I was thinking of different ways to celebrate the history of the southern Evangeline Parish area. Reenactments like at Fort Toulouse/Fort Jackson would be cool. I know the Fontenots have a reunion with Fort Toulouse related stuff to show. I think it's held every year and I want to go to the next one. But something is needed to bring tourists in and also keep my area's history in everyone's mind.
We have one copy of Fort Toulouse : The French Outpost at the Alabamas on the Coosa (Library Alabama Classics) (Paperback)
by Gregory A. Thomas in the entire Evangeline Parish library system. One single copy yet this book is very relevant to the area's culture and history. The story of soldiers who came here and became ranchers and farmers in a new land. The book only covers the Fort's history but other stuff could be written or compiled to continue the story.
It would be great stuff for tourism too - Fort Toulouse. I think that's a good sale. We got the tournoi http://www.louisianatournoi.com/ but that's only for one part of the year. Something concrete like a museum would be nice, with Fort Toulouse stuff in it.
Something could be made that would show all of the other French people who came to the area. Heberts, Guillorys, etc would be included with the Germans and Spanish too.
And don't forget about the Acadians. But they are well represented now. Over represented to the point where that is all one hears or reads about for the area. That's cool but I want my other ancestors known too. Why not? Why not promote the other groups, especially French Creole majority who became cowboys and such?