Welcome to Jeanerette

Welcome to Jeanerette. . , The smell of burning cane mingles with that of fresh-baked bread in Jeanerette, also known as Sugar City. Founded as a sawmill town on the bayou in 1878, today Jeanerette is home to two active sugar mills, along with one of the world's largest aerial agriculture dusting and seeding operations. Historic LeJeune's Bakery, built in 1884 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, also keeps the past alive by serving its old-fashioned French bread and gingercakes made from the same recipes used by the LeJeune family's ancestors., How Jeanerette Got its Name , Carolina planter John W. Jeanerette came to the area known as Chicot Noir in the 1820s. In 1830 he bought Pine Grove Plantation, now Beau Pre, north of town. Jeanerette offered a portion of his house to be used as an official mail depository for locals, and people were asked to address their mail in care of "John W. Jeanerette." He eventually became the first postmaster, and the name Jeanerette stuck. , "One of the loveliest stretches of country road in Louisiana, to my way of thinking, is the one between Jeanerette and New Iberia-and this applies both to the "pave" on one side of Bayou Teche and to the stretch of gravel on the other. They are shaded by magnificent trees which, even in midsummer, give an illusion of coolness; and from the highway the trees stretch back toward the bayou in beautiful groves." - Francis Parkinson Keyes, All This is Louisiana, 1950, Cypress Lumber and Sugar Cane , Since the arrival of settlers in the mid-1700s, the Jeanerette area has been involved with agribusiness, including livestock, indigo, cotton and tobacco. During this time, both Creole and Acadian families with names like Bourgeois, Edwards, Fontenette, Robertson, and Olivier migrated to the area. By 1820, Creole planters had already begun planting sugarcane. Although sugar reigns supreme today, Jeanerette's glory days along Bayou Teche came from the production of cypress lumber and its ability to be transported by railroad. From 1883 to the early 1930s, "red cypress" put Jeanerette on the map. The city once had three major cypress lumber mills, one that is now the site of the Chamber of Commerce, and Jeanerette Lumber and Shingle, which closed in 1925, located on what is now TJ Viator Park along the bayou. At its peak, Jeanerette produced more cypress shingles than any other place in the world., History of Boating , Boatbuilding remains a tradition in the Teche region today, but it was one of the founders of Jeanerette Lumber and Cypress, Harry B. Hewes, who built the local paddlewheel steamboat. He named it the Amy Hewes after his daughter, and the boat traveled the bayou until the late 1940s. Metal Shark Boats carries on the tradition today with a trade that goes back to Nova Scotia. The Gravois family's ancestors built and captained the crafts that landed on the Acadian Coast. The family ventured from wood to aluminum boats in the 1970s. Metal Shark is now known for its patrol boats shipped overseas for use by the U.S. Coast Guard and Navy. , Crème Pralines , 1 cup brown sugar , 1 lg can evaporated milk , 2 Tbsp. butter , 1 cup white sugar , 2 Tbsp. white corn syrup , 1 tsp. vanilla , 2 cups chopped pecans , Mix first 5 ingredients. Heat in electric skillet at 300 degrees. Cook to soft ball stage (238 degrees). Turn heat off and add vanilla and nuts. Beat until mixture thickens. Drop by spoonful on wax paper on cool surface. , Jeanerette - Where the Teche Runs Straight , From 1912-1918, a streetcar ran from New Iberia to Jeanerette. Called the "interurban railway," the line was part of a plan to parallel Bayou Teche but was abandoned due to reduced demand after world war one., Musical Traditions , Music has always been a part of Jeanerette's heritage. Back in the day when people came home after working in the sugarcane field they would sit on their porch and play music in the evenings. The Landry Band was one of those formed of family and friends. Notable musicians played throughout the area including blues bass guitarist and Grammy winner, Wayne "Blue" Burns and 1950s recording artist Jay Nelson. The 1960s Papas and The Sons and the Jeanerette Community Band, (formed in 1939) contributed to the local music scene. Places where people would gather to dance and listen to music included the Woodman of the World Hall, Rock-A-Bye, Paul's Lounge, Club Chateau and the Brown Bomber. The renowned Alfred's Chicken Shack hosted B.B.King, Fat's Domino, Irma Thomas and other popular recording artists. , The TECHE Project recognizes Shane Bernard, 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: , City of Jeanerette | jeanerette.com Iberia Parish CVB | iberiatravel.com Jeanerette Bicentennial Park and Museum jeanerettemuseum.com The TECHE Project | techeproject.org