Venus House
circa mid to late 1700s
The Venus House was the first building to be relocated to Le Vieux Village in 1973. This French Creole style home was donated by the Earl Fontenot family. The home was originally located in the small community of Grand Prairie. In 1975, the house was restored and opened as the new Opelousas Tourist Center, under the direction of the Opelousas Tourist Commission. It later housed the Jim Bowie Museum.
The house is named after its former owner and occupant, Marie Francois Venus, a free Creole woman of color, who lived in the home during the 18th century. Other former owner names include Guillory, Doucet, Bourque, Perkins and Fontenot.
The Venus House is one of the oldest houses of its kind in the Lower Mississippi Valley. The house was constructed entirely of mortise and tenon construction. It features bousillage, a natural insulation that was once common in the walls of Cajun and Creole dwellings. It was usually made by mixing mud with moss or animal hair and held into place by a series of wood bars (barreaux), set between the posts, which resulted into the walls. Sometimes hay or prairie grass was substituted for Spanish moss. Although porches of many Louisiana Creole houses have been enclosed, the home's open porch survives. In addition, the early and unusual French mantel inside the home has survived. The house has become
this page online
The Kiwanis Club of Opelousas funded the relocation of the Venus House, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.
Erected by City of Opelousas, Louisiana.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Architecture • Settlements & Settlers • Women.
Location. 30° 31.896′ N, 92° 4.453′ W. Marker is in Opelousas, Louisiana, in St. Landry Parish. It can be reached from East Landry Street (U.S. 190) east of South Academy Street, on the right when traveling west. Located in Le Vieux Village. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 828 East Landry Street, Opelousas LA 70570, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Louisiana’s Acadiana Cajun Country. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Deep South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, Acadia, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, the Louisiana Purchase, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Doctor's Office (a few steps from this marker); J.S. Clark High School (a few steps from this marker); Rosa B. Scott (Anderson) (a few steps from this marker); Preston "Sweet" Fontenot (a few steps from this marker); Sugar Kettle, c. 1800 (a few steps from this marker); Le Vieux Village (within shouting distance of this marker); 19th Century Outhouse, c. 1890 (within
More about this marker. "The City of Opelousas Tourist Information is located on the grounds of Le Vieux Village Historical Park & Heritage Museum at the eastern entrance of Opelousas along U.S. Highway 190."
Credits. This page was last revised on October 29, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 27, 2017, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 1,037 times since then and 29 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 27, 2017.
