Historic Downtown Broussard

Historic Downtown Broussard. Founded 1884. , The City of Broussard is located in Lafayette and St Martin Parishes. French trappers and Native Americans lived in the area, but permanent settlement did not start until around 1765. Around this time is when exiled Acadians first arrived in the area and among these immigrants were Joseph and Alexandre Broussard. The land consisted of tree lined coulees, open prairies and swamps which provided rich fertile soil that made the land great for settlement. The area would later be known as Cote Gelee (Frozen Hills) for its hilly ridge and the severe winter of 1784. During the 1850's Government was limited to the settlements of St. Martinville, New Iberia, and Vermilionville which would later become Lafayette. Valsin Broussard along with other early leaders developed the area to become Broussardville originally. In 1884 it would be named Broussard after Valsin Broussard who donated the land for a church, cemetery site, a private school, a public-school railroad depot and streets among many other things. It was designated a city in November 2002 but still provides the small-town feeling. The City of Broussard is rich in history with 14 buildings on the National Register and its Main St that runs through the middle of downtown being part of the Old Spanish Trail Highway. The City of Broussard was also once home to one of the largest sugar mills in the state.