Avery Island in Iberia Parish, Louisiana — The American South (West South Central)
Bayou Petite Anse
Photographed by Cajun Scrambler, June 6, 2018
1. Bayou Petite Anse Marker
Petite Anse actually means "Little Cove"'' in Louisiana French. This particular bayou runs along the west side of Avery Island before flowing south into Vermilion Bay and the Gulf of Mexico (through the Avery Canal). In the 19th century schooners regularly ascended the bayou to pick up loads of salt and sugar to transport to New Orleans or other ports as far away as New York.
In November of 1862, Union gunboats and a transport ship of infantrymen steamed up Bayou Petite Anse to capture Avery Island's salt mines. This amphibious assault failed, bu Union troops did manage to capture Avery Island by land six months later. Bayou Petite Anse is still used today by recreational and commercial boaters seeking access to the Intracoastal Waterway and Vermilion Bay. (Marker Number 2.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: War, US Civil • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical month for this entry is November 1862.
Location. 29° 54.818′ N, 91° 54.56′ W. Marker is on Avery Island, Louisiana, in Iberia Parish. It is on Jungle Garden Road near Avery Island Road/Main Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Avery Island LA 70513, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Louisiana’s Acadiana Cajun Country and specifically in Bayou Country. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and on the Gulf Coast. 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: Southern Live Oaks (approx. 0.2 miles away); Avery Island Salt Dome
this page online
More about this marker. Part of the Avery Island Jungle Garden driving tour.
Photographed by Cajun Scrambler, June 6, 2018
2. Bayou Petite Anse Marker
June 6, 2018
3. Bayou Petite Anse Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on July 6, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 8, 2018, by Cajun Scrambler of Assumption, Louisiana. This page has been viewed 3,069 times since then and 160 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 8, 2018.
