Opelousas Economic Industrial Development Council, which set up a permanent office staffed by a certified industrial developer and a procurement specialist to assist prospective industries. The office can supply information about the Enterprise Zone Program, which offers tax incentives for new jobs added or created and other incentives. The office also has details on other incentives offered by the state: industrial property tax exemption, tax credits for jobs, cost-free job training, venture capital programs, computerized site information services. In addition, GOEIDC has all the information potential businesses need on population, labor force, traffic count maps, shopping center profiles, and other data. For details, write GOEIDC, P. O. Box 350, Opelousas, LA 70571, (318) 948-2433. For a business profile of St. Landry Parish, visit the Louisiana Electronic Assistance Program site. Opelousas is the site of the T.H. Harris campus of Louisiana Technical College, a statewide system of vocational-technical schools. LSUE teaches evening classes at T.H. Harris.
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