Welcome to Leonville

Welcome to Leonville. . , Its location between Opelousas and Arnaudville on the Zydeco Cajun Prairie Byway gives Leonville a unique culture of trail riding, boudin making and Creole French speaking. Leonville was founded as a settlement of free men of color or gens de couleur libres. The name came from the first church pastor, Fr. Leon Mailluchet, who was previously in Port Barre. He moved the church parish to Leonville in 1898 to head St. Leo the Great, which welcomed both whites and people of color with rows of pews on opposite sides. Fr. Mailluchet stayed until 1907, and a new church was built two years later, its steeple dotting the prairie landscape., Creole Culture , Creole folklorist and Leonville native Rebecca Henry founded Creole Heritage Inc., the Creole Heritage Folklife Center and the Creole Quilters group in Opelousas. Bringing to life African American traditions, the center hosts Creole French speaking classes, a Juneteenth Folklife Celebration and Sharecropper's Day. The daughter of a sharecropper herself, Henry grew up picking cotton and learning folk medicine from her mother and grandmother. Her own art, made from items like homegrown gourds and okra pods, can be found in the center's giftshop., La Grande Eau , The "big water" came to Leonville in 1927 as part of the Great Flood. This area was impacted more than others due to its low, prairie location. Bellowing cattle could be heard as they were moved to higher ground, and many residents evacuated. After living with relatives or in tent cities, they returned using the higher ground and walked down into the water to find their homes muddy or floated off their pillars. Sacks of peas were provided by the government to plant for food, and the crawfish were plentiful. - From "Stories From the 1927 High Water in St. Landry Parish" by John A. Speyrer, Boudin Balls , 3 lbs. boudin sausage, removed from casings , 1 cup all-purpose flour , 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. kosher salt , 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs , 2 large eggs , 1/4 cup milk , Vegetable oil for deep-frying , Make seasoned flour by adding 1 Tbsp. of salt to the flour and stir. Place seasoned flour and breadcrumbs in individual shallow bowls. In a third shallow bowl, whisk the eggs together with the milk and the remaining tsp. salt. Remove boudin from casing into a mixing bowl. Shape boudin into balls the size of golf balls. Dredge the balls in flour, then dip them in the egg wash and breadcrumbs, turning to coat them evenly Transfer balls to a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Preheat the vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees. Using tongs and working in batches, place the balls gently into the oil and fry until golden, 3-4 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain on baking sheet with rack. Let cool briefly before serving., Mecca of Moonshine , Louisiana's marshes made perfect cover for smuggling moonshine during Prohibition. Liquor arrived in the port city of New Orleans and was distributed across the South. Moonshiners in Opelousas, Arnaudville and Leonville became famous for their product, and people came from as far as Mississippi to Moonshine still Public domain get a taste. Leonville became known as the "Mecca of Moonshine," but the bootleggers stuck to the swamps and roads under the cover of night rather than the bayou, which afforded little place to hide. , Sharecropping Fiddler , Born in Leonville in 1933, Hadley Castille learned to play the fiddle at age 10 and wrote songs inspired by his sharecropping roots. His style was shaped after hearing Jolie Blonde by Harry Choates, and he started playing at Roy's Bar in Port Barre. He enlisted in the Army just as the Korean War was ending, so he spent his service playing in the base band in Texas. In the 1980s, an invitation to play Le Festival du Voyageur in Canada renewed his interest in Cajun music. His work includes the 1997 album "Along the Bayou Teche," and his song Old Sharecroppers House was the recipient of the CFMA's Heritage Award for outstanding contributions to Cajun culture. Castille passed away in 2012, but his son, Blake, and granddaughter, Sarah Jayde, continue his musical legacy. , Find a complete Bayou Teche music playlist at techeproject.org!, "Gros Chevreuil" - French name for the prairie around Leonville meaning "big deer", The TECHE Project recognizes Shane Bernar Patti Holland, Tami St. Germain, Chloé St. Germain-Vermillion and Erin Bass for their contributions to the content of this panel. , For more information, visit: , Town of Leonville/townofleonville.com St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission cajuntravel.com The TECHE Project | techeproject.org