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Lafayette in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
 

Coussan House

La Maison Coussan

 
 
Coussan House Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, February 8, 2019
1. Coussan House Marker
Inscription.
HOUSE OF CULTURES:
Reflecting the Crossroads of Cultures

The history of this house reflects the diverse groups of people that inhabit the region. The Coussan family of French immigrants built this house around 1850 in the Pont Brute community near Bayou Teche. Historically, both the Ishak (Atakapa) and the Chitimacha people lived along the Bayou, which was an important trade route id a natural elevated ridge. In the early twentieth century, the house was moved to Carencro, where an African American family lived into the 1990s.
Distinct Cajun and Creole Building Technique
The house construction includes techniques from the late 1700s are unique to the lower Mississippi Valley and south Louisiana. The frame uses colombage, which is a frame construction made from heavy timbers mortised and tenoned together. Tenon is a framing method in which the timber ends fit together like puzzle pieces. The timbers are then covered with wide horizontal boards tog sides. The walls are filled in with bousillage, a mixture of mud and Spanish moss, which served as a locally-made plaster. The bousillage walls are often covered with cypress lap siding and plaster on the exterior, and painted with a white wash on the interior for further protection. Bousillage was adopted from local Native American
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construction techniques and reflects the resourcefulness of Creoles and Cajuns in Louisiana.

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LA MASON DES CULTURES:
Refléter le carrefour des cultures

L'histoire de cette maison refléte les divers groupes qui peuplent la région. La famille Coussan, des immigrants français, a construit cette maison en 1850 dans la communauté de Pont Brûlé prés de Bayou Teche. Historiquement, les Ishak (Atakapa) et les Chitimacha vivaient le long du Bayou, qui était une route commerciale importante et un coteau naturel. Au début du XXe siècle, la maison a été déplacée à Carencro, où une famille afro-américaine a vécu jusqu'aux années 1990.
Techniques de construction créoles et cadiennes

La construction des maisons comprend des techniques de la fin des années 1700 et au début des années 1800 qui sont propres à la vallée du bas Mississippi et de la Louisiane du sud. Le cadre utilise le colombage, une construction de cadre en bois lourds en tenon et mortaise. C'est une méthode de cadrage dans laquelle les morceaux de bois s'emboîtent comme des pièces de puzzle. Les bois sont ensuite recouverts de planches horizontales larges. Les murs sont remplis avec du bousillage, un mélange de bone et de mousse espagnole ou de poils qui a servi de plâtre fabriqués localement.

Coussan House Marker image. Click for full size.
Photographed By Cajun Scrambler, February 8, 2019
2. Coussan House Marker
Les murs de bousillage sont souvent peints avec un blanchissement pour une meilleure protection contre les éléments. Le bousillage a été adopté â partir des techniques de construction amérindiennes locales et rèflete l'habilité des Creolés et des Cadiens en Louisiane.

Side Bar
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CAJUN AND CREOLE?
If Cajuns identify themselves as descendants of Acadian refugees, how does one define Creole? Creole derives from the Spanish and Portuguese words criollo/criolo, which referred to someone born in the Americas during the colonial period. Creole is a term still used throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to describe local indigenous culture and people. In Louisiana, the term often describes the blending of French, African, Native American, and Spanish people and traditions, as well as those people of French and Spanish descent who are not Cajun. In southwest Louisiana the term can refer ore specifically to people of African decent who have French, Spanish and/or Native American heritage.

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QUELLE EST LA DIFFÈRENCE ENTRE CADIEN ET CRÈOLE?
Si les Cadiens se considérent comme les descendants des réfugiés acadiens, comment définit-on Créole? Créole dérive des mots espagnols et portugais

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criollo/criolo, eux-même, d'origine caraïbe, qui se réfère à quelqu'un qui est né dans les Amériques au cours de la période coloniale. Créole est un terme encore utilisé dans toute l'Amérique latine et les Caraïbes pour décrire la culture indigéne locale et les gens. En Louisisane, le term décrit souvent le mélange des gens et des traditions français, africains, amérindiens, et espagnols, ainsi que le gens d'origine française ou espagnole qui ne sont pas Cadiens. Dans le sud-ouest de la Louisiane, le terme peut se référer plus précisément aux personnes d'ascendance africaine qui ont un héritage français, espagnol et/ou amérindien.
 
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Native AmericansSettlements & Settlers.
 
Location. 30° 12.898′ N, 91° 59.76′ W. Marker is in Lafayette, Louisiana, in Lafayette Parish. Marker can be reached from Fisher Road near Surrey Street (State Road 428-8). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 300 Fisher Road, Lafayette LA 70508, United States of America. Touch for directions.
 
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Vermilionville Historical Timeline (a few steps from this marker); a different marker also named Vermilionville Historical Timeline (within shouting distance of this marker); Historic Village Map (within shouting distance of this marker); Bayou Vermilion District (within shouting distance of this marker); Beau Bassin House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Vermilion River (about 300 feet away); School House (about 400 feet away); Mouton House (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lafayette.
 
More about this marker. Located on the grounds of the Vermilionville Heritage Museum, Admission required.
 
Also see . . .  Vermilionville Historic Village. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on December 18, 2022, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.) 
 
 
Credits. This page was last revised on May 28, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2019, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 525 times since then and 33 times this year. Photos:   1, 2. submitted on June 7, 2019.

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Apr. 25, 2024